By Benedette CuffariApr 4 2017
While the actual term nanotechnology was not introduced until 1974 by Japanese scientist Norio Taniguchi, the original concept behind this massively developed field of science was introduced by Richard Feynman in his 1959 speech titled Theres Plenty of Room at the Bottom.1
In his speech, Feynman discussed that by manipulating the size of a material to be in its smallest form, we are able to learn much more about the phenomena exerted by this material, particularly when presented in complex situations.
Since its initial introduction into the world, the application of nanotechnology has found an ability to revolutionize and improve almost every technology and industry sector of the world today. By converting bulk materials to a nanoscale, this technology has allowed for specific properties such as strength, durability, reactivity, conductance, and several other traits to be tailored towards each project of interest2.
The industries that have found the greatest advantages by manipulating materials into its nanoscale include information technology, homeland security, medicine, energy, food safety, environmental science, transportation and many others.
Many commercial and everyday products now rely on the presence of nanoengineered materials in order to deliver the best possible outcomes following their use, however the application of this technology in advancing scientific fields is also quite impressive.
As researchers around the world are discovering remarkable properties and uses for nanosized particles, scientific meetings such as the international Trends in Nanotechnology meeting, aim at publishing the work that is being done in this revolutionary field. During the week of June 5-9, 2017, researchers from around the world will gather in Dresden, Germany to discuss some of the following hot topics that are going to pave the way in nanotechnology this year:
Find out more about TNT 2017
The application of nanotechnology into the field of photovoltaics is not a new thought, however, the future range of possible nanoapplications in this industry is expected to rise in 2017. Photovoltaics, which describes the ability to generate electricity from light, is a growing market that has faced several challenges due to the high costs associated with the materials required for most solar cells.
While the cost is likely to decrease in the future following the development of thinner wafers and devices capable of exhibiting a higher conversion efficiency, the role of nanotechnology is expected to play an important role in enhancing these properties.
PV Nano Cell has developed an innovative and conductive ink that has found use in solar photovoltaics and other printed electronics applications. The PV Nano Cell SicrysTM product is a single-crystal, nanometric silver, or copper-based, conductive ink, that is capable of delivering the products properties at an enhanced performance rate while also reducing the cost required to do so4.
Photovoltaic ink typically takes only about a minute to dry onto a surface at 100 C, which allows for roll-to-roll manufacturing to occur. This type of manufacturing technique describes a sheet of material being spun off one roll, coated, and rolled back onto a new one in a consecutive and rapid manner, which not only increases production time, but has also been found to enhance the efficiency the functioning capability of solar cells5.
The use of graphene has already found an untenable amount of applications over the last few years, and its use in combination with nanotechnology is no different. The term graphene is used to describe a single atom-thick layer of carbon, and its use has found a successfully applications such as batteries, capacitors, mobile devices, fuel cell-powered cars, water purification, solar cell dyes and many others6.
For example, a graphene-based electrode has recently been developed by researchers from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, which has the potential to apply solar technology in future devices such as smart phones, laptops, cars and quite possibly buildings7. Not only does this electrode exhibit a storage capacity that is estimated to be 30 times greater, while also being comprised of a much thinner and flexible material as compared to its predecessors.
Learn more about the PV Nano Cell SicrysTM
The future of nanotechnology is expected to have major impacts on all aspects of the world, and its ability to further improve daily life is limitless. From changing the way in which medicine and diagnostic procedures is given to patients to generating new and increasingly efficient ways to generate electricity, nanotechnology seems to hold the key into the future of the world.
References
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Nanotechnology in 2017: The Story So Far January - April - AZoNano
- Electronic Materials Company Cambrios Announces Closing $14.5 Million Round - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Europe's 'Extreme light infrastructure' project gears up for launch - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Industrial nanotechnology processes getting closer - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Konsultation zum Austria Nano-Aktionsplan - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Bewegungen von Viren auf Membranen live verfolgen - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Thailand Nanotechnology Conference on health, energy, environment - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Samsung Intensifies Advanced Foundry Logic Process Development with New Semiconductor Research Center - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Infineon and TSMC to Jointly Develop 65nm Embedded Flash Process Technology For Automotive and Chip Card Applications - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Abraxis Health Dedicates State of the Art Nanotechnology and Biologics Facility in Phoenix, Arizona - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Beneq Announces The First Continous Mode Atomic Layer Deposition Research Tool - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- An electron microscope with glasses - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Give your opinion on the Nanotechnology Research Code of Conduct - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Presentations from the OECD Conference on the Potential Environmental Benefits of Nanotechnology - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DFI Nanotechnology Expands Into China With Strategic Alliance in Hong Kong - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Pre-announcement: Call for proposals within 'Energy Efficiency with Nanotechnology' - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- This week in nanotechnology - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- New funding for development and deployment of UAlbany nanofabrication strategies - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Applied Materials Acquires the Assets of Advent Solar - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Advanced Researcher Grant 2009 an Nanowissenschaftlerin Luisa de Cola - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Ocean Optics Launches Dedicated OEM Website - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- New synthetic molecules trigger immune response to HIV and prostate cancer - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Computer predicts reactions between molecules and surfaces, with 'chemical precision' - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Austria showcases its nanotechnology initiative - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Nanocapsules for artificial photosynthesis - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Work begins on laboratory for world's strongest microscope - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- New cancer detection method with fluorescent silica beads - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Die Magnetisierung einzelner Atome manipulieren - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Novel nanoparticles could become a safer alternative to gene therapy delivered by viruses - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DOE awards Argonne, partners more than $7 million for solar energy-related research projects - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Magnetic nanoparticles to simultaneously diagnose, monitor and treat - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Study of ultracold atoms proves theory about universal quantum mechanism - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- RUSNANO Supervisory Council approves nanostructured non-metallic coatings project - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Julian Wess Award for outstanding achievements in elementary particle and astroparticle physics - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- New Pegasus300 Sold to Leading French Research Institute for CMOS Packaging - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Soitec Expands Into the Fast Growing Solar Energy Market With the Acquisition of Concentrix Solar - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Students send microbe nanobiotechnology experiment on Space Shuttle Atlantis - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Photovoltaic cells to power biological nanorobots inside the body - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Environmental and human health impacts of nanotechnology - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Elusive 'hot' electrons captured in ultra-thin solar cells - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Light-generating transistors to power labs on chips - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Combining rare-earth clusters with traditional metal catalysts reveals secrets of chemical transformation - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Hexagon Expands Its Offering in the Vision Metrology Business - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Azaya Therapeutics Receives FDA Authorization to Start Phase I Cancer Trial - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Researchers engineer bacteria to turn carbon dioxide into liquid fuel - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Argonne creates green home for world-class nanotechnology research - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- The mechanism behind superinsulation may lead to new types of electronics - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Biosensors change color when they detect specific neural messages - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- First measurement of cancer biomarkers in whole blood - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Nanoprobes hit targets in tumors, could lessen chemo side effects - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- EYP/energy group joins UAlbany NanoCollege's National Institute for Sustainable Energy - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Scientists isolate new antifreeze molecule in Alaska beetle - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Ocean Optics XR-Series Spectrometers Cover 200-1050 nm Wavelengths - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- All-in-one cancer-killing nanoparticle can be tracked in real time with MRI - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Nanobodies modifizieren die Form und Funktion von Proteinen - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. to Join Leica Microsystems' Parent Company Board of Directors - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- France to invest billions in nanotechnology - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- AlphaRx Appoints President for its China Operations - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Vistec Enters Into Electron-Beam Lithograpy Project With Moscow University - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Record-breaking ultrasensitive spectrometer identifies trace gases in real time - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- NanoMech Receives Navy Contract to Develop Nanotechnology Lubricant - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Heart cells display a behavior-guiding 'nanosense' on new lab-on-a-chip - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New curriculum mixes nanotechnology and skiing - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Rexahn and TheraTarget Form Nanotechnology Research Collaboration - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Unidym Enters Agreement to Integrate Carbon Nanotube Films Into LCDs - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Carl Zeiss Meditec Closes Financial Year on a High - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- The Scott Partnership Appointed to Launch Innovative New Printed Electronics Business - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New Centre for Molecular Epidemiology to put bacteria on the world map - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New nanotechnology association established to address 21st century natural resource and energy security challenges - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Analysis of information gathering initiatives on manufactured nanomaterials - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- OECD publishes manufactured nanomaterials roadmap 2010 - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New imaging technique allows quick evaluation of graphene sheets - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- National Institute of Standards and Technology invests up to $71 million in new manufacturing, infrastructure research and development - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Southwest Nanotechnologies Recieves Two Prestigious Research Grants To Deveop A New Generation of Carbon Nanotubes - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Nanolithographic technique allows multiple chemicals on a single chip - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Study documents puzzling movement of electricity-producing bacteria near energy sources - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Erstmals Daten aus lebenden Zellen: Optisches Verfahren misst molekulare Reaktionszeiten - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- New Constant Diameter NeedleProbes with Unique Ability to Measure Liquid Surface Properties by AFM - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Chemical Nanotechnology Talks X: Green nano - challenges of sustainability - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Patents Issued for Licensed PAL-M Super-resolution Technology - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- International Network CONTACT researches the use of carbon nanotubes in various applications - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]