Nanotechnology refers to the creation of items based on their atoms and molecules. Everything in this world is believed to be composed of atoms and molecules and thus, these two components are the major principles of all things, whether living or nonliving. The discovery of this technology meant that people could make systems that are fully integrated to make one functional system. The materials that are used in this technology are called Nanomaterials. This technology has been applied in various fields including medicine and defense. This paper will highlight how the technology is applied and as well as the challenges that come with it.
Hickman argues that every matter, regardless of its state, contains millions of atoms that are contained by molecules. The molecules are linked with each other through electrons that act as the bonds. The bonds are the ones that determine the qualities of a substance (1). For instance, a metal such as diamond is the hardest metal ever known because its atomic and molecular structure is made up of very strong bondages.
In nanotechnology, manufacturers and other experts observe items and materials that they use in manufacturing to identify how the molecules and atoms are laid out. The atoms and molecules are later repositioned for them to generate the qualities that are required by the manufacturers. Those who use nanotechnology see it as the only way of correcting what is wrong, such as using materials that are thought to be weak after customizing their molecular layout to make them strong.
The units of measuring space in nanotechnology are in nanometers. One of the greatest concerns of this technology is to trim the size of the materials without affecting their physical properties. But this is easier said than done because in most cases the materials used acquire new physical properties such as being transparent for the ones that were opaque before transformation. This is why we have very tiny devices such as flash disks that can hold huge amounts of data without getting noticed because one can not see the files physically.
Zimmerman explains that this technology is quite unique because in other technologies, the materials are usually bulky when they are extracted from their original source and have to be refined in order for them to be useful (1). For instance, oil cannot be used directly without being refined because the impurities in it have to be removed. In nanotechnology everything is constructed from its components.
Advantages of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology has various benefits that come with it. But the benefits can only be realized if we use the technology for its intended purpose. First and foremost, nanotechnology has really enhanced the manufacturing of electronics because the integrated circuits that are built based on this technology require little space. That is why we are able to have micro systems that perform the same tasks that are performed by the huge machines. Nanotechnology has made it possible for systems to be incorporated in order to perform various tasks. For instance, the mobile phones that are used nowadays have an in-built camera and a radio and at times a mobile television, and all of these features function well without clashing as one would expect.
Nanotechnology can also make an impact on energy generation departments by making it for engineers to develop models that can trap solar energy that can later be used in electrical appliances and other equipments that require to be powered. Nanotechnology is used in producing long lasting dry cells that are also easy to carry. Besides, since this technology uses very minimal efforts in applying it this will lead to decline in commodity prices. When manufacturers incur huge costs in manufacturing the costs are extended to consumers, hence when items are easily produced we expect them to flood the market and that way, supply would outnumber demand hence there would be stiff competition among manufacturers.
All technologies are discovered with the aim of solving mysteries in life hence this technology can also be applied in treatment and diagnosis of diseases. According to Davies the various medicines that are administered to patients suffering from major ailments such as cancer are manufactured using this technology thus they are believed to be very effective in fighting such diseases (13). One of the most crucial properties of such medicine that make them ideal for treating diseases of this nature is that they are made up of molecules that are believed to be very aggressive and thus they reach their intended destination and perform their intended function without delaying.
Another area that benefits from this technology is the industrial sector, because manufacturers are able to customize their products towards meeting customer satisfaction. Before this technology came into existence, manufacturers were having sleepless nights while thinking about how achieving client satisfaction because they did not know that the materials they use in making items could be configured to make them meet customer needs. For instance, by using this technology, they can make fabrics that do not require ironing or more still they can make more durable products.
Disadvantages of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology can render so many people jobless because the procedures of producing items require few people as opposed to when the materials have to be refined. For instance, vehicle manufacturers who have adopted this technology use computerized robots that are able to perform the tasks that would require several people to be accomplished.
Nanotechnology can cause the markets to decline because the cost of manufacturing would be affordable to everyone and in this case everybody will be able to make their own goods for sale. This implies that the market will have many items than the consumers can purchase and thus traders will have to sell their items at throw away prices because if they continue holding on to them, they will become dead stocks.
Another concern is that this technology has made manufacturers to be very dynamic that is they have to make products that stand out from the rest. That is why organizations like Microsoft have to develop new features into their programs for them to remain ahead of the game. Although these dynamic features are meant to benefit the consumers in the end, consumers feel overcrowded because they have to move with the new trends that are emerging every other day.
This technology has made it possible for developed nations and developing nations to be able to design weapons that could eliminate the whole world such as in the case of nuclear weapons that are perceived to be produced by North Korea. This might sound funny but when nations use such weapons to fight each other their effects will continue to be manifested even after the enemies has ceased from fighting. Japan is a living testimony of how weapons of mass destruction can continue to haunt us long after the war is over.
On the contrary, the cost of setting up plants that use this technology is quite costly and that is why at the moment items that are made using this technology come with higher price tags. Most countries are interested in this technology but then they lack adequate funding to establish the projects (Hickman 1). Besides, this technology require highly qualified personnel who are not available in third world countries because most of them are absorbed by developed nations that are able to pay them decent salaries compared to the peanuts that are offered by their mother countries.
Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials are the substances that are used in nanotechnology because of the properties that they posses. The materials range from metals to ceramics and they are first observed under specialized equipment called the sophisticated electron microscopy which enables us to identify the way the atoms and the molecules are laid out. Once the elements of these substances have been identified their size is trimmed with the aim of reducing the surface area on which they function. During the trimming process the atoms and molecules are evenly repositioned. The reduction in size is meant to make them more aggressive (Hickman 1).
Nanomaterials are very tiny and their ability to deliver excellent results has sparked interests of many industry players including government agencies. It is in this regard that critics have been pushing for a watch dog body to be established. This is because there have been cases where humans have been found suffering from ailments thought to be triggered by Nanomaterials in food products meant for human consumption. Among the diseases that are thought to be associated with being exposed to these materials include cancer and skin aging disease.
Therefore, the monitoring bodies should set standards that are to be adhered to by all manufacturers including their employees who are perceived to be at great risk of contracting such diseases due to long term exposure to these toxic substances. Manufacturers and any one who is found violating the set standards should be prosecuted because they are endangering the lives of many people for their own benefits. On the other hand, manufacturers and other people who use these materials and nanotechnology in general should know that they need people to buy their finished products. They should therefore ask themselves who will buy their goods when all people have become extinguished from the surface of the earth.
Works Cited
Davies, Clarence. ”Managing the Effects of Nanotechnology.” Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. 2010. Web.
Hickman, Kathleen. ”Nanomaterials: It’s a Small, Small world.” CSA. Feb. 2002. Web.
Zimmerman, Andrew. ”Nanotechnology.”About.com. 2011. Web.