Introduction
Nanotechnology is said to be the next big idea that will come to change the world. Think how airplanes, telephone, and computers have changed the course of history. The same thing is expected to happen the moment the general public begins to have access to nanotechnology. This can be said because nanotechnology provides the capability of designing and manufacturing items that are so small that it would be impossible to view them under a microscope. Some of the more well-known applications are the manufacturing of nano-sized materials as well as the manipulation of ultra-fine particles such as in nanoink printing.
Nanotechnology
Every area and every sector of society has been affected by technology. The technological innovations in the business world, especially when it comes to information technology and the manufacturing sector, have created significant changes in these fields of endeavors. It is now possible for businessmen, corporate leaders and employees to work faster, at a more efficient rate than ever before. It is also the reason why competition is at an all time high but overall it helps in creating a more productive business environment. The root cause for all of these innovations can be categorized into two: computer systems and the capability to miniaturize objects and equipment.
This can be seen in the study of nanotechnology. This is a technology that enables manufacturer to develop miniaturized versions of equipment and machines. It is not possible to manufacture small machines and robots that can perform processes considered impossible a few decades ago. But before going any further it is important to take a closer look at what it means.
It is important to have a clear grasp of the type of measurements used when discussing nanotechnology. Based on a review on related literature, there are different opinions as to how one can accurately measure particles that are below the micro-level. However, many scientists will agree that “you can think of nanotechnology dealing with anything measuring between 1 and 100 nm… larger than that is the microscale, and smaller than that is the atomic scale” (Binns, p.11). In this regard, when people talk about nanotechnology then they refer to measurements that are smaller than those that can be found in the microscale.
This is indeed a breakthrough discovery because of the microscale measurement of products and items created through nanotechnology. One way to truly appreciate the impact of this technology is by examining the products that scientists were able to produce using this type of technology. The most significant contribution can be seen in the field of engineering as revealed in the following statement: “Engineers are trying to use nano-size wires to create smaller, more powerful microprocessors” (Binns, p.11). Nanowires are wires with a diameter of 1 nm (Binns, p.11). This simply means that engineers can develop nano-sized microprocessors for computer chips (Binns, p.11). This can lead the way for more compact and yet very powerful computers.
Aside from electronics, nanotechnology is very useful in creation of lightweight and yet ultra-strong materials such as carbon nanotubes. It was reported that scientists were able to line up carbons into sheets, and afterwards they rolled these sheets to form into fibers and the fibers can be used as raw materials for heavy-duty components that are hundreds of times stronger than steel and yet many times lighter (Binns, p.11). These are exciting discoveries however; these are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
Nanoink
Printing and printing technology is needed in the modern world because of the need for marking or designing an object or item. One way to do it is through the use of paint or ink such as in silkscreen printing or printing using a computer printer. One example is litography: “a litograph is an image (usually on paper) that is produced by carving a pattern on the stone, inking the stone, and then pushing the inked stone onto paper” (Ratner, p.44). However, there is a need for printing on small-scale surfaces (Fuchs, p.184). But current technology is not able to satisfy the requirements in printing over a diverse type of surfaces as well as in areas smaller than the eye can see.
In response to this need, scientists were able to develop small-scale litography and it can be seen in the current method used to make computer chips. In this process manufacturers use “optical or x-ray litography, in which a master mask is made using chemical methods and light passes through that mask to produce the actual chip structures… just lik a silk screen for a T-shirt” (Ratner, p.44). However, there is a major limitation to this process. This is what experts have to say:
Nanoscale litography really can’t use visible light because the wavelength of visible light is at least 400 nanometers, so structues smaller than that are difficult to make directly using it… this is one of the reasons why there is a need to develop an entirely new set of preparation methods in order to succeed in this area (Ratner, p.44).
In nanoscale printing it is important to consider the effect that the material used for printing will have on the surface. For instance manufacturers must consider what will happen to the light produced in luminescent nanocomposite materials. There is also a need to analyze if it can hinder the flow of electricity and other processes.
According to one report, “Among the innovative deposition techniques, inkjet printing is an attractive tool for microscale patterning since it allows the local positioning of tiny droplets of functional materials onto addressable sites of a substrate… low waste of materials, the large choice of available substrates and the possibility of multiple depositions are the main advantages of this technique and it is recently used for the fabrication of multicolor LED, solar cells and transistors (Wang, p.183). This is crucial especially in sensitive equipment designed in microscale.
Another technique in the creation of fine particles is the use of electrical force to generate fine liquid aerosol. The conventional way of creating fine liquid aerosol is through pneumatic methods as gas forces a liquid solution out of container so that it will effuse out of a nozzle. Applying nanotechnology there is now a better way of doing that and it is by charging the liquid to a very high voltage as a result, “The charged liquid in the nozzle become unstable a it is forced to hold more and more charge… soon the liquid reaches a critical point, at which it can hold no more electrical charge and at the tip of the nozzle it blows apart into a cloud of tiny, highly charged droplets” (Bartolovic, 157). This is another step in improving printing technology.
This is the reason why scientists can create microfibers from a polymer solution. If the same principle is used in medicine to create organic structures instead of microfibers the process is called cell electrospinning (Bartolovic, p.157). Scientists say that if one will combine the different attributes of nanotechnology and electrospraying and use it in biomedicine, the result would be bio-electrospraying, a novel way of creating organic structures or biological microenvironments (Bartolovic, p.157). Nanotechnology can indeed change the world.
Conclusion
Nanotechnology has come a long way from developing microfibers and nanowires used in engineering and other industrial applications. In the 21st century scientists are working towards the utilization of nanotechnology in the field of printing and litography. The use of nanotechnology will help create a better world because the materials and equipment that can be manufactured using this technology can be more efficient and durable. For example, nanotubes are lighter than steel and yet it is many times stronger. Printing on small surfaces can enhance the functionality of microprocessors and this means better value for money as well as cost-efficiency.
Works Cited
Bartolovic, Kerol et al. “The differentiation and engraftment potential of mouse hematopoietic stem cells is maintained after bio-electrospray.” Analyst (2010): 157-164.
Binns, Chris. Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.
Fuchs, Harald. Nanotechnology: Nanoprobes. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009.
Ratner, Mark. Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2003.
Wang, Zhiming. Toward Functional Nanomaterials. New York: Springer, 2009.