What is nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is a relatively new field of science and technology that aims to understand matter at dimensions between 1 and 100 nanometers. Nanomaterials may be engineered or occur in nature.

Types of nanomaterials

Some of the different types of nanomaterials, named for their individual shape and dimensions, are nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanofilms.

Nanoparticles are bits of material where all the dimensions are nanosized.

Nanotubes are long cylindrical strings of molecules whose diameter is nanosized.

Nanofilms have a thickness that is nanosized, but the other dimensions may be larger.

Applications of nanotechnology

Researchers are developing ways to apply nanotechnology to a wide variety of fields, including transportation, sports, electronics, and medicine.

• Specific applications of nanotechnology include fabrics with added insulation without additional bulk.
• Other fabrics are treated with coatings to make them stain-proof.
• Nanorobots are being used in medicine to help diagnose and treat health problems.
• In the field of electronics, nanotechnology could shrink the size of many electronic products.
• Researchers in the food industry are investigating the use of nanotechnology to enhance the flavor of food. They are also searching for ways to introduce antibacterial nanostructures into food packaging.