Nanotechnology consequences

R.E. Hester and R.M. Harrison (Eds), Nanotechnology Consequences for Human Health and the Environment, RSC Publ. 200P. ISBN 9781847559562, 1847559565. 

A recently discovered form of fibrous carbon consists of concentric tubes with walls like sheets of graphite rolled into cylinders. These tiny structures, called nanotubes, form strong, conducting fibers with a large surface area. As a consequence, they have unusually interesting and promising properties that have become a major thrust of nanotechnology research (Box 14.1). 

Supposing that scientists succeed in constmcting molecular tools, they must overcome another obstacle for nanotechnology to be effective. A medical nanosubmarine is likely to contain about a billion (10 ) atoms. At an assembly speed of one atom per second, it would take 10 seconds to constmct one such device. That s almost 32 years If the assembly rate can be increased to one atom per micro-second, the constmction time for a 1-billion-atom machine drops to 1000 seconds, or just under 17 minutes. That s not bad if only a few machines are needed, but molecular machines are tiny, so large numbers of machines will be required for any practical application. Consequently, scientists will have to discover ways to mass-produce nanodevices. 

Landman, U., and W. D. Luedtke, Consequences of tip-sample interactions, in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy III, R. Wiesendanger and H. J. Guntherodt Eds., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1993. Lorentz, W. J., and W. Plieth, Eds., Electrochemical Nanotechnology, Wiley-VCH, New York, 1996. 

The miniaturization of matter to a critical specific size often results in dramatic changes of properties. In most cases those events happen on the nanoscale. Nanoscience, and in consequence nanotechnology, describe and use such nanoeffects to take profit of novel properties without the need of preparing new chemical compounds. 

Mass spectrometric studies of the formation of clusters and their ionization in plasmas have been of interest for more than four decades. Increasing research has been performed together with activities in cluster physics and chemistry because clusters may also be viewed as a link in the chain from atoms or molecules through small crystallites to a complete solid-state structure (important for materials research, nanotechnology or catalytic processes).24-26 Consequently, clusters can also be considered as a bridge between the disciplines of physics and chemistry.27 Therefore, the aim of... 

As a consequence, research in nanotechnology has not produced any remarkable breakthroughs that have transformed materials... 

New technology, for example, nanotechnology, must be carefully evaluated for toxic consequences prior to widespread introduction. In the example of nanoparticles, unanticipated toxic effects have been found as these circulate throughout the human body. 

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