What is Nanotechnology? - ARTICLE GATE

 
Nanotechnology, whose existence we have begun to feel in every aspect of life, was first used as a term by Norio Taniguchi in 1974. Although it was not a well-known subject at that time, the concepts that nanotechnology fed were first discussed in a speech by the famous physicist Richard Feynman. This valuable discussion guides the work of many eminent scientists in their fields. Nanotechnology has had an important place in the scientific world since the beginning of the 80's. Of course, with the development of technology over time, there has been a great progress in this field. With its different usage areas , this technology continues to maintain its popularity today.

What is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is the name given to all of the engineering and technology studies carried out in sizes ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanotechnology is a field in which studies are carried out in small sizes that cannot be evaluated with the measurement units used in daily life. Therefore, it has its own unit of measurement. This unit of measurement called nanometer; It is used to describe a specific size, such as millimeters or centimeters. one nanometer; A unit of measurement equal to one billionth of a metre . Nanoparticle, on the other hand, is used to express a single substance with dimensions of 1 to 100 nanometers. These parts cannot be seen with the naked eye. At the same time, it is not possible to see it when viewed with conventional microscopes.

What are Nanotechnology Approaches?

In the era we live in, nanotechnology is accepted as an engineering branch studied at molecular scales for functional systems. It covers all the techniques used to develop high performance and much more effective technological products . The approaches adopted by this technology, which has a very wide usage area, are as follows:

• theoretical approaches
• bottom-up approaches
• Top-down approaches
• Nanomateryaller
• Bio-associative approaches
• functional approaches

Each approach brings with it a different working system. Studies with accepted and applied approaches in different fields contribute to the development of nanotechnology in many ways. 

What Are Examples of Nanotechnology?

Today, nanotechnology, which finds its place in many areas of life, has an important effect such as facilitating human life. Lighter cars, ships and airplanes are designed with this technology. This also provides fuel savings to vehicles. Thus, it has a positive economic contribution. Thanks to nanotechnological research, nano materials, machines and chips are produced. Carbon nanotube, which is among the nano materials and attracts great attention; It is rod-shaped, high-density and quite rigid. The sticks can be placed anywhere as they are hollow. NASA, which is followed with interest around the world with its work, has recently announced that the carbon nanotube design will also be used for space exploration.

Nano chips enable the computers and smartphones we currently use to work much more effectively. This technology, which enables hardware parts to be made in smaller sizes, also allows the device dimensions to be designed as desired. Nanotechnology is also a method used for machine design. Machines such as motors, switches, pumps and impellers are made much more efficient thanks to this technology.

What Are the Usage Areas of Nanotechnology?

The usage areas of nanotechnology are quite wide. These studies at the molecular level are used in every field that is beneficial for humanity. Nanotechnological developments are used extensively in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, computers, mathematics, pharmacy and medicine . Materials science is one of the fields where this technology is used intensively. Smaller and faster computer projects are realized thanks to nanotechnology. With the use of this technology in the field of medicine, many excellent studies that change human life, such as repairing damaged nerve cells at nanoscales, emerge.

Materials and Manufacturing

Material making and manufacturing are at the top of the fields where nanotechnology is used. Advances in this field are used to manufacture more functional and smaller-sized products . These products also enable the production of many advanced technological devices in the theoretical stage. 

Nanotechnology creates significant differences in the areas where it is used. Textile is one of these fields. It is possible to make changes in the structure of fabrics with nanotechnology. In this way, materials with different properties such as waterproof or fireproof can be made. Nanotechnology greatly diversifies fabric production and enables the production of different and new products in many fields.

Nano Electric and Computer Technologies

Computer and its accompanying technologies occupy a large place in nanotechnology application areas. Nanotechnology is used in the construction of quantum computers, which have much higher information processing power than the devices we currently use. Quantum computers , whose working principle is very different from the devices we use daily , allow extremely complex problems to be solved. Nano-electricity, on the other hand, allows technological breakthroughs to be made in areas such as sensors, display systems and signal transmission developed for vehicles.

Medicine and Health

Change and transformation in the fields of medicine and health can be shown among the most striking examples of nanotechnology . This technology, which allows to intervene in living systems at molecular scales, also plays an active role in making devices that interact with microorganisms. With nanotechnological devices, parts of the body that are damaged and cannot be reached under normal conditions can be repaired. Diagnosis and treatment processes can be applied in a much healthier way. 

Nanotechnology is also used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry. With the drugs developed with this technology, it becomes possible to eliminate diseases that were previously incurable. Nanotechnology is also used to increase the effectiveness of existing drugs.

Aerospace Studies

Studies in the field of space and aeronautics generate very high economic bills. The materials used in this area are extremely heavy. With the introduction of nanotechnology, it becomes possible to produce all these materials much lighter. Of course, the dimensions of the materials also decrease. Thus, it is possible to reduce the cost and researches in this field can be done more easily. The biggest role in accelerating the breakthroughs of companies and institutions working in the space-aviation field such as NASA and Space X belongs to this technology. 

Environment and Energy

Nanotechnological developments make it possible to build engines that offer higher efficiency with less fuel . This means the creation of more environmentally friendly systems. Especially in the fields of production and transportation, both highly efficient and environmentally friendly applications are one of the benefits of nanotechnology. With the widespread use of these applications, it is possible to achieve a cleaner environment.

Defense Sector

The defense sector is one of the areas where countries allocate the most budgets around the world. Nanotechnology, which has high potential for military applications, allows the creation of innovations such as weapon systems and improved camouflages. The research-development process of most of the studies in this field continues. In the future, devices and systems created with this method will take a much more place in the defenses of countries.

Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food

The benefits of nanotechnology in agriculture and food are quite remarkable. This technology has an important place in the regulation of animal and plant genes . Genetically modified organisms through nanotechnology are becoming more and more common in everyday life. Since the human population is increasing day by day, it is expected that the foods developed with this technology will have a much larger place in our lives in the future.

What are Nanotechnology Products?

Nanotechnology, which started to be spoken theoretically by scientists about 50 years ago, has managed to be included in all areas of our lives in a short time. It is possible to come across nanotechnology in all important areas, from the food we eat to the clothes we wear, from the treatment of diseases to the devices we use . This technology benefits people's lives in different ways every day. Here are the main products that entered our lives with this technology:

• Pharmaceutical ingredients made by biosynthesis
• Products not affected by steam
• Scratch resistant products
• Very small electrical circuit elements
• Very small scale models
• Computer parts that are very small and can run very fast
• Durable fabrics and threads, especially used in military camouflage
• Deep penetrating cosmetics
• Devices used for the treatment of damage to nerve cells
• Products such as shoes and shirts with self-cleaning feature
• Display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCD) 
• Technological products such as tablets, computers, phone screens, camera lenses
• UV protection glasses

This technology, of which we can already observe its positive effects on human life, will also enable projects that are in theory for now to become applicable in the future. As in every field of technology, nanotechnological developments are progressing rapidly. Although it has recently been included in our lives, you can have many products produced with nanotechnology, which have effects in every field, with the assurance of Avansas. You can make your daily life much easier by taking advantage of the benefits of this technology that shapes the future in a practical way. You can perform your daily work more efficiently by making choices according to your needs among the products in the technology category.

What are the Effects of Nanotechnology on Our Lives?

Nanotechnology has an undeniable importance in today's world . Whether at work or while sunbathing on vacation, products containing this technology are always around us. This is actually an indication that nanotechnology will be more intensely involved in our lives in the future.

Quantum computers, which allow solving mathematical problems that cannot be solved for years with classical processors, are among the nano-technological products that we still do not fully understand today. These computers, which allow countless operations to be performed in seconds, are very important for the calculation of mathematical data in the field of space technologies.

The first computer equipment in the modern sense was the size of an average room. However, the processing power was quite low. The availability of nanotechnology allows computer hardware parts to be manufactured at smaller scales. This is the most important factor in making personal computers, called PCs, accessible . In addition, nanotechnology contributes to the more efficient operation of computer processors. 

It is possible that clothes produced with nanotechnology will become a part of daily life in the near future. Today, water and fire resistant fabrics are produced with this technology. It is obvious that with the widespread use of these fabrics, which have different areas of use, more affordable costs will come into question.

Nanotechnology facilitates disease diagnosis in healthcare. By implanting biochips produced by nanotechnology into the body, diseases can be observed in detail. In this way, diseases can be treated before they reach an irreversible stage. Nanotechnology makes great contributions to human life in the fields of prevention, detection and treatment of diseases.

Sensor technology, which is used extensively in transportation systems, has also taken its current form thanks to nanotechnology. Autonomous vehicles are an important example of the impact of this technology on human life. While the use of unmanned vehicles is becoming more and more widespread, it is possible to witness many different breakthroughs with new technological developments. 

As in all areas of our lives, nanotechnology has a great role in the defense systems of countries. Various products such as autonomous aircraft and camouflage materials produced with nanotechnology contribute to military developments. It is anticipated that these products, most of which are at the project stage, will be used more widely in the near future.