Picture of the day

This 3-dimensional Si composite nanostructure is one of the most recognized "nanotech" images. It has been posted on several key websites and used as cover and interior art in several science magazines. When I first found it I was struck by it's underlying beauty; bleeding-edge tech meets 21st Century art.

At the time this image was created, Ph.D. student Ghim Wei Ho was doing research in the lab of Prof. Mark Welland. Her project involved the fabrication and characterization of novel nanostructures. "For the remainder of my Ph.D., I will be focussing on the potential device aspects of these extraordinary structures," she said.

I will post the others in this series over time. To see it all now, visit the Nanotechnology Now Gallery.

Copyright © Ghim Wei Ho and Prof Mark Welland, University of Cambridge Nanoscale Science Laboratory

Quote of the day

Nanotechnology's potential to improve the human condition is staggering: we would be shirking our duty to future generations if we did not responsibly develop it.

~Ralph C. Merkle

2007 Headlines

As a result of progress made and “nano” issues raised in 2006, I see several headliners in 2007:

Regulation of some or all nanoparticles, in one or more countries

Answers to some toxicity issues, but not all (by a long shot)

Breakthroughs that make a few medical nanotechnologies practical, and human studies of same

Extensive use of nanotubes in composite materials

A significant increase in nano-based products

A great deal of interest in and subsequent higher funding of solar, fuel cells and hydrogen storage technologies.

A great deal of interest in and subsequent higher funding of sensor technologies for military, homeland security and civilian applications.

Watch for:

any regulation to bend someone’s nose out of joint and possibly be such a compromise as to satisfy none.

the same thing in regards to toxicity issues; findings on any given nanoparticle or material may cause widespread dismay among enviro and/or business interests.

either issue could result in a loss of confidence by investors and/or the public, and a subsequent reduction in funding.

bulk nanotube prices to drop, separation techniques to become more efficient, and functionalization methods to create opportunities in the medical and functional materials fields.

Wildcards: things we cannot predict but know from experience do occur. Examples include splitting the atom, and creating the first integrated circuit; both game changers. As the unique properties of nanoscale materials continue being quantified, and resultant advanced products created in greater numbers, nanotechnologies have become widely accepted as game changers, rule breakers, and enablers.

My expectations are “hopefully confident” that the best of nanotech will dominate. For 2007, if investor and public confidence remain high and nano-based products remain safe, expect many economies to experience a growth spurt.

In the near future, don’t be surprised when several countries start to state in their yearly GDP reports that “nano” has become a significant growth-enabling factor. Don’t be surprised when new players enter the market, “changing the game” in ways we cannot imagine today. It’s happened before, and nanotechnologies are enabling a social/economic change as great as any we’ve experienced, if not greater.

Is your company or investment group prepared for these possibilities? Do you have in-house experts who track, analyze, prepare for and make plans based on these issues? Do you have enough information to enable you to make good decisions?

Quote of the day

Even a small fraction of the raw capability of molecular manufacturing would be sufficient to satisfy the world's humanitarian needs for generations to come. Another fraction could multiply the economy and enrich every owner of the technology. And only a small fraction of possible nanotech-built products are unacceptably dangerous.

~Mike Treder Nanotechnology: Time to Make a Choice

Quote of the day

Today nanotechnology is still in a formative phase--not unlike the condition of computer science in the 1960s or biotechnology in the 1980s. Yet it is maturing rapidly. Between 1997 and 2005, investment in nanotech research and development by governments around the world soared from $432 million to about $4.1 billion, and corresponding industry investment exceeded that of governments by 2005. By 2015, products incorporating nanotech will contribute approximately $1 trillion to the global economy. About two million workers will be employed in nanotech industries, and three times that many will have supporting jobs.

~Mihail C. Roco, Senior adviser for nanotechnology to the National Science Foundation and a key architect of the National Nanotechnology Initiative link

(RR note: the $1 trillion figure is widely disputed)

Nanotubes, Pt. II

Nanotube-based materials…soon?

For the past decade we’ve been reading about the potential of carbon nanotubes for use in advanced materials (100X stronger than steel at 1/6th the weight…). Currently, they are used in a very small handful of products; not the widespread applications that were predicted in the recent past.

Major hurdles have included production scaling problems (and therefore cost), separation (each type of nanotube displays specific characteristics), and functionalization (necessary for medical uses). Another major hurdle has been, and remains, both the public perception and the actual risk associated with these vanishingly small materials; we just don’t know, yet, all the ways in which nanotubes may prove toxic.

In 2007 we may start to see nanotubes used in more and more diverse applications. However, this will only happen if the companies that make them are able to increase their production batches while at the same time deal with the separation and toxicity issues. Simply increasing the total amount of nanotubes produced will allow for their use in areas where weight and strength are the most highly sought attributes (think auto and space industries). This, of course, anticipates a subsequent reduction in cost as batch size increases; a not unreasonable expectation. So if we can deal with the toxicity issues we may, finally, be on the road to a nanotube-enabled advanced materials world.

Expect news of production ramp ups to be greeted with investor enthusiasm and news of toxicity problems to dampen that enthusiasm.