MODULE 9

The Nano World

Sources:
• https://jamesjmurray.blog/2015/01/28/nanoparticles-to-cure-and-to-kill/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X14sRtcHJXs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUDWK4MGcr0

Week Covered: Week 15

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this module, the students are expected to:
1. define nanotechnology and characterize nanoscale;
2. describe the various uses of nanotechnology;
3. discuss concerns on the use of nanotechnology; and
4. explain the status of the use of nanotechnology in the Philippines.

Week 15
ACTIVITY NO.1
WATCH and LEARN! Watch the video on the next page by accessing the provided link
and answer the succeeding questions. This video will give you a brief background about
nanotechnology.

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLa8DQkKlyU&t=37s
Guide Question
What are the significant contributions of Nanotechnology that were mentioned in the
video? Give at least 30 examples.
______________________________ ________________________________
______________________________ ________________________________
______________________________ ________________________________

Scientific researchers have designed and developed new technological tools that greatly
improve different aspects of our lives.

• The use of nanoscale is one important interdisciplinary area generated by advancement

in science and technology.

• Scientists and engineers were able to build materials with innovative properties as they
manipulate nanomaterials.

• Indeed, research and application of knowledge of nanomaterials will continue to bring

widespread implications in various areas of the society, especially health care,
environment, energy, food, water, and agriculture.

• Nanotechnology refers to the science, engineering, and technology conducted at the

nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers (NNI, 2017). Nanoscience and
nanotechnology employ the study and application of exceptionally small things in other
areas of science including materials science, engineering, physics, biology, and chemistry
(NNI, 2017).

• The concepts of nanotechnology and nanoscience started in December 29, 1959 when
Physicist Richard Feyman discussed a method in which scientists can direct and control

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 individual atoms and molecules in his talk “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” during
the American Physical Society meeting at the California Institute of Technology.

• The term “nanotechnology” was coined by Professor Norio Taniguchi a decade after the
dawn of the use of ultraprecision machining (NNI, 2017).

• Various activities of the cells take place at the nanoscale. The deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) serves as the genetic material of the cell and is only about 2 nanometers in
diameter. Furthermore, the hemoglobin that transports oxygen to the tissues throughout
the body is 5.5 nanometers in diameter.

How Small is a Nanoscale?

• A nanometer is a billionth of a meter, or 10−9 of a meter. The illustration below shows
how small nanoscale is compared to other particles or materials.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/141230138292222344/

• Manipulation of nanomaterials need a deep understanding of their types and

dimensions.

• The various types of nanomaterials are classified according to their individual shape and
sizes. They may be particles, tubes, wires, films, flakes, or shells that have one or more
nanometer-sized dimensions.

• One should be able to view and manipulate them so that we can take advantage of their
exceptional characteristics.

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 https://www.slideshare.net/NANOYOUproject/the-nanoscale-8751578

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDvhVSXxnjw
How to View Nanomaterials
Scientists use special types of microscopes to view minute nanomaterials. During the early
1930s. Scientists used electron microscopes and field microscopes to look at the nanoscale.
The scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscopes are just among the
modern and remarkable advancements in microscopy.

1. Electron microscope

o German engineers Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll built the first electron microscope
during the 1930s.
o This type of microscope utilizes a particle beam of electrons to light up a specimen
and develop a well-magnified image.
o Electron microscopes produce higher and better resolution than older light
microscopes because they can magnify objects up to a million times while
conventional light microscopes can magnify objects up to 1,500 times only.
o Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM)
are the two general types of electron microscope.

2. Atomic force microscope (AFM)

• It was first developed by Gerd Binig, Calvin Quate, and Christoph Gerber in 1986.
It makes use of a mechanical probe that gathers information from the surface of a
material.

3. Scanning tunneling microscope

• This special type of microscope enables scientists to view and manipulate nanoscale
particles, atoms, and small molecules. In 1986, Gerd Binig and Heinrich Rohrer won
the Nobel Prize in Physics because of this invention.

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Nanomanufacturing
• It refers to scaled-up, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing of nanoscale materials,
structures, devices, and systems.
• It also involves research, improvement, and incorporation of processes for the
construction of materials. Therefore, nanomanufacturing leads to the development of
new products and improved materials. There are two fundamental approaches to
nanomanufacturing, either bottom-up or top-down (NNI, 2017):
1. Bottom-up fabrication. It manufactures products by building them up from
atomic- and molecular-scale components. However, this method can be time-
consuming. Scientists and engineers are still in search for effective ways of putting up
molecular components that self-assemble and from the bottom-up to organized
structures.
2. Top-down fabrication. It trims down large pieces of materials into nanoscale. This
process needs larger amounts of materials and discards excess raw materials.

• There are new approaches to the assembly of nanomaterials based from the application
of principles in top-down and bottom-up fabrication These include:
o Dip pen lithography. It is a method in which the tip of an atomic force microscope
is "dipped" into a chemical fluid and then utilized to "write" on a surface, like an old-
fashioned ink pen onto paper.
o Self-assembly. It depicts an approach wherein a set of components join together to
mold an organized structure in the absence of an outside direction.
o Chemical vapor deposition. It is a procedure wherein chemicals act in response to
form very pure, high-performance films.
o Nanoimprint lithography. It is a method of generating nanoscale attributes by
"stamping" or "printing" them onto a surface. Molecular beam epitaxy is one manner
for depositing extremely controlled thin films.
o Roll-to-roll processing. It is a high-volume practice for constructing nanoscale devices
on a roll of ultrathin plastic or metal.
o Atomic layer epitaxy. It is a means for laying down one-atom-thick layers on a surface.

• With the use of these techniques, nanomaterials are made more durable, stronger, lighter,
water-repellent, ultraviolet- or infrared- resistant, scratch-resistant electrically conductive,
anti-reflective, antifog, antimicrobial, self-cleaning, among others.

• The abovementioned characteristics lead to the manufacture of the present variety of

nanotechnology-enabled products such as tennis rackets and baseball bats to catalyze the
purification of crude oil and ultrasensitive recognition and classification of biological and
chemical toxins.

• It is not impossible that in the near future, computers that are better, more efficient, with
larger storage of memory, faster, and energy-saving will be developed.

• Soon, the entire memory of a computer will be saved in a single tiny chip. Moreover,
nanotechnology has the potential to construct high-efficiency, low-cost batteries and solar
cells.

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Hornyak, Gabor L. (2009). Fundamentals of Nanotechnology. Boca Raton, Florida: Taylor & Francis Group.

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Benefits and Concerns of Using Nanotechnology
• Nanotechnology has various applications in different sectors of the society and
environment.
• Salamanca-Buentello et al. (2005) proposed an initiative called "Addressing Global
Challenges Using Nanotechnology" to accelerate the use of nanotechnology to address
critical sustainable development challenges.
• They suggested a model that could help out the possible contributions of the community
in overcoming challenges that pose risk on health and other aspects of peoples' lives.
• However, there are concerns that need to be addressed before using and promoting
materials derived from nanotechnology (Dayril, 2005).
1. Nanotechnology is not a single technology; it may become pervasive.
2. Nanotechnology seeks to develop new materials with specific properties.
3. Nanotechnology may introduce new efficiencies and paradigms which may make
some natural resources and current practices uncompetitive or obsolete.
4. It may be complicated to detect its presence unless one has the specialist tools of
nanotechnology.

Benefits and Concerns of the Application of Nanotechnology in Different Areas

Example of Areas
Affected by Possible benefits Concerns
Nanotechnology

● Improved detection and ● High reactivity and toxicity

removal of contaminants ● Pervasive distribution in the
Environment ● Development of benign environment
and industrial processes ● No nano-specific EPA
and materials regulation

● Improved medicine ● Ability to cross cell members

Health and translocate in the body
● No FDA approval needed for
cosmetics or supplements

● Better products ● Redistribution of wealth

● New jobs ● Potential cost of cleanups and
Economy healthcare
● Accessibility to all income
levels
(Source: University of Washington, n.d.)

Government Funding for Nanotechnology in Different countries (Dayrit, 2005)

1. U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative
● The best-known and most-funded program is the National Nanotechnology
Initiative of the United States. The NNI was established in 2001 to coordinate

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 U.S. federal nanotechnology R&D. The NNI budget in 2008 and 2009 were
$1.4 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.
2. European Commission
● In February 2008, the EC officially launched the European Nanoelectronics
Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC).
3. Japan (Nanotechnology Research Institute, under the National Institute for
Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, AIST)
4. Taiwan (Taiwan National Science and Technology Program for Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology)
5. India (Nanotechnology Research and Education Foundation)
6. China (National Center for Nanoscience and Technology)
7. Israel (Israel National Nanotechnology Initiative)
8. Australia (Australian Office of Nanotechnology)
9. Canada (National Institute for Nanotechnology or NINT)
10. South Korea (Korea National Nanotechnology Initiative)
11. Thailand (National Nanotechnology Center or NANOTEC)
12. Malaysia (National [Malaysia] Nanotechnology Initiatives of NNI)

https://www.livemint.com/Specials/j8UZSy0iiA8kRpgtjwxioM/Research-speeds-up-but-applications-
fail-to-materialize.html

Possible Applications of Nanotechnology in the Philippines (Dayrit, 2005)

1. ICT and semiconductors 4. Food and agriculture
2. Health and medicine 5. Environment
3. Energy

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Nanotech Roadmap for the Philippines (funded by PCAS- TRD-DOST)
1. ICT and semiconductors 5. Agriculture and food
2. Health and biomedical 6. Health and environmental risk
3. Energy 7. Nano-metrology
4. Environment 8. Education and public awareness

Social and Ethical Considerations in Conducting Research on Nanotechnology

1. Who will benefit from it? On the other hand, who won't?
2. For whom and what are your objectives for developing your product?
3. How will it affect social, economic, and political relationships?
4. What problem is your "product" trying to solve?
5. Who will have access to it? Who will be excluded?
6. Are there dangers involved with its development (e.g., safety, health, pollution)? How
can you minimize them?
7. Who will own it? How can you assure access to it?

STUDENT’S REFLECTION
1. In your own opinion, how can nanotechnological products help to promote the
UN Sustainable Development Goals?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. What are the factors that need to be considered before manufacturing materials through
nanotechnology?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

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REFERENCES

Bautista, D.H.S, et.al. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society. MaxCor Publishing House Inc.
Quezon City, Philippines

Dayrit, F.M. (2005). “Nanotechnology: Business and Practical Applications: Where the Philippines
Is and Where It Should Be. “Ateneo de Manila University.

National Nanotechnology Initiative. (2017). “Manufacturing at the Nanoscale.” Accessed February

25, 2017. https://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/.

National Nanotechnology Initiative. (2017). “What is Nanotechnology?” Accessed February

25, 2017. https://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/what/definition.

National Nanotechnology Initiative. (2017). “What's so special about the nanoscale?” Accessed
February 25, 2017. https://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/special.

Roco, M. “National Nanotechnology Initiative: The Long-Term View.” In Proceedings

Nanotechnology and the Environment:Applications and Implications. Progress Review
Workshop III. EPA, Oct 26-28,2005,Arlington,VA

Salamanca-Buentello et al. (2005). “ Nanotechnology and the Developing World,” PLoS Medicine.
Accessed February 25, 2017. http://www.plosmedicine.org.

Serafica, J.P.J, et.al. (2019). Science, Technology, and Society 1st Edition. REX Bookstore, Inc.
Quezon City, Philippines

University of Washington. “Societal and Ethical Implications of Nanotechnology.” Accessed

February 25, 2017. http://depts.washington.edu/ntethics/.

Date Retrieved: September 19, 2020

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