Nanotechnology Engineering

Nanotechnology is leading advances throughout the world of engineering and science. This diverse field draws from many disciplines of engineering and science including materials, mechanical, environmental, and chemical engineering, and chemistry, physics, and biology, and linking science to engineering. It's about creating, studying, and manipulating structures ranging in size from one to one hundred nanometers—a billionth of a meter. Thanks to ever more powerful electron microscopes, the size of molecules and structures scientists and engineers can work with is constantly shrinking—from 60 nanometers to 45 nanometers and now down to as small as 32 nanometers. Nanotechnology engineering applies concepts from biology, chemistry, electrical engineering and quantum physics to build objects through manipulations at the atomic and molecular level.

The field is generally divided into four subcategories:

• Micro and nanoinstruments includes miniature instruments for measuring atoms or molecules in chemical, clinical, or biochemical analysis.

• Nanoelectronics is about expanding the technological limits of the electronics industry by developing new systems materials to do more with even smaller components. One breakthrough is a new generation of electronics based on plastics, which is expected to create new applications ranging from smart cards to tube-like computers.

• Nano-biosystems is the molecular manipulation of biomaterials and miniaturization of analytical devices.

• Nanoengineered materials are about creating advanced materials such as nanocrystalline materials and nanopowders for use in electronics and optics/photonics, and as catalysts in many chemical and environmental processes.

Scientists are looking to nanotechnology to improve the delivery of cancer fighting drugs and are examining whether nanoscale carbon could be used to increase the power and speed of computer circuits. Other potential nanotechnology applications being explored include:

Photo-switches to restore sight to blind retinas—Researchers at the University of California are investigating ways to insert cells in the retina with photo-switches that could help blind nerve cells see. The approach seeks to create a new layer of optically active cells in the retina that would help people with degenerative diseases such as macular degeneration.

Reducing or eliminating power outages. Nanoelectrons embedded at every point of the power system could monitor and report via wireless communications power coming into every home and business at every instant in time to detect, diagnose, and solve problems in real time, thus preventing cascading effects that can cause major power outages.

Harnessing sunlight to help clean up the environment. Small semi-conductors are being developed as photo-catalysts to decompose environmental pollutants. They may be the key to handling one of our most pressing environmental issues—nitrate reduction chemical run off from farm fertilizers, which are a major source of pollution for rivers, streams, and bays, creating dead zones where nothing can live. Nitrate is an extremely stable molecule, so it's hard to break down. Researchers have found that nanoparticles of titanium dioxide or zinc dioxide, common ingredients in sunscreen, mixed with nitrate-polluted water and sunlight break nitrates into harmless compounds. Researchers are now working on effective delivery systems to put this technology to work in our environment.

Paint-on solar panels. Solar cells have been around more than 30 years, but they haven't become cost effective enough for popular use. Today researchers are exploring nanoparticles that can be painted on glass or other building structures that absorb light energy for harvesting. The current technology is silicon based, which is hard to scale up for commercial production, but researchers are working with plastics to develop a substitute. More research is still needed.

Airplanes that heal themselves. Materials engineers are working to develop self-healing composites that could be used on the wing or body of aircrafts that would automatically restore sufficient structural integrity to a damaged plane to make it home safely. The composites would contain nanoparticles or an internal layer of epoxy that would burst and seal the crack.

Copying Nature. Biomimetics, is what engineers call it when they take an idea from nature and apply it to engineering, design, or computing. This area of work merges nanotechnology with biotechnology.

While few universities offer degrees in nanotechnology at the undergraduate level, many offer special course concentrations and certificate programs. For more information visit the National Nanotechnology Initiative website at http://www.nano.gov/html/edu/eduunder.html.