Why some materials show special performance when its particle size on a nanometer scale? This is related with the arrangement of the atoms of the material itself.For example. Calcium carbonate becomes very brittle when its molecules are arranged in accordance with serration;The material becomes very hard when calcium carbonate molecules piled like bricks.As early as in the 1960s, the famous Nobel laureate Richard Feynman had predicted that materials will exhibit unusual characteristics if the atomic arrangement of materials to be some kind of control. Today, the birth of nanotechnology will make this prediction a reality.
It is an exciting idea that changing the atomic arrangement of the material in order to get the physical and chemical properties people require.
Scientists have developed precise detection equipment, such as scanning tunneling microscope(STM).Through the roof probe which is so tiny that only for one atom,the array of individual atom on the material surface can be observed clearly. Besides, by using the probe, precise manipulation of individual atoms is possible.To sum up,STM is one of the most important measurement tools and machining tools in nanotechnology.
In the near future, with the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials application wave will sweep every aspect of people’s lives: the surgeon’s scalpel, the pants we wear, and so on. In fact, scientists have invented dust-proof pants. Its fiber is treated with fluorinated nano-polymer. Even if spill tea on pants, no stains will be left on the pants. Someday in the future, surgeons may use nanoshells to suture blood vessels. Currently, the most difficult technical part for kidney or heart transplant is to reconnect the artery. The doctors need to use very tiny needles to stitch together the vascular end and without a lacune, which will increase the technical difficulty of the surgery. If nanoshells can be used in surgery, surgeons are able to suture blood vessels just like welding wire and the lacune will not appear.
Currently, the research and development of nanotechnology has become a worldwide boom. Nanotechnology is characterized by its relatively low investment. As we all know, the research and development of the computer industry need a lot of money to build large high-tech factories for manufacturing silicon chips. However, the research and development of nanotechnology is quite different, just a beaker and you can start. Another example, a conventional solar cell manufacturing plant needs millions of dollars for equipment, while new nanomaterials for solar power system can be prepared in just a beaker and it costs only about $100. With nanomaterials coating on the glasses of the building, the entire building will become a large scale solar power plants. Of course, these nano-material can also be implanted into mobile phones or PDAs.
Nowadays, nanotechnology is still in its infancy. However, the potential power and attractive prospects of nanotechnology have attracted the attention of numerous researchers of various subjects, it will release enormous power in the field of electronics, medicine, materials. Let’s wait and see!