Nanotechnology is a rapidly advancing field that involves the study and manipulation of materials at the nanoscale, which is typically defined as being between one and 100 nanometers in size. The development of nanotechnology can be traced back to the early 20th century, when scientists first began to study the properties of materials at the atomic level. However, it wasn't until the latter half of the 20th century that significant advances were made in the field.

Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, was one of the earliest pioneers in the field of nanotechnology. In his 1959 lecture "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom," Feynman proposed the idea of manipulating individual atoms and molecules to create new materials and machines. This idea helped to spark interest in the field of nanotechnology and laid the groundwork for future research.

The invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM) in the 1980s revolutionized the field of nanotechnology by allowing scientists to observe and manipulate materials at the atomic and molecular level. These advances were made possible by the work of Gerd Binnig, Heinrich Rohrer, and Calvin Quate.

In the early 1990s, Eric Drexler popularized the concept of "molecular manufacturing," which involves designing machines to build complex structures atom-by-atom. This idea helped to raise public awareness of the potential of nanotechnology and inspired further research in the field.

The discovery of buckminsterfullerene, also known as the "buckyball," by Sir Harry Kroto, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley in 1985 was another significant contribution to the field of nanotechnology. This molecule, composed of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a sphere, has since been used in a wide range of applications, from drug delivery to electronics.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, researchers began to explore the use of nanotechnology in medicine, electronics, and energy. For example, nanoscale drug delivery systems that use nanoparticles to target cancer cells were developed, and a nanoscale battery was created that could potentially be used in portable electronics.

Today, nanotechnology is a thriving field of research with applications in a wide range of industries. One of the most promising areas of research is in the development of nanomaterials with unique and useful properties. For example, researchers are developing nanomaterials that can change color in response to different stimuli or that can be used to create more efficient solar cells.

In conclusion, the history of nanotechnology is relatively short, but it is a field that has made significant contributions to science and technology. From the early work of Richard Feynman to the modern research being conducted in laboratories around the world, nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries and improve our lives in countless ways. While there is still much to learn about the properties of materials at the nanoscale, it is clear that the field of nanotechnology will continue to be an important area of research for years to come.

Nanotechnology is a relatively new field that involves the study and manipulation of materials at the nanoscale, which is typically defined as being between one and 100 nanometers in size. The development of nanotechnology can be traced back to the early 20th century, when scientists first began to study the properties of materials at the atomic level. However, it wasn't until the latter half of the 20th century that the term "nanotechnology" was coined, and significant advances were made in the field.

The study of nanotechnology dates back to 1959 when a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Richard Feynman, gave a lecture titled "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom." In this lecture, Feynman proposed the possibility of manipulating individual atoms and molecules to create new materials and machines. However, this idea was initially met with skepticism. It was not until the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM) in the 1980s that the field of nanotechnology began to gain traction.

The STM was invented by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer in 1981. This invention revolutionized the field of nanotechnology by allowing scientists to observe and manipulate materials at the atomic and molecular level. The AFM was invented by Calvin Quate in 1986, which allowed scientists to image materials with greater accuracy than the STM. These inventions opened up a world of possibilities for nanotechnology and paved the way for future discoveries.

In the early 1990s, Eric Drexler, a researcher and futurist, popularized the concept of "molecular manufacturing." This concept involves designing machines that could build complex structures atom-by-atom. Though this idea has yet to be fully realized, it helped raise public awareness of the potential of nanotechnology and inspired further research in the field.

In 1985, Sir Harry Kroto, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley discovered buckminsterfullerene, also known as the "buckyball." This molecule, composed of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a sphere, is one of the most stable and versatile molecules ever discovered. It has since been used in a wide range of applications, from drug delivery to electronics.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, researchers began to explore the use of nanotechnology in a variety of fields, including medicine, electronics, and energy. For example, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, developed a nanoscale drug delivery system that uses nanoparticles to target cancer cells, while researchers at the University of Texas at Austin developed a nanoscale battery that could potentially be used in portable electronics.

Today, nanotechnology is a thriving field of research with applications in a wide range of industries. One of the most promising areas of research is in the development of nanomaterials with unique and useful properties. For example, researchers are developing nanomaterials that can change color in response to different stimuli, or that can be used to create more efficient solar cells.

In conclusion, the history of nanotechnology is relatively short, but it is a field that has made significant contributions to science and technology. From the early work of Richard Feynman to the modern research being conducted in laboratories around the world, nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries and improve our lives in countless ways. While there is still much to learn about the properties of materials at the nanoscale, it is clear that the field of nanotechnology will continue to be an important area of research for years to come.

Nanoscience down the Ages

The term ‘Nanoscience’ is new, but the concept is older than we can imagine. Nature is the perfect machine. It contains treasures that promise to enrich mankind in every way. The atom is the fundamental building block of elements in nature. What we know today as ‘Nanotechnology’ has been the secret method employed by nature to manufacture everything from wood, to mountains, iron, water – in short, anything that can be classified as a physical substance. Nanotechnology has existed since billions of years as a natural phenomenon. Man has been using it to make items of utility and decoration since an undated past, without even realizing the underlying principles and forces at work that were contributing to making his inventive and creative efforts successful.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Fruitful research develops products and extensive testing contributes to its success in the market. There are a number of products developed using Nanotechnology in cosmetics, medicine, electronics etc., and the number is growing day-by-day.

Few of these products are:

The Nano Battery:

MPhase Technologies Inc. has introduced a smart nano battery. This battery has an incredible longer power backup time as compared to conventional batteries, with just a fraction of the charging time period required for normal cells. The company claims to have created the batteries that have worked continuously for upto 10years at a time. When connected in parallel, these batteries can provide backup for decades. These batteries are very light, making a viable solution to the problem of excess device weight in portable electronics such as laptops and mobile phones and offers consumers’ affordability and convenience. The customer is also sure that in an emergency life-or-death situation, the battery of the communication device will not fail. Nano Smart Battery.

Deep Cleansing Soap:

GNS Nanogist is producing a cleansing soap using silver nanoparticles which are 50,000 times smaller than pores of the skin. The small size allows the nanoparticles to get absorbed into skin cells easily, removing dirt that would otherwise be impossible to remove, without causing irritation.

Other products from GNS Nanogist are;

Nanover Wet Wipes

Nanoover detergent

nanover disinfectant spray

nanoover hair care

Antiviral Medicines:

In pharmaceuticals nanotechnology play a vital role in the production of nanodrugs Nanoviricides Inc, is developing Nanotechnology enabled targete viricides such as FluCide-I .It targeted nanoviricide against human influenza by neutralize and disabling the viral particles in the blood stream and the lungs.

Other products from Nanoviricide Inc. are

HepaCide-I
AviFluCide-I
HIVCide-I
RabiCide-I

Nano Fiber Production:

Elmarco Limited is the supplier or industrial scale nanofiber production equipment. Elmarco’s Nanospider technology allows nanofibers to be produced on an industrial scale for a number for a number of applications. Nanospider technology enables the technology of fibers 200 to 500 nanometers in diameter, which are suitable for use in such industries as filtration, automobiles, building, and healthcare, among others. One of the latest innovations, The NanoSpider Acoustic Web is a unique material that features sound absorption characteristics. Nanofiber-based materials have the quality of being very light but extremely strong. In fact, nanofibres are now being used extensively in bullet proof vests because of their lightness and shock-absorbing capacity.

Nano coatings:

Industrial Nanotech Inc. is producing energy saving industrial and residential coatings which offer highly effective insulation, corrosion resistance, mold resistance, and lead encapsulation. Coatings are required to protect surfaces such as machine parts, roofing, pipes in factories and walls. This patented technology, sold only under the Nansulate brand name, and has been available since April 2004.

Self-cleaning Glass

Nanotech Pvt. Ltd. is producing Nanoprotect Glass which is a special Nanotechnology product with an inbuilt self-cleaning mechanism for glass and ceramic surfaces. A permanent and invisible thin surface effect will appear and the nano particles adhere directly to the material molecule and allow the surface to deflect any dirt and water.

In addition to this, nanotechnology has already been used by the Korean giant Samsung to manufacture ultra-thin-ultra-high definition screens. The technology is being used to diagnose medical conditions that were earlier impossible to identify by using nanocameras. It is just a matter of time before nanotechnology starts appearing in items as common as potato chips and pizzas!

History at a Glance

1959- Feynman- Molecular equipment’s building with atomic accuracy.

1974- Taniguchi- term “nano-technology” used in paper on ion-sputter machining for 1^st time. “Nano-technology” mainly consists of the processing of separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or one molecule”. (Norio Taniguchi of Tokyo science University first defined nanotechnology in 1974.

1977- Dexler- gave Molecular nanotechnology concepts at MIT.

1981- Invention of STM.

1985- Buckyball discovered.

1986- First book published, AFM invented and first organization formed.

1987- First protein engineered.

1988- First university symposium

1989- First university course launched, IBM logo was spelled in individual atom and First national conference was held.

1990- First nanotechnology journal published, STA from Japan began funding nanotech projects.

1991- Japan’s MITI announces bottom-up “atom factory”, IBM endorses bottom-up path, Japan’s MITI $200 million. Carbon nanotube discovered.

1992- First textbook published

1993- First Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology was awarded and First coverage of nanotech from White House was done. “Engines of Creation” book given to Rice administration, stimulating first university nanotech center.

1994- Nanosystems textbook was used for the first time in university courses.

1995- First industry analysis of military applications came into account.

1996- Feynman Grand Prize of $250,000 was announced as well as first European conference was held Along with it NASA begins works in computational nanotech and first nanobio conference came into work.

1997- First company founded. First design of nanorobotic system.

1998- First NSF forum, held in conjunction with Foresight Conference. First DNA based nanomechanical device.

1999- First Nanomedicine book published. First safety guidelines.

2000- President Clinton announces U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative. First State research Initiative: $100 million in California

2001- First report on nanotech industry. U.S announces first center for military applications.

2002- First nanotech industry conference. Regional nanotech efforts multiply.

2003- Congressional hearings on societal implications. Call for balancing NNI research portfolio. Dexler/Smalley is published in Chemical & Engineering News.

2004- First policy conference on advanced nanotech. First center for nanomechanical systems

2005- Nanomachine/nanosystem project count reached 300.

History Of Nanotechnology