Nanotechnology Applications and Impacts

Nanotechnology

• Laying down one-atom-thick layers on a surface is a high-volume process for creating nanoscale devices on thin plastic or metal.
• Nanomaterials have enhanced properties through nanotechnology, including durability, strength, lightness, water resistance, heat resistance, scratch resistance, electrical conductivity, anti-reflective, antifog, antimicrobial, self-cleaning, and more.
• Nanotechnology is used in diverse products such as tennis rackets, baseball bats, crude oil purification catalysts, and for detecting biological and chemical toxins.
• Nanotechnology has the potential to create computers with greater memory, speed & energy efficiency.
• The entire memory of a computer could be stored on a single chip in the future.
• Nanotechnology can develop high-efficiency, low-cost batteries and solar cells.

Benefits and Concerns

• Nanotechnology has various applications in society and the environment.
• Accelerating the use of nanotechnology to address sustainable development challenges was proposed as an initiative called "Addressing Global Challenges Using Nanotechnology".
• Possible contributions of the community were suggested in a model to overcome challenges that risk people's health and other aspects of life.

Global Funding

• The U.S. federal nanotechnology R&D budget was 1.4billionin2008and1.4 billion in 2008 and 1.4billionin2008and1.5 billion in 2009.
• The European Commission officially launched the European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) in February 2008.
• Other countries with national nanotechnology initiatives include:
  • Japan (Nanotechnology Research Institute, under the National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, AIST)
  • Taiwan (Taiwan National Science and Technology Program for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology)
  • India (Nanotechnology Research and Education Foundation)
  • China (National Center for Nanoscience and Technology)
  • Israel (Israel National Nanotechnology Initiative)
  • Australia (Australian Office of Nanotechnology)
  • Canada (National Institute for Nanotechnology or NINT)
  • South Korea (Korea National Nanotechnology Initiative)
  • Thailand (National Nanotechnology Center or NANOTEC)
  • Malaysia (National [Malaysia] Nanotechnology Initiatives of NNI)

Potential Philippine Applications

• Areas of potential nanotechnology applications in the Philippines (Dayrit, 2005):
  • ICT and semiconductors
  • Health and medicine
  • Energy
  • Food and agriculture
  • Environment

Nanotech Concerns

• There are concerns regarding the use and promotion of nanotechnology-derived materials (Dayril, 2005).
  • Nanotechnology is a diverse field with many applications.
  • Nanotechnology aims to create new materials with specific properties.
  • Nanotechnology could render some natural resources and practices uncompetitive or obsolete, leading to new efficiencies and paradigms.
  • Detecting nanotechnology materials can be challenging without specialized tools.

Impact of Nanotechnology

• Example areas affected by nanotechnology, possible benefits, and concerns:
  • Environment:
    • Benefit: Improved contaminant detection and removal, development of environmentally-friendly industrial processes and materials.
    • Concern: High reactivity and toxicity, pervasive distribution in the environment, lack of specific EPA regulation.
  • Health:
    • Benefit: Improved medicine.
    • Concern: Ability to cross cell membranes and translocate in the body, lack of FDA approval for cosmetics or supplements.
  • Economy:
    • Benefit: Better products, new job creation.
    • Concern: Redistribution of wealth, potential costs of cleanups and healthcare, accessibility to all income levels.