The Age of Nanotechnology - What Is The Future?
On the 8th.July 2008 a prestige lecture by Professor James Gimzewski, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) at the IET, Savoy Place, London, was presented to members of both The Institute of Nanotechnology and the Institution of Engineering and Technology to launch the first joint enterprise between the organisations. Derek Maylor, Chair of the NW BTU Safety C-ord and member of The Institute of Nanotechnology attended the lecture and reports here.
Below is just a brief outline of ‘The Age of Nanotechnology’ lecture by Dr. Gimzewski and an even smaller bit about the future. Whilst the CWU continue to have health and safety concerns about the growth in nanotechnology this was not the best forum to vent them but it was an excellent learning experience.
Dr. Gimzewski pioneered research on mechanical and electrical contacts with single atoms and molecules using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) and was one of the first people in the world to image molecules with STM. He is the Director of the Nano & Pico Characterization Facility of the California Nanosystems Institute and has won several awards including the Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology and Institute of Physics’ Duddell medal and prize.
On entering the lecture room the initial impact was the stunning venue. One could smell the history of debates and revelations made there. You could feel the scientific and engineering pioneers that had spoken within the timbered walls broken only by ancient paintings of the great and the good of the inspirers over the years. Luminaries were gathered from the entire scientific world, Professors from universities, Oxford to Cambridge and Egypt to India. There were Doctors from Brazil and the USA discussing issues with business leaders from Asia and Australasia. All the world’s leaders in nanotechnology together with one USR from the Communication Workers Union, whom after looking at the guest list, was also the sole trade union representative from the UK or internationally.
To start with - nanotechnology is converging the sciences. The control and manipulation of atoms maybe the dreams of some people or the nightmares of others and the possibilities are limited only by man’s imagination. To place the size of it – a strand of human hair is about 75,000 nanometers [nm] across but you would need 10 hydrogen atoms sitting on top of each other to make up 1nm. DNA which is in the news a lot comes in at 2nm. So nanotechnology involves developments at 1 to 100 nm range, or occasionally smaller. Properties can change at that size especially with variances in temperature so ranges of studies are completed throughout a vast array of backgrounds. These changes are termed “novel properties” as they are not available at larger scales; it’s like throwing a tennis ball at a garage door – and it coming out the other side [1].
Applications, like mentioned almost limitless but amongst the leaders are superior lightweight materials, advanced computing, situational awareness powerful munitions, healthcare diagnostics, novel drugs, desalinisation of water and importantly energy storage [2].
Taking two fields, energy and medicine, the first as it’s currently in the news and the second as its Dr. Gimzewski current field of research. With demands rising in the industrialised countries such as the ever growing China and India for energy, oil is a much sought after resource. Oil and prosperity have an inverse relationship [3] and production capacity will not reach demand. Nanotechnology will combine more efficient use of current resources whilst providing direction for alternatives. This will improve efficiency, transmission and development.
Medical science by comparison with the other sciences is in still in the dark ages. There is an irony though within medical science that more people are dying of cancer than ever before partly because technology and knowledge has moved in other medical fields extending life expectancy allowing more chance of cancerous contact to the individual but the progress has, for whatever reasons, not been as advanced in cancer. So to look at nanomechanical analysis of cancer where there are various mechanical probes for cancer cell research but specifically cytoachitechture. We need to study the mechanical softness of cells alongside their adhesive properties and nanomechanics can distinguish metastatic cancer.
We know that to study TB is very laborious as it is slow growing – however using nano cantilevers to accelerate its growth it can be screened within 1.5 hours, then it can be identified, isolated and the correct antibiotics administered.
The latest field of research taking place around the world is studying whether Green Tea Extract [GTE] and actrin repolymerisation can stiffen cells. This not some “hippy dude” wish list and there is a rationale for using GTE but that is a lengthy explanation on its own. Researchers around the world, including Dr. Gimzewski are combining results and recently 9 cancer patients [sadly one died during the research] and 10 non-cancer patients – had GTE administered and after studying the results all showed normal cell stiffness. Now this will not rid a cancerous cell but will prevent its spread as stiff cells can not travel round the body as easily. The preliminary results also may help in chemotherapy as it then allows the treatment to kill many more bad cells than good cells which is one of the worst side effects for the patient.
[1] David Rotnan, “Will the Real Nanotech Please Stand Up ?”, Technology Review, March/April 1999.
[2] Booker/Boysen “Nanotechnology for Dummies”, Wiley Publishing Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-7645-8368-9
[3] ibid
You can watch the lecture online here
