Nanotechnology and Its Impact on Your Future

Nanotechnology Research CenterGeorgia Institute of Technology

Funding Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program

Why should you know something about Nanotechnology?

The National Science Foundation estimates that by the year 2015 there will be a need for 2 million workers worldwide in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

An additional 5 million workers will be needed in support areas for these fields.

By 2015, nanotechnology is expected to be a $3 trillion “industry”

What is a “nano”?

• A nano is one billionth of a meter or 10-9 m

• A normal person can walk 32 kilometers or about 20 miles in one day. If a person were shrunk so that they were one nanometer tall, how long would it take them to walk the length of a dollar bill?

• 24 years

What is Nanotechnology?

• The science of manipulating atoms and molecules to make new materials and devices.

• Interdisciplinary – where science and engineering interconnect

• Occurs at the 1-100 nanometer range – One nanometer is 10-9 meters or about 3 atoms long.

For comparison, a human hair is about 60-80,000 nanometers wide

Two Parts of Nanotechnology

• Nanotechnology is often divided into two parts:– Nanoscience – where researchers learn about the chemical and

physical properties of materials at the 1- 100 nanometer (nm) scale. Materials at 1-100 nm are called nanostructures. They are the smallest things that can be made.

– Nanotechnology – where researchers develop and apply materials at this scale to develop new products or methods; i.e., turning nanostructures into useable tools and applications

Unique Properties and Nanotechnology

• Nanotechnology involves the manufacturing and application of instruments and materials that have unique properties because of their small size.

• At the nanoscale, properties of materials behave differently and are said to behave under atomic and molecular rules.

• Researchers are using these unique properties of materials at this small scale to create new and exciting tools and products in all areas of science and engineering.

Nanofabrication

– Top-down nanofabrication – start with large material and bring it down to the nanoscale

– Bottom-up nanofabrication – start with individual atoms and build upwards to make a nanostructure

Nanoscience Biomimicry Ways scientists are attempting to mimic the wonders of nanoscience in nature:

•sticky “feet”

•strong spider silk

•water collecting beetle backs

•self-cleaning light reflecting butterfly wings

•optical nanoscience

•and the list could go on and on.

•tough and light toucan beaks

Taken from WebQuest Nanoscience in Nature by Jeanne Nye

Nanotechnology is not New!

Gold nanoparticles in glass are reflected as red

Ancient stained-glass makers knew if they put finely ground gold or silver in the glass they would get beautiful colors. They used nanosized gold and silver particles. Optical properties change with the nanoscale.

What are some applications of Nanotechnology?

Nano Careers

• Design• Development• National security• Technical support• Research• Management• Packaging• Energy producer • Clothing design

Public ServiceFabricationPatent AttorneyEnvironmentSalesTeachingTestingConstruction And Many More

Education

• Technical Programs

• Associates (2 years)

• Bachelors (4 years)

• Masters (6 years)

• Doctorate (8 years)

Marcus Nanotechnology Building

• 2004—Planning and design started• August 2006—began construction• Spring 2009—building opens• Current status

– 95% complete– Cleanroom construction complete

• Building:• 190,000 gross square feet• 30,000 SF cleanroom

– 50% fit-out opening day– Biological (organic) and physical sciences (inorganic) cleanroom side-

by-side• Labs

– 15,000 SF support labs– Advanced characterization space in basement (future fit-out)

Cleanroom LayoutOrganic Suites

E-Beam Lithography

FutureCleanroom

Standard Semiconductor

CleanroomSupport

Bio/ChemicalPrep

Live Cleanroom at MiRC: http://grover.mirc.gatech.edu/cameras

Or Cleanroom Tour: www./mcrel.org/nanoleap/remote-access/cleanroom.asp

National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Funded by the National Science FoundationNational Nanotechnology Initiative (http://nano.gov)

Cornell University

Harvard University

Howard University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Penn State University

University of Michigan

University of Minnesota

Washington University

University of Texas at Austin

University of Colorado at Boulder

Arizona State University

University of Washington

Stanford University

University of California, Santa Barbara

NNIN Education Portal

Launched July 2005http://www.education.nnin.org

General Information on Nanotechnology for

TeachersStudentsPublic

Nanooze- Children’s science magazine linked on nano.gov