Nanomaterials and their Fascinating Attributes

The field of nanotechnology has emerged just a decade ago, scientists and pundits were questioning if nanotechnology would ever lead to the development of “real” products with “real” value to consumers. Was nanotechnology just another scientist’s dream that would not provide any practical value to society?

Today, not only one ecan buy tennis rackets, bicycles, clothes, and band-aids that incorporate nanomaterials, but it is clear that such products provide greater value to the general public than their respective conventional products. Nanotechnology is no longer just a marketing ploy or a fancy advertisement scheme used by Apple. Gone also are the days of naysayers wondering how nanotechnology is different than the fundamental sciences of chemistry, physics, and biology. What continues to separate nanotechnology from the study of fundamental atomic and molecular interactions that a traditional researcher in those fields may accomplish is an emphasis on new properties of materials gained when controlling structures at the nanoscale - the atomic and molecular level. It is this continual emphasis on the control of structures at the nanometer level that has led to significantly changed properties and products that are advancing numerous fields. This is what separates nanotechnology from other traditional science fields (such as chemistry, physics, and biology).

What also continues to provide a bright future for nanotechnology is the selection of difficult contemporary problems that only nanotechnology (it appears) is providing solutions for. This book will highlight some of these persistent contemporary problems in which nanotechnology is finding solutions, such as building novel sensors, alternative energy sources, and improved semiconductors. This book eloquently defines current problems we have with limited sources of carbon-based energy and provides nanotechnology solutions to develop novel solar cells, among other solutions. It also provides solutions unimaginable without nanomaterials to build more precise sensors to detect levels of contaminants previously not possible. New routes of nanoparticle synthesis are also covered in this book to ensure the safe fabrication of high purity, inexpensive nanomaterials – issues critical for the continued commercial success of nanotechnology. Issues of toxicity are also discussed providing valuable insights into how we should choose nanoparticles with low toxicity for particular energy, sensor, or semi-conductor applications.

In closing, though, as we advance into the next generation of nanotechnology research we should not forget the past. It has been our emphasis of nanoscale events which has led us to where we are today. For example, the theory of atomic matter was suggested as early as 370 BC by the Greek philosopher Democratis; this could certainly be our first indication of the desire to understand nanoscale events to create materials with tailorable properties. Since then many scientists have followed this train of thought, and, of course, in 1959 Richard Feynman predicted the possibility of maneuvering matter atom by atom.

It has been our continual emphasis on creating materials with unique properties and the selection of the world’s most pressing problems that has allowed nanotechnology to continue to grow. We must not forget this and continue to address our most significant scientific problems. We must look at our materials and determine ways to improve their properties by understanding and controlling nanoscale assembly. The book reminds us all of the problems that we have today in energy, sensors, semi-conductors and many other applications and how nanotechnology is one of the few fields providing any type of answers. Enjoy reading this book and let the discoveries continue……

J. Paul Santerre
Faculty of Dentistry
University of Toronto
Edward St, Room 464D
Toronto
Ontario, M5G 1G6
Canada
E-mail: paul.santerre@utoronto.ca

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