What is

this
object?
The Morph concept
Newly-enabled flexible and
transparent materials

Devices become self-

cleaning and self-preserving

Transparent electronics
Built-in solar absorption

Integrated sensors allow us

to learn more about the
environment around us.

Flexible & Changing Design

Nokia Morph Phone

iphone would have

nothing on this
phone!
 Nano-Science

Buckmisterfullerene
 What is nanoscience?

2. A nanometer (nm) is 1,000,000,000

(1 billion) times smaller than a meter

4. Nano-science is the study of particles

that have the size of 1 to100nm

Your finger nails grew a nm while

reading this!
 Imagine a nanoparticle was the
size of a football.
A chicken would
be the size of earth

A flea would be
the size of Bradford.

A virus would be the same size as a human!

Why are we interested in nano-science?

Nano-sized particles can produce new

properties in materials, the reason for the
change in properties isn’t fully understood
by scientists.
 Nano-science
Today We are going to look over nano-science in
more detail
By the lesson we will know

- Some examples of nano-science in the world today

- Some examples of what could be the future

-The potential risks and drawbacks associated with

nano-science (next lesson)
 Nano-science
Nano-sized silver particles have
antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal
properties.

Where could these be used?

Antibacterial
Some socks have
been developed
with the silver in to
help people who
suffer from athletes
foot

• Some fridges have the

nano-sized silver in the
coating inside fridges.

• This will kill bacteria

which can cause food
poisoning
Nano-sized silicon dioxide is very strong and
light, this makes it ideal for body armour in
the army.

N.B. Silicon dioxide is also sand!

It is also Quartz!

What else could it be used for?

Tennis and golf are leading the way, with nano-
composite-enhanced rackets and clubs. And
this year, nanotechnology made it onto the
winner's podium.

Roger Federer won Wimbledon using a racket

reinforced with nano-sized
Nano-sized zinc oxide absorb and reflect UV
light while being transparent to visible
light.

Why is this useful? Where could be use

this?
 THE BEACH!!!
• We use it in sunglasses – UV light
damages our eyes!

UV light can cause

skin cancer, so we
u use it in sun lotion!
 All sounds good?
There are potential risks and drawbacks
associated with developments in nano-science.

There is a concern that nano-particles spread

easily through the air and ground water. They
could enter the body through the lungs or by
passing through the skin. Nano-particles may
have unwanted effects on people and the
environment.
http://www.nanoscience.cam.ac.uk/schools/vox.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX-gTobCJHs
 For or against
• Read the statements on your
desks.
• Put the statements into 2 piles
Which ones are for
nanotechnology and which ones
are against?
The fear is that uncontrolled nano-machines
could run rampant, making unwanted
changes. Instead of curing cancer, they
might turn healthy cells into cancer.
Instead of repairing broken machinery,
they might change everything into
featureless, gray goo.
People may try to turn nano-machines into
weapons. These tiny machines could be made
to destroy buildings and machines, turn food into
poison, irradiate water supplies, cut power lines,
or simply kill people. No standard defence
against these nano-weapons would be effective,
so nano-countermeasures would need to be
developed. Nano-science is too dangerous to be
turned to destructive purposes.
Perhaps the most dangerous risk of nano-
science is one that is not yet fully
understood. Because nano-science is
such a new field, there may be unforeseen
risks that have not yet been fully explored.
It is essential that the world treats nano-
science with the utmost respect and care.
Possibilities down the road might include
food wrappers that can detect bacterial
contamination, smart bandages and
military uniforms that can mend
themselves and adapt to conditions
The medical potential of nanotechnologies is
huge. Already on the market in the USA
are wound dressings that exploit the
antimicrobial properties of nanocrystalline
silver.
Nanopants… Probably the most visible nanotech products
to date are the stain and wrinkle-resistant trousers.
Nanopants are garments whose fabric has been treated
with a product containing polymer chains to improve
their resistance to staining. Quite simply, hydrophobic
bits of the chain will arrange themselves away from the
textile surface, presenting a water and stain-resistant
surface to the outside world.
If you happen to spill coffee or orange juice on your
‘nanopants’ the liquid simply beads off and falls
harmlessly to the floor, rather than leaving a stubborn
stain.
Take a deep breath...
A possible route of exposure is through the
lungs, if people breathe in nanoparticles
present in the atmosphere. Again, very little is
known about how nanoparticles behave in our
lungs, but it is clear that they can be taken up
by cells in the lung, triggering inflammation.
They can also get into the bloodstream, and
transport of nanoparticles through nerve
tissue to the brain has also been seen.
Despite the potential for nano-clean-up, one of the
biggest fears is the possibility of environmental damage.
Given their small size, the worry is that nanoparticles
will easily become airborne and spread through the
atmosphere, or will contaminate aquatic environments.
Once in the environment, they could accumulate in
living organisms, as many harmful substances do,
or damage ecosystems.
Very little is known about the fate of nanoparticles in the
environment, or their impact on living systems. Some
preliminary research suggests that carbon nanoparticles
– buckyballs – can harm fish.
The cosmetics industry has invested heavily in
nanotechnology.
New products are claimed to penetrate deeper
into the skin or to have other benefits.
For example, cosmetics that slowly release
vitamins are in development.
Nano-titanium dioxide and zinc oxide can absorb
and reflect UV light, while also being
transparent to visible light. They are already
used in sunscreens.
 D