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Research work "nanotechnology in our lives." "nanotechnology in the modern world" Research work on nanotechnology in the modern world

Nanotechnology is a field of fundamental and applied science and technology that deals with a combination of theoretical justification, practical methods of research, analysis and synthesis, as well as methods for the production and use of products with a given atomic structure through controlled manipulation of individual atoms and molecules.

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Many sources, primarily English-language ones, associate the first mention of methods that would later be called nanotechnology with Richard Feynman’s famous speech “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom,” made by him in 1959 at the California Institute of Technology at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society. Richard Feynman suggested that it was possible to mechanically move single atoms using a manipulator of the appropriate size, at least such a process would not contradict the laws of physics known today.

He suggested doing this manipulator in the following way. It is necessary to build a mechanism that would create a copy of itself, only an order of magnitude smaller. The created smaller mechanism must again create a copy of itself, again an order of magnitude smaller, and so on until the dimensions of the mechanism are commensurate with the dimensions of the order of one atom. In this case, it will be necessary to make changes in the structure of this mechanism, since the gravitational forces acting in the macrocosm will have less and less influence, and the forces of intermolecular interactions and van der Waals forces will increasingly influence the operation of the mechanism.

The last stage - the resulting mechanism will assemble its copy from individual atoms. In principle, the number of such copies is unlimited; it will be possible to create an arbitrary number of such machines in a short time. These machines will be able to assemble macro-things in the same way, by atomic assembly. This will make things much cheaper - such robots (nanorobots) will need to be given only the required number of molecules and energy, and write a program to assemble the necessary items. So far, no one has been able to refute this possibility, but no one has yet managed to create such mechanisms. During the theoretical study of this possibility, hypothetical doomsday scenarios emerged, which assume that nanorobots will absorb all the biomass of the Earth, carrying out their self-reproduction program (the so-called “gray goo” or “gray slurry”).

The first assumptions about the possibility of studying objects at the atomic level can be found in the book “Opticks” by Isaac Newton, published in 1704. In the book, Newton expresses hope that future microscopes will one day be able to explore the “secrets of corpuscles.”

The term “nanotechnology” was first used by Norio Taniguchi in 1974. He used this term to describe the production of products several nanometers in size. In the 1980s, the term was used by Eric K. Drexler in his books Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology and Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation.

What can nanotechnology do?

Here are just some of the areas in which nanotechnology promises breakthroughs:

Medicine

Nanosensors will provide progress in the early diagnosis of diseases. This will increase your chances of recovery. We can defeat cancer and other diseases. Old cancer drugs destroyed not only diseased cells, but also healthy ones. With the help of nanotechnology, the medicine will be delivered directly to the diseased cell.

DNA nanotechnology– use specific bases of DNA and nucleic acid molecules to create clearly defined structures on their basis. Industrial synthesis of drug molecules and pharmacological preparations of a clearly defined form (bis‑peptides).

At the beginning of 2000, thanks to rapid progress in the technology of manufacturing nano-sized particles, an impetus was given to the development of a new field of nanotechnology - nanoplasmonics. It turned out to be possible to transmit electromagnetic radiation along a chain of metal nanoparticles using the excitation of plasmon oscillations.

Construction

Nanosensors of building structures will monitor their strength and detect any threats to their integrity. Objects built using nanotechnology can last five times longer than modern structures. Homes will adapt to the needs of residents, keeping them cool in the summer and keeping them warm in the winter.

Energy

We will be less dependent on oil and gas. Modern solar panels have an efficiency of about 20%. With the use of nanotechnology, it can grow 2-3 times. Thin nanofilms on the roof and walls can provide energy to the entire house (if, of course, there is enough sun).

Mechanical engineering

All bulky equipment will be replaced by robots - easily controlled devices. They will be able to create any mechanisms at the level of atoms and molecules. For the production of machines, new nanomaterials will be used that can reduce friction, protect parts from damage, and save energy. These are not all the areas in which nanotechnology can (and will!) be used. Scientists believe that the emergence of nanotechnology is the beginning of a new Scientific and Technical Revolution, which will greatly change the world in the 21st century. It is worth noting, however, that nanotechnology does not enter real practice very quickly. Not many devices (mostly electronics) work “nano”. This is partly due to the high price of nanotechnology and the not very high return on nanotechnology products.

Probably, in the near future, with the help of nanotechnology, high-tech, mobile, easily controllable devices will be created that will successfully replace the automated, but difficult to manage and cumbersome equipment of today. For example, over time, computer-controlled biorobots will be able to perform the functions of the current bulky pumping stations.

DNA computer– a computing system that uses the computing capabilities of DNA molecules. Biomolecular computing is a collective name for various techniques related in one way or another to DNA or RNA. In DNA computing, data is represented not in the form of zeros and ones, but in the form of a molecular structure built on the basis of a DNA helix. The role of software for reading, copying and managing data is performed by special enzymes.
Atomic force microscope– a high-resolution scanning probe microscope based on the interaction of a cantilever needle (probe) with the surface of the sample under study. Unlike a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), it can examine both conducting and non-conducting surfaces even through a layer of liquid, which makes it possible to work with organic molecules (DNA). The spatial resolution of an atomic force microscope depends on the size of the cantilever and the curvature of its tip. The resolution reaches atomic horizontally and significantly exceeds it vertically.
Antenna-oscillator– On February 9, 2005, an antenna-oscillator with dimensions of about 1 micron was obtained in the laboratory of Boston University. This device has 5,000 million atoms and is capable of oscillating at a frequency of 1.49 gigahertz, which allows it to transmit huge amounts of information.

10 nanotechnologies with amazing potential

Try to remember some canonical invention. Probably, someone now imagined a wheel, someone an airplane, and someone an iPod. How many of you have thought about the invention of a completely new generation - nanotechnology? This world is little studied, but has incredible potential that can give us truly fantastic things. An amazing thing: the field of nanotechnology did not exist until 1975, even though scientists began working in this area much earlier.

The human naked eye is able to recognize objects up to 0.1 millimeters in size. Today we will talk about ten inventions that are 100,000 times smaller.

Electrically conductive liquid metal

Using electricity, a simple liquid metal alloy of gallium, iridium and tin can be made to form complex shapes or wind circles inside a Petri dish. It can be said with some degree of probability that this is the material from which the famous T-1000 series cyborg, which we could see in Terminator 2, was created.

“The soft alloy behaves like a smart shape, capable of deforming itself when necessary, taking into account the changing surrounding space through which it moves. Just like a cyborg from a popular sci-fi movie could do,” says Jin Li from Tsinghua University, one of the researchers involved in this project.

This metal is biomimetic, meaning it imitates biochemical reactions, although it is not itself a biological substance.

This metal can be controlled by electrical discharges. However, it itself is capable of moving independently, due to the emerging load imbalance, which is created by the difference in pressure between the front and back of each drop of this metal alloy. And although scientists believe this process may be the key to converting chemical energy into mechanical energy, the molecular material is not going to be used to build evil cyborgs anytime soon. The entire “magic” process can only happen in a sodium hydroxide solution or saline solution.

Nanoplasties

Researchers from the University of York are working on developing special patches that will be designed to deliver all the necessary drugs inside the body without any use of needles and syringes. The patches, which are quite normal in size, are glued to your hand and deliver a certain dose of drug nanoparticles (small enough to penetrate the hair follicles) inside your body. Nanoparticles (each less than 20 nanometers in size) will find harmful cells themselves, kill them and be eliminated from the body along with other cells as a result of natural processes.

Scientists note that in the future such nanopatches could be used in the fight against one of the most terrible diseases on Earth - cancer. Unlike chemotherapy, which is often an integral part of treatment in such cases, nanopatches will be able to individually find and destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy cells untouched. The nanopatch project is called NanJect. Its development is being carried out by Atif Syed and Zakaria Hussain, who in 2013, while still students, received the necessary sponsorship as part of a crowdsourcing campaign to raise funds.

Nanofilter for water

When this film is used in combination with a fine stainless steel mesh, oil is repelled, leaving the water in that area pristinely clean.

Interestingly, scientists were inspired to create nanofilm by nature itself. Lotus leaves, also known as water lilies, have the opposite properties of nanofilm: instead of oil, they repel water. This is not the first time that scientists have spied on these amazing plants for their equally amazing properties. This resulted, for example, in the creation of superhydrophobic materials in 2003. As for the nanofilm, researchers are trying to create a material that imitates the surface of water lilies and enrich it with molecules of a special cleaning agent. The coating itself is invisible to the human eye. It will be inexpensive to produce: about $1 per square foot.

Air purifier for submarines

It’s unlikely that anyone thought about what kind of air submarine crews have to breathe, except for the crew members themselves. Meanwhile, cleaning the air from carbon dioxide must be done immediately, since during one voyage the same air has to pass through the light crews of the submarine hundreds of times. To clean the air from carbon dioxide, amines are used, which have a very unpleasant odor. To address this issue, a purification technology called SAMMS (an acronym for Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports) was created. She proposes the use of special nanoparticles placed inside ceramic granules. The substance has a porous structure, due to which it absorbs excess carbon dioxide. The different types of SAMMS purification interact with different molecules in the air, water and soil, but all of these purification options are incredibly effective. Just one tablespoon of these porous ceramic granules is enough to clean an area equal to one football field.

Nanoconductors

Researchers at Northwestern University (USA) have figured out how to create an electrical conductor at the nanoscale. This conductor is a hard and durable nanoparticle that can be configured to transmit electrical current in various opposite directions. The study shows that each such nanoparticle is capable of emulating the operation of “current rectifiers, switches and diodes.” Each 5-nanometer-thick particle is coated with a positively charged chemical and surrounded by negatively charged atoms. Applying an electrical discharge reconfigures the negatively charged atoms around the nanoparticles.

The potential of the technology, as scientists report, is unprecedented. Based on it, it is possible to create materials “capable of independently changing to suit specific computer computing tasks.” The use of this nanomaterial will actually “reprogram” the electronics of the future. Hardware upgrades will become as easy as software upgrades.

Nanotech charger

When this thing is created, you will no longer need to use any wired chargers. The new nanotechnology works like a sponge, but it doesn't absorb liquid. It sucks kinetic energy from the environment and directs it directly into your smartphone. The technology is based on the use of a piezoelectric material that generates electricity while under mechanical stress. The material is endowed with nanoscopic pores that turn it into a flexible sponge.

The official name of this device is “nanogenerator”. Such nanogenerators could one day become part of every smartphone on the planet, or part of the dashboard of every car, and perhaps part of every clothing pocket - gadgets will be charged directly in it. In addition, the technology has the potential to be used at a larger scale, such as in industrial equipment. At least that's what researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who created this amazing nanosponge, think.

Artificial retina

The Israeli company Nano Retina is developing an interface that will directly connect to the neurons of the eye and transmit the result of neural modeling to the brain, replacing the retina and restoring vision to people.

An experiment on a blind chicken showed hope for the success of the project. The nanofilm allowed the chicken to see the light. True, the final stage of developing an artificial retina to restore people’s vision is still far away, but progress in this direction cannot but rejoice. Nano Retina is not the only company that is engaged in such developments, but it is their technology that currently seems to be the most promising, effective and adaptive. The last point is the most important, since we are talking about a product that will be integrated into someone's eyes. Similar developments have shown that solid materials are unsuitable for such purposes.

Since the technology is being developed at the nanotechnological level, it eliminates the use of metal and wires, and also avoids low resolution of the simulated image.

Glowing clothes

Shanghai scientists have developed reflective threads that can be used in clothing production. The basis of each thread is a very thin stainless steel wire, which is coated with special nanoparticles, a layer of electroluminescent polymer, and a protective shell of transparent nanotubes. The result is very light and flexible threads that can glow under the influence of their own electrochemical energy. At the same time, they operate at much lower power compared to conventional LEDs.

The disadvantage of the technology is that the “light reserve” of the threads is still only enough for a few hours. However, the developers of the material optimistically believe that they will be able to increase the “resource” of their product by at least a thousand times. Even if they succeed, the solution to another shortcoming remains in question. It will most likely be impossible to wash clothes based on such nanothreads.

Nanoneedles for the restoration of internal organs

The nanoplasters we talked about above are designed specifically to replace needles. What if the needles themselves were only a few nanometers in size? If so, they could change our understanding of surgery, or at least significantly improve it.

More recently, scientists conducted successful laboratory tests on mice. Using tiny needles, researchers were able to introduce nucleic acids into rodents' bodies, promoting the regeneration of organs and nerve cells and thereby restoring lost performance. When the needles perform their function, they remain in the body and after a few days they completely decompose in it. At the same time, scientists did not find any side effects during operations to restore blood vessels in the back muscles of rodents using these special nanoneedles.

If we take human cases into account, such nanoneedles can be used to deliver necessary drugs into the human body, for example, in organ transplantation. Special substances will prepare the surrounding tissues around the transplanted organ for rapid recovery and eliminate the possibility of rejection.

3D chemical printing

University of Illinois chemist Martin Burke is the Willy Wonka of chemistry. Using a collection of “building material” molecules for a variety of purposes, he can create a huge number of different chemicals endowed with all sorts of “amazing and at the same time natural properties.” For example, one such substance is ratanin, which can only be found in a very rare Peruvian flower.

The potential for synthesizing substances is so enormous that it will make it possible to produce molecules used in medicine, in the creation of LED diodes, solar battery cells and those chemical elements that even the best chemists on the planet took years to synthesize.

The capabilities of the current prototype 3D chemical printer are still limited. He is only capable of creating new drugs. However, Burke hopes that one day he will be able to create a consumer version of his amazing device, which will have much greater capabilities. It is quite possible that in the future such printers will act as a kind of home pharmacists.

Does nanotechnology pose a threat to human health or the environment?

There is not much information about the negative effects of nanoparticles. In 2003, one study showed that carbon nanotubes could damage the lungs of mice and rats. A 2004 study found that fullerenes can accumulate and cause brain damage in fish. But both studies used large amounts of the substance under unusual conditions. According to one of the experts, chemist Kristen Kulinowski (USA), “it would be advisable to limit exposure to these nanoparticles, despite the fact that there is currently no information about their threat to human health.”

Some commentators have also suggested that the widespread use of nanotechnology may lead to social and ethical risks. So, for example, if the use of nanotechnology initiates a new industrial revolution, this will lead to job losses. Moreover, nanotechnology can change the concept of a person, since its use will help prolong life and significantly increase the body's resilience. “No one can deny that the widespread adoption of mobile phones and the Internet has brought about enormous changes in society,” says Kristen Kulinowski. “Who would dare say that nanotechnology will not have a greater impact on society in the coming years?”

Russia's place among countries developing and producing nanotechnologies

The world leaders in terms of total investment in nanotechnology are the EU countries, Japan and the USA. Recently, Russia, China, Brazil and India have significantly increased investments in this industry. In Russia, the amount of funding under the program “Development of nanoindustry infrastructure in the Russian Federation for 2008–2010” will amount to 27.7 billion rubles.

The latest (2008) report from the London-based research firm Cientifica, called the Nanotechnology Outlook Report, describes Russian investment verbatim as follows: “Although the EU still ranks first in terms of investment, China and Russia have already overtaken the United States.”

There are areas in nanotechnology where Russian scientists became the first in the world, having obtained results that laid the foundation for the development of new scientific trends.

Among them are the production of ultradisperse nanomaterials, the design of single-electron devices, as well as work in the field of atomic force and scanning probe microscopy. Only at a special exhibition held within the framework of the XII St. Petersburg Economic Forum (2008), 80 specific developments were presented at once. Russia already produces a number of nanoproducts that are in demand on the market: nanomembranes, nanopowders, nanotubes. However, according to experts, in the commercialization of nanotechnological developments Russia lags behind the United States and other developed countries by ten years.

Nanotechnology in art

A number of works by American artist Natasha Vita-Mor deal with nanotechnology topics.

In modern art, a new direction has emerged: “nanoart” (nanoart) - a type of art associated with the artist’s creation of sculptures (compositions) of micro- and nano-size (10 −6 and 10 −9 m, respectively) under the influence of chemical or physical processes of processing materials , photographing the resulting nano-images using an electron microscope and processing black and white photographs in a graphics editor.

In the well-known work of the Russian writer N. Leskov “Lefty” (1881) there is an interesting fragment: “If,” he says, “there was a better microscope, which magnifies five million, then you would deign,” he says, “to see that on each horseshoe the name of the craftsman is displayed: which Russian master made that horseshoe.” Magnification of 5,000,000 times is provided by modern electron and atomic force microscopes, which are considered the main tools of nanotechnology. Thus, the literary hero Lefty can be considered the first “nanotechnologist” in history.

The ideas presented by Feynman in his 1959 lecture “There's a Lot of Room Down There” about how to create and use nanomanipulators coincide almost textually with the science fiction story “Mikrorukki” by the famous Soviet writer Boris Zhitkov, published in 1931. Some negative consequences of the uncontrolled development of nanotechnology are described in the works of M. Crichton (“The Swarm”), S. Lem (“On-Site Inspection” and “Peace on Earth”), S. Lukyanenko (“Nothing to Divide”).

The main character of the novel “Transman” by Yu. Nikitina is the head of a nanotechnology corporation and the first person to experience the effects of medical nanorobots.

In the science fiction series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, some of the most technologically advanced races are two races of “replicators”, which arose as a result of unsuccessful experiments using and describing various applications of nanotechnology. In The Day the Earth Stood Still, starring Keanu Reeves, an alien civilization sentences humanity to death and nearly destroys everything on the planet with the help of self-replicating nanoreplicant bugs that devour everything in their path.

Every day we get closer to the inevitable revolution that nanotechnology brings. We create new devices, obtain unique materials that we had never thought about before. The use of nanotechnology in everyday life has made it possible to change the shape of objects familiar to us. As a result of this, we obtained completely different, but useful properties of the substance. The reality around us becomes less dangerous and more favorable for a comfortable life. A good example: reducing the usual dimensions of used electrical devices to the size of nanoparticles, invisible to the human eye. Computers are becoming smaller, but much more powerful. Nanotechnologies in everyday life and in industry have made it possible to significantly change everything around us.

Is it possible to create a form of artificial intelligence that can satisfy all our needs? The answer lies in the rational application of the latest developments. Nanotechnology is the way of the future as it touches every aspect of our lives. The use of nanotechnology offers many opportunities, but also raises a number of concerns.

Window to the nanoworld

An electron microscope allows you to look into the microworld. Without special equipment, nanotechnology is very difficult to immediately notice in everyday life, since they are so small that they are indistinguishable to the naked eye. It is on such scales that substances exhibit the most unusual and unexpected properties. The use of such properties promises a unique technological revolution. They provide radically new possibilities, such as controlling the human body and the environment.

The history of nanotechnology

It all starts in the 80s of the 20th century with the invention of a tool called scanning (STM). Professor James Dzimzewski has spent his entire professional life in the nanoscale world. He is one of the first people in the world to have the opportunity to study matter at the level of incredibly small quantities, millionths of a millimeter. These microscopes allow you to study the surface in the same way that the blind read. Then no one could have suspected how useful nanotechnology would be in everyday life and industry.

The principle of working with nanoparticles

A scanning microscope uses a probe that is a needle 1 atom thick. When it gets within just a few nanometers of the sample, electrons are exchanged with the nearest nanoparticle. This phenomenon is called the tunnel effect. The control system records changes in the magnitude of the tunnel current, and based on this information, a more accurate construction of the surface topography of the sample under study is carried out. The software allows the obtained data to be converted into an image, which gives scientists the key to a new world using nanotechnology in everyday life and other industries.

According to James Dzimzewski, thanks to the scanning electron microscope, scientists for the first time received images of atoms and molecules and were able to study their shape. This was a real revolution in science, because scientists began to look at many things completely differently, paying attention to the properties of individual atoms, and not millions and billions of particles, as was the case in the past.

First discoveries

The use of new technologies has led to an amazing discovery. When the device came within 1 nanometer of an atom, a bond formed between it and the atom. This feature made it possible to find a way to move individual microparticles. Thanks to this discovery, it became possible to use nanotechnology for a comfortable life.

As explained by James Dzhimzewski, a professor at the University of California, a tunnel scanning microscope made it possible to practically touch molecules and atoms. For the first time, scientists were able to manipulate atoms on the surface of matter and create structures that were previously unimaginable.

This newfound discovery (the ability to observe and manipulate the smallest particles that make up matter) has made it possible to use nanotechnology in all industries without exception.

Nanotechnology development

Physicist and philosopher Etin Klin believes that the possibility of a technological breakthrough through nanotechnology is quite real, but in many ways it is based on the enthusiasm of the scientist.

As physicist and philosopher Etin Klin says, less than 100 years have passed from the moment of experimental confirmation of the existence of atoms to the moment it became possible to manipulate them. Opportunities are opening up for scientists that they would never have thought of before. Only thanks to this, the government of all developed countries began to show interest in the relevant sciences. It all started with an American initiative in 2002, launched by physicists Roca and Benbridge. These scientists came up with the crazy idea that thanks to nanotechnology, humanity will be able to solve all the problems it faces.

This statement was the impetus for the start of numerous studies that made it possible to implement such advanced areas of science and technology as microelectronics, computer science, nuclear energy research, microbiology, laser technology, medicine and much more.

Nanotechnology: examples

There are so many invisible, but very important substances in everyday life, the presence of which we do not even suspect! Let's look at the most striking examples:

Toothpaste. Previously, no one thought about why dental cleansers are different. This is all explained by the presence of certain nanoparticles. For example, calcium hydroxyapatite, which is invisible to the naked eye, helps restore damaged enamel and protect teeth from caries.

Car paint. Modern car paints, thanks to nanoparticles, are able to cover shallow scratches and other cavities formed on the body. They contain microscopic balls that provide this effect.

Markin Kirill Petrovich

The field of science and technology called nanotechnology has emerged relatively recently. The prospects for this science are enormous. The particle “nano” itself means one billionth of a quantity. For example, a nanometer is one billionth of a meter. These sizes are similar to the sizes of molecules and atoms. The exact definition of nanotechnology is as follows: nanotechnology is a technology that manipulates matter at the level of atoms and molecules (this is why nanotechnology is also called molecular technology). The impetus for the development of nanotechnology was a lecture by Richard Feynman, in which he scientifically proves that from the point of view of physics there are no obstacles to creating things directly from atoms. To designate a means of effectively manipulating atoms, the concept of an assembler was introduced - a molecular nanomachine that can build any molecular structure. An example of a natural assembler is the ribosome, which synthesizes protein in living organisms. Obviously, nanotechnology is not just a separate body of knowledge, it is a large-scale, comprehensive field of research related to the basic sciences. We can say that almost any subject studied in school will in one way or another be related to the technologies of the future. The most obvious seems to be the connection between “nano” and physics, chemistry and biology. Apparently, it is these sciences that will receive the greatest impetus for development in connection with the approaching nanotechnological revolution.

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Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..
1. Nanotechnology in the modern world………………………………...
1.1 History of nanotechnology……………………………...
1.2 Nanotechnologies in different spheres of human activity….
1.2.1 Nanotechnology in space……………………………………………………………
1.2.2 Nanotechnologies in medicine……………………………………….
1.2.3 Nanotechnology in the food industry…………………...
1.2.4 Nanotechnology in military affairs…………………………………..
Conclusion………………………………………………………………..
Bibliography……………………………..................................... ....

Introduction.

Currently, few people know what nanotechnology is, although the future lies behind this science.

Goal of the work:

Find out what nanotechnology is;

Find out the application of this science in various industries;

Find out whether nanotechnology can be dangerous to humans.

Today we can take advantage of the benefits and new opportunitiesnano technologies in:

medicine, including aerospace;
pharmacology;
geriatrics;
protecting the health of the nation in the context of a growing environmental crisis and man-made disasters;
global computer networks and information communications on new physical principles;
ultra-long-distance communication systems;
automotive, tractor and aviation equipment;
road safety;
information security systems;
solving environmental problems of megacities;
agriculture;
solving problems of drinking water supply and wastewater treatment;
fundamentally new navigation systems;
renewal of natural mineral and hydrocarbon raw materials.

We decided to focus on the application of nanotechnology in medicine, the food industry, military affairs and space, since these areas aroused our interest.

1. Nanotechnology in the modern world.

1.1 History of nanotechnology.

Science "Nanotechnologies" I" arose due to revolutionary changes in computer science!

In 1947, the transistor was invented, after which the heyday of semiconductor technology began, during which the size of the created silicon devices was constantly decreasing.The term "nanotechnology"in 1974, it was proposed by the Japanese Noryo Taniguchi to describe the process of constructing new objects and materials using manipulations with individual atoms. The name comes from the word “nanometer” - one billionth of a meter (10-9 m).

In modern terms, nanotechnology is a technology for manufacturing supermicroscopic structures from the smallest particles of matter, combining all technical processes related directly to atoms and molecules.

Modern nanotechnology has a fairly deep historical footprint. Archaeological finds indicate the existence of colloidal formulations in the ancient world, for example, “Chinese ink” in Ancient Egypt. The famous Damascus steel was made due to the presence of nanotubes in it.

The father of the idea of nanotechnology can be considered the Greek philosopher Democritus around 400 BC. era, he first used the word “atom,” which means “unbreakable” in Greek, to describe the smallest particle of matter.

Here is an approximate development path:

1905 Swiss physicist Albert Einstein published a paper in which he proved that the size of a sugar molecule is approximately 1 nanometer.
1931 German physicists Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska created an electron microscope, which for the first time made it possible to study nanoobjects.
1934 American theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize laureate Eugene Wigner theoretically substantiated the possibility of creating an ultradisperse metal with a sufficiently small number of conduction electrons.
1951 John von Neumann outlined the principles of self-replicating machines, and scientists generally confirmed their possibility.
In 1953, Watson and Crick described the structure of DNA, which showed how living objects convey instructions that guide their construction.
1959 American physicist Richard Feynman first published a paper assessing the prospects for miniaturization. Nobel laureate R. Feynman wrote a phrase that is now perceived as a prophecy: “As far as I can see, the principles of physics do not prohibit the manipulation of individual atoms.” This idea was voiced when the beginning of the post-industrial era was not yet realized; in these years there were no integrated circuits, no microprocessors, no personal computers.
1974 Japanese physicist Norio Taniguchi introduced the word “nanotechnology” into scientific circulation, which he proposed to call mechanisms less than one micron in size. The Greek word "nanos" roughly means "old man."
1981 Gleiter was the first to draw attention to the possibility of creating materials with unique properties, the structure of which is represented by crystallites in the nanoscale range.

On March 27, 1981, CBS Radio News quoted a scientist working for NASA as saying that engineers would be able to build self-replicating robots within twenty years, for use in space or on Earth. These machines would build copies of themselves, and the copies could be commanded to create useful products.
1982 G. Biening and G. Rohrer created the first scanning tunneling microscope.
1985 American physicists Robert Curl, Harold Kroteau and Richard Smaily have created technology that makes it possible to accurately measure objects with a diameter of one nanometer.
1986 Nanotechnology became known to the general public. American scientist Eric Drexler published the book “Machines of Creation: The Coming of the Era of Nanotechnology,” in which he predicted that nanotechnology would soon begin to actively develop.
1991, Houston (USA), Department of Chemistry, Rais University. In his laboratory, Dr. R. Smalley (Nobel Prize winner for 1996) used a laser to evaporate graphite under vacuum, the gas phase of which consisted of fairly large crackers: each with 60 carbon atoms. A cluster of 60 atoms is more stable, since it has an increased free energy. This cluster is a structural formation similar to a soccer ball, and he proposed to call this molecule a fullerene.
1991, An employee of the NEC laboratory in Japan, Sumio Ijima, first discovered carbon nanotubes, which had previously been predicted several months earlier by the Russian physicist L. Chernozatonsky and the American J. Mintmir.
1995 At the Scientific Research Institute of Physics and Chemistry named after L.Ya. Karpov developed a sensor based on a film nanocomposite that detects various substances in the atmosphere (ammonia, alcohol, water vapor).
1997 Richard E. Smalley, 1996 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, professor of chemistry and physics, predicted the assembly of atoms by the year 2000 and by the same time predicted the appearance of the first commercial nanoproducts. This forecast came true at the predicted time.
1998 The dependence of the electrical properties of nanotubes on geometric parameters was experimentally confirmed.
1998 Dutch physicist Seez Dekker created a transistor based on nanotechnology.
1998 The pace of development of nanotechnology began to increase sharply. Japan has identified nanotechnology as a likely technology category for the 21st century.
1999 American physicists James Tour and Mark Reed determined that an individual molecule can behave in the same way as molecular chains.
year 2000. A Hewlett-Packard research group has created a switch molecule or minimicrodiode using the latest nanotechnological self-assembly methods.

year 2000. The beginning of the era of hybrid nanoelectronics.
2002 S. Dekker combined a nanotube with DNA, obtaining a single nanomechanism.
2003 Japanese scientists have become the first in the world to create a solid-state device that implements one of the two main elements necessary to create a quantum computer. 2004. The "world's first" quantum computer was presented

On September 7, 2006, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the concept of the Federal Target Program for the Development of Nanotechnologies for 2007-2010.

Thus Having formed historically, to the present moment, nanotechnology, having conquered the theoretical area of public consciousness, continues to penetrate into its everyday layer.

However, nanotechnology should not be reduced only to a local revolutionary breakthrough in these areas (electronics, information technology). A number of extremely important results have already been obtained in nanotechnology, allowing us to hope for significant progress in the development of many other areas of science and technology (medicine and biology, chemistry, ecology, energy, mechanics, etc.). For example, when moving to the nanometer range (i.e., to objects with characteristic lengths of about 10 nm), many of the most important properties of substances and materials change significantly. We are talking about such important characteristics as electrical conductivity, optical refractive index, magnetic properties, strength, heat resistance, etc. Based on materials With New types of solar panels, energy converters, environmentally friendly products, etc. are already being created using new properties.It is possible that the production of cheap, energy-saving and environmentally friendly materials will be the most important consequence of the introduction of nanotechnology.Highly sensitive biological sensors and other devices have already been created that allow us to talk about the emergence of a new science of nanobiotechnology and have great prospects for practical application. Nanotechnology offers new opportunities for the microprocessing of materials and the creation of new production processes and new products on this basis, which should have a revolutionary impact on the economic and social life of future generations.

1.2. Nanotechnologies in various spheres of human activity

The penetration of nanotechnology into the spheres of human activity can be represented in the form of a nanotechnology tree. Applications take the form of a tree, with branches representing the main areas of application, and branches from major branches representing differentiation within the main areas of application at a given time.

Today (2000 - 2010) there is the following picture:

biological sciences involve the development of gene tag technology, surfaces for implants, antimicrobial surfaces, targeted drugs, tissue engineering, oncology therapy.
simple fibers imply the development of paper technology, cheap building materials, lightweight boards, auto parts, and heavy-duty materials.
nanoclips suggest the production of new fabrics, coating of glass, “smart” sands, paper, carbon fibers.
protection against corrosion using nanoadditives for copper, aluminum, magnesium, steel.
catalysts are intended for use in agriculture, deodorization, and food production.
Easy-to-clean materials are used in everyday life, architecture, the dairy and food industries, the transport industry, and sanitation. This is the production of self-cleaning glass, hospital equipment and instruments, anti-mold coating, and easy-to-clean ceramics.
Biocoatings are used in sports equipment and bearings.
Optics as a field of application of nanotechnology includes such areas as electrochromics and the production of optical lenses. These are new photochromic optics, easy-to-clean optics and coated optics.
Ceramics in the field of nanotechnology makes it possible to obtain electroluminescence and photoluminescence, printing pastes, pigments, nanopowders, microparticles, membranes.
Computer technology and electronics as a field of application of nanotechnology will give rise to the development of electronics, nanosensors, household (embedded) microcomputers, visualization tools and energy converters. Next is the development of global networks, wireless communications, quantum and DNA computers.
Nanomedicine, as a field of application of nanotechnology, includes nanomaterials for prosthetics, “smart” prostheses, nanocapsules, diagnostic nanoprobes, implants, DNA reconstructors and analyzers, “smart” and precision instruments, targeted pharmaceuticals.
Space as a field of application of nanotechnology will open up prospects for mechanoelectric solar energy converters and nanomaterials for space applications.
Ecology as a field of application of nanotechnology is the restoration of the ozone layer, weather control.

1.2.1 Nanotechnology in space

A revolution is raging in space. Satellites and nanodevices up to 20 kilograms began to be created.

A system of microsatellites has been created; it is less vulnerable to attempts to destroy it. It’s one thing to shoot down a colossus weighing several hundred kilograms, or even tons, in orbit, immediately disabling all space communications or reconnaissance, and another thing when there is a whole swarm of microsatellites in orbit. Failure of one of them in this case will not disrupt the operation of the system as a whole. Accordingly, the requirements for the operational reliability of each satellite can be reduced.

Young scientists believe that the key problems of satellite microminiaturization include, among other things, the creation of new technologies in the field of optics, communication systems, methods of transmitting, receiving and processing large amounts of information. We are talking about nanotechnologies and nanomaterials, which make it possible to reduce the mass and dimensions of devices launched into space by two orders of magnitude. For example, the strength of nanonickel is 6 times higher than that of conventional nickel, which makes it possible, when used in rocket engines, to reduce the mass of the nozzle by 20-30%.Reducing the mass of space technology solves many problems: it extends the life of the device in space, allows it to fly further and carry more useful equipment for research. At the same time, the problem of energy supply is solved. Miniature devices will soon be used to study many phenomena, for example, the impact of solar rays on processes on Earth and in near-Earth space.

Today, space is not exotic, and its exploration is not only a matter of prestige. First of all, this is a matter of national security and national competitiveness of our state. It is the development of highly complex nanosystems that can become a national advantage for the country. Like nanotechnology, nanomaterials will give us the opportunity to seriously talk about manned flights to various planets in the solar system. It is the use of nanomaterials and nanomechanisms that can make manned flights to Mars and exploration of the lunar surface a reality.Another extremely popular area of microsatellite development is the creation of Earth remote sensing (ERS). A market for consumers of information with a resolution of space images of 1 m in the radar range and less than 1 m in the optical range began to form (primarily such data is used in cartography).

1.2.2 Nanotechnology in medicine

Recent advances in nanotechnology, according to scientists, can be very useful in the fight against cancer. An anticancer drug has been developed directly to the target - into cells affected by a malignant tumor. A new system based on a material known as biosilicon. Nanosilicone has a porous structure (ten atoms in diameter), into which it is convenient to introduce drugs, proteins and radionuclides. Having reached the target, the biosilicone begins to disintegrate, and the drugs it delivers begin to work. Moreover, according to the developers, the new system allows you to regulate the dosage of the medicine.

Over the past years, employees of the Center for Biological Nanotechnologies have been working on the creation of microsensors that will be used to detect cancer cells in the body and combat this terrible disease.

A new technique for recognizing cancer cells is based on implanting tiny spherical reservoirs made of synthetic polymers called dendrimers (from the Greek dendron - wood) into the human body. These polymers were synthesized in the last decade and have a fundamentally new, non-solid structure, which resembles the structure of coral or wood. Such polymers are called hyperbranched or cascade. Those in which branching is regular are called dendrimers. In diameter, each such sphere, or nanosensor, reaches only 5 nanometers - 5 billionths of a meter, which makes it possible to place billions of similar nanosensors in a small area of space.

Once inside the body, these tiny sensors will penetrate lymphocytes - white blood cells that provide the body's defense response against infection and other disease-causing factors. During the immune response of lymphoid cells to a certain disease or environmental condition - a cold or exposure to radiation, for example - the protein structure of the cell changes. Each nanosensor, coated with special chemical reagents, will begin to glow with such changes.

To see this glow, scientists are going to create a special device that scans the retina of the eye. The laser of such a device should detect the glow of lymphocytes when they, one after another, pass through the narrow capillaries of the fundus. If there are enough labeled sensors in lymphocytes, then a 15-second scan is needed to detect cell damage, the scientists say.

This is where the greatest impact of nanotechnology is expected, since it affects the very basis of society's existence - humans. Nanotechnology reaches a dimensional level of the physical world where the distinction between living and nonliving becomes unsteady - these are molecular machines. Even a virus can partly be considered a living system, since it contains information about its construction. But the ribosome, although it consists of the same atoms as all organic matter, does not contain such information and therefore is only an organic molecular machine. Nanotechnology in its developed form involves the construction of nanorobots, molecular machines of inorganic atomic composition; these machines will be able to build copies of themselves, having information about such a construction. Therefore, the line between living and non-living begins to blur. To date, only one primitive walking DNA robot has been created.

Nanomedicine is represented by the following possibilities:

1. Labs on a chip, targeted delivery of drugs in the body.

2. DNA chips (creation of individual medicines).

3. Artificial enzymes and antibodies.

4. Artificial organs, artificial functional polymers (organic tissue substitutes). This direction is closely related to the idea of artificial life and in the future leads to the creation of robots with artificial consciousness and capable of self-healing at the molecular level. This is due to the expansion of the concept of life beyond the organic

5. Nanorobot surgeons (biomechanisms that carry out changes and required medical actions, recognition and destruction of cancer cells). This is the most radical application of nanotechnology in medicine - the creation of molecular nanorobots that can destroy infections and cancerous tumors, repair damaged DNA, tissues and organs, duplicate entire life support systems of the body, and change the properties of the body.

Considering a single atom as a building block or “part,” nanotechnology is looking for practical ways to construct materials with specified characteristics from these parts. Many companies already know how to assemble atoms and molecules into certain structures.

In the future, any molecules will be assembled like a children's construction set. For this purpose it is planned to use nanorobots (nanobots). Any chemically stable structure that can be described can, in fact, be built. Since a nanobot can be programmed to build any structure, in particular to build another nanobot, they will be very cheap. Working in huge groups, nanobots will be able to create any objects with low cost and high accuracy. In medicine, the problem of using nanotechnology is the need to change the structure of the cell at the molecular level, i.e. carry out “molecular surgery” using nanobots. It is expected to create molecular robot doctors that can “live” inside the human body, eliminating all damage that occurs, or preventing the occurrence of such.By manipulating individual atoms and molecules, nanobots will be able to repair cells. Predicted period for the creation of robot doctors, the first half of the 21st century.

Despite the current state of affairs, nanotechnology, as a fundamental solution to the problem of aging, is more than promising.

This is due to the fact that nanotechnology has great potential for commercial application in many industries, and accordingly, in addition to serious government funding, research in this direction is carried out by many large corporations.

It is quite possible that after improvement to ensure “eternal youth”, nanobots will no longer be needed or they will be produced by the cell itself.

To achieve these goals, humanity needs to resolve three main issues:

1. Design and create molecular robots that can repair molecules.
2. Design and create nanocomputers that will control nanomachines.
3. Create a complete description of all molecules in the human body, in other words, create a map of the human body at the atomic level.

The main difficulty with nanotechnology is the problem of creating the first nanobot. There are several promising directions.

One of them is to improve the scanning tunneling microscope or atomic force microscope and achieve positional accuracy and gripping force.
Another path to creating the first nanobot leads through chemical synthesis. It may be possible to design and synthesize clever chemical components that can self-assemble in solution.
And another path leads through biochemistry. Ribosomes (inside the cell) are specialized nanobots, and we can use them to create more versatile robots.

These nanobots will be able to slow down the aging process, treat individual cells and interact with individual neurons.

Research work began relatively recently, but the pace of discoveries in this area is extremely high, many believe this is the future of medicine.

1.2.3 Nanotechnology in the food industry

Nanofood is a new term, obscure and unsightly. Food for nanopeople? Very small portions? Food made in nanofactories? Of course not. But still, this is an interesting direction in the food industry. It turns out that nanofood is a whole set of scientific ideas that are already on the way to implementation and application in industry. Firstly, nanotechnology can provide food producers with unique opportunities for total real-time monitoring of the quality and safety of products directly during the production process. We are talking about diagnostic machines using various nanosensors or so-called quantum dots, capable of quickly and reliably detecting the smallest chemical contaminants or dangerous biological agents in products. Food production, transportation, and storage methods can all receive their share of useful innovations from the nanotechnology industry. According to scientists, the first production machines of this kind will appear in mass food production in the next four years. But more radical ideas are also on the agenda. Are you ready to swallow nanoparticles that cannot be seen? What if nanoparticles are specifically used to deliver useful substances and drugs to precisely selected parts of the body? What if such nanocapsules could be introduced into food products? No one has used the nanofood yet, but preliminary developments are already underway. Experts say edible nanoparticles could be made from silicon, ceramics or polymers. And of course - organic substances. And if everything is clear regarding the safety of so-called “soft” particles, similar in structure and composition to biological materials, then “hard” particles composed of inorganic substances are a big blank spot at the intersection of two territories - nanotechnology and biology. Scientists cannot yet say which routes such particles will travel in the body and where they will end up. This remains to be seen. But some experts are already drawing futuristic pictures of the advantages of nanoeaters. In addition to delivering valuable nutrients to the right cells. The idea is this: everyone buys the same drink, but then the consumer will be able to control the nanoparticles so that the taste, color, aroma and concentration of the drink will change before his eyes.

1.2.4 Nanotechnology in military affairs

The military use of nanotechnology opens up a qualitatively new level of military-technical dominance in the world. The main directions in the creation of new weapons based on nanotechnology can be considered:

1. Creation of new powerful miniature explosive devices.

2. Destruction of macrodevices from the nanolevel.

3. Espionage and pain suppression using neurotechnology.

4. Biological weapons and genetic targeting nanodevices.

5. Nano equipment for soldiers.

6. Protection from chemical and biological weapons.

7. Nanodevices in military equipment control systems.

8. Nanocoatings for military equipment.

Nanotechnology will make it possible to produce powerful explosives. The size of the explosive can be reduced tens of times. An attack by guided missiles with nano-explosives on nuclear fuel regeneration plants could deprive the country of the physical ability to produce weapons-grade plutonium. The introduction of small-sized robotic devices into electronic equipment can disrupt the operation of electrical circuits and mechanics using. Failure of control centers and command posts cannot be prevented unless nanodevices are isolated. Robots for dismantling materials at the atomic level will become powerful weapons that turn the armor of tanks, concrete structures of pillboxes, nuclear reactor housings and the bodies of soldiers into dust. But this is still only a prospect for an advanced form of nanotechnology. In the meantime, research is being conducted in the field of neural technologies, the development of which will lead to the emergence of military nanodevices that carry out espionage, or intercept control over the functions of the human body, using a connection via nanodevices to the nervous system. NASA laboratories have already created working samples of equipment for intercepting internal speech. Photonic components on nanostructures, capable of receiving and processing huge amounts of information, will become the basis of space monitoring systems, ground surveillance and espionage. With the help of nanodevices introduced into the brain, it is possible to obtain “artificial” (technical) vision with an expanded range of perception, compared to biological vision. A system for suppressing pain in soldiers, implanted into the body and brain, and neurochips are being developed.

The next military application of nanotechnology is genetic targeting nanodevices. A genetically targeted nanodevice can be programmed to perform specific destructive actions depending on the genetic DNA structure of the cell in which it finds itself. As a condition for activating the device, a unique section of the genetic code of a specific person or a template for actions on a group of people is set. It will be almost impossible to distinguish an ordinary epidemic from ethnic cleansing without nanorobot detection tools. Nanodevices will only work against a given type of person and under strictly defined conditions. Once in the body, the nanodevice will not manifest itself in any way until the activation command is given. The next application of nanotechnology is in the equipment of soldiers. It is proposed to make a kind of hybrid out of a person, uniforms and weapons, the elements of which will be so closely interconnected that a fully equipped soldier of the future can be called a separate organism.

Nanotechnology has provided a breakthrough in the manufacture of armor and body armor.

Military equipment is supposed to be equipped with a special “electromechanical paint” that will allow you to change color and prevent corrosion. Nanopaint will be able to “heal” minor damage to the car body and will consist of a large number of nanomechanisms that will allow it to perform all of the above functions. Using a system of optical matrices, which will be separate nanomachines in the “paint,” the researchers want to achieve the effect of invisibility of a car or aircraft.

Nanotechnology will bring changes in the military sphere. A new qualitatively transformed and uncontrolled arms race. Control over nanotechnology can only be realistically exercised in a global civilization. Nanotechnology will allow for complete mechanization of field warfare, eliminating the presence of modernized soldiers.

Thus, the main conclusion about the result of the penetration of nanotechnology into the sphere of weapons is the prospect of the formation of a global society capable of controlling nanotechnology and the arms race. This tendency of universalism is determined by the rationality of technogenic civilization and expresses its interests and values.

Conclusion

Having clarified the concept of nanotechnology, outlined its prospects and dwelled on possible dangers and threats, I would like to draw a conclusion. I believe that nanotechnology is a young science, the results of its development can change the world around us beyond recognition. And what these changes will be - useful, making life incomparably easier, or harmful, threatening humanity - depends on the mutual understanding and rationality of people. And mutual understanding and rationality directly depend on the level of humanity, which presupposes a person’s responsibility for his actions. Therefore, the most important need in the last years before the inevitable nanotechnological “boom” is the cultivation of philanthropy. Only intelligent and humane people can turn nanotechnology into a stepping stone to understanding the Universe and their place in this Universe.

Bibliography

Fundamentals of object-oriented programming in Delphi: Textbook. manual / V.V. Kuznetsov, I.V. Abdrashitova; Ed. T. B. Korneeva. – ed. 3rd, revised and additional – Tomsk, 2008. – 120 p.
Kimmel P. Creating an application in Delphi./P. Kimel – M: Williams, 2003. – 114 p.
Kobayashi N. Introduction to nanotechnology/N. Kobayashi. – M.:Binom, 2005 - 134s
Chaplygin A. “nanotechnologies in electronics” / A. Chaplygin. - 2005 M.: technosphere
http:// www.delphi.com
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It is quite difficult to imagine a future without nanotechnology. The manipulation of matter at the atomic and submolecular levels paved the way for major breakthroughs in chemistry, biology and medicine. Nevertheless, even now the use of nanotechnology sometimes exceeds even our most curious fantasies and realities.

Movies

Without the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) in the 1980s, the field of nanotechnology might have remained science fiction. With the atomic precision of STM, physicists were able to study structure in a way that was not possible with conventional optical microscopes.

The amazing potential of STM was demonstrated by IBM scientists when they created A Boy and His Atom, the world's smallest animated film. It was created by moving individual atoms on the surface of copper.

The 90-second film depicts a boy made of carbon monoxide molecules playing with a ball, dancing and jumping on a trampoline. Created from 202 frames, the animation unfolds over an area equal to 1/1000 the size of one human hair. To make the film, the scientists used a unique feature of STM: an electrically charged and very sharp stylus with a single atom as the tip. The stylus can determine the exact position of carbon molecules on the surface of the animation (in this case, a sheet of copper). It can also be used to create images of molecules and move them to new positions.

Oil production

Global oil exploration spending has grown exponentially over the past ten years. However, the efficiency of oil production remains a major challenge. When oil companies shut in wells, less than half the oil is recovered. The rest remains trapped in the rock because it would be too expensive to mine. Luckily, thanks to nanotechnology, Chinese scientists have found a way around this.

The solution was to improve the existing drilling method. The original technique involves introducing water into the pores of the rock in which the oil is located. This displaces the oil and carries it out. However, this method has its limitations. At a certain point, water begins to come out instead of oil.

To prevent this, Chinese researchers Peng and Ming Yuan Li came up with the idea of infusing water with nanoparticles that would close the transitions between the pores of the rock. Water will choose the narrowest paths in the pores containing oil and push it out. Successful in trials in China, this method has increased the efficiency of oil production, reaching up to 50% of oil that was otherwise out of reach.

High resolution displays

Images on computer screens are represented by tiny dots called pixels. Regardless of their sizes and shapes, the number of pixels on the screen remains a determining factor in image quality. However, in the case of conventional ones, a larger number of pixels means larger and bulkier screens - which is not entirely convenient.

While companies are busy selling giant screens to consumers, scientists at the University of Oxford have discovered a way to create pixels several hundred nanometers across. This can be achieved using the properties of a phase change material called GST. In the experiment, the scientists used a set of seven-nanometer layers of GST sandwiched between transparent electrodes. Each layer - just 300 by 300 nanometers - acts as a pixel that can be turned on and off electrically. By passing an electric current through the layer, scientists were able to obtain a picture with high quality and contrast.

Nanopixels will serve a variety of purposes when traditional pixels become impractical. For example, their tiny size and thickness will make them an excellent choice for technologies such as smart glasses, foldable screens, and artificial retinas. Another advantage of nanopixel displays is their low power consumption. Unlike existing displays that constantly update all pixels to form images, the GST-based layer updates only part of the display, which actually saves energy.

Color changing paint

While experimenting with threads of gold nanoparticles, scientists from the University of California stumbled upon an amazing thing. They noticed that the color of the gold changed as the thread was stretched or compressed, going from bright blue to purple to red. The experiment inspired scientists to create sensors made from gold nanoparticles that change color when pressure is applied to them.

To produce such sensors, gold nanoparticles were added to a flexible polymer film. When the film is subjected to pressure, it stretches and causes the particles to change color. Light pressure turns the sensor purple, and hard pressure turns it red. Scientists have noticed this interesting property not only in gold particles, but also in silver particles, which change their color to yellow when stretched.

Such sensors can serve different purposes. For example, they can be included in furniture, sofas or beds to determine whether a person is sitting or sleeping. Even though the sensor is made of gold, its small size helps overcome the cost issue.

Charging phones

Whether it's an iPhone, a Samsung, or another phone, every smartphone that leaves the production line has two major drawbacks: battery life and charging time. And although the first problem remains pressing, scientists from the city of Ramat Gan in Israel were able to solve the second problem by creating a battery that charges in 30 seconds.

This breakthrough was closely related to a project to study Alzheimer's disease by scientists from Tel Aviv University. Scientists have discovered that the peptide molecules that shrink brain neurons and cause disease have high capacitance (the ability to store an electrical charge). This discovery was taken on board by StoreDot, a company that is trying to turn nanotechnology into targeted consumer products. With the help of scientists, StoreDot developed NanoDots, a technology that harnesses the power of peptides to improve the battery life of smartphones. The company demonstrated its technology at Microsoft's ThinkNext event. Using the Samsung Galaxy S3 as an example, the battery was charged from zero to maximum in less than a minute.

Clever drug delivery

Treating diseases like cancer can be too expensive and, in some cases, too late. Fortunately, several medical companies around the world are researching cheap and effective ways to treat such diseases. Among them is Immusoft, a company that plans to revolutionize the delivery of drugs into our bodies.

Instead of spending billions of dollars on drugs and therapeutic programs, Immusoft believes that our bodies can produce the drugs we need. With the help of the immune system, the patient's cells can be modified and given new genetic information that will allow them to produce their own drugs. Genetic information can be delivered using nano-sized capsules introduced into the body.

The new method has not yet been tested in humans. However, Immusoft and other institutions have reported successful experiments conducted on mice. If the method proves effective in humans, it will significantly reduce treatment time and costs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and other diseases.

Molecular communication

Under certain conditions, electromagnetic waves, the soul of global communication, become unusable. Think of an electromagnetic pulse that could knock out a communications satellite, rendering any form of technology that depends on it useless. We are very familiar with this scenario from apocalyptic films. Scientists from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and York University in Canada also studied this question for many years before coming to an unexpected solution to the question.

Scientists have observed how some species of animals, particularly insects, use pheromones to communicate over long distances. After collecting data, scientists developed a communication method in which messages are encoded in molecules of evaporating alcohol. They successfully demonstrated a new method using alcohol as chemical signals and sent the first message, which stood for "Oh Canada."

The method involved the use of two devices, a transmitter and a receiver, which encoded and sent and received the signal respectively. It is possible to type a text message on the transmitter using Arduino One (an open source microcontroller). The controller then converts the text into binary code, which is read by an electronic alcohol sprayer. After reading the code, the atomizer replaces the “1” with injection, and leaves the “0” as a space. In the air, the alcohol is captured by an airborne receiver that contains a chemical sensor and a microcontroller. The data is then converted back into text.

The message was sent several meters across open space. This method can be useful in environments such as underground tunnels or pipelines where electromagnetic waves become useless.

Data storage

Over the past few decades, computers have experienced exponential growth in computing power and storage capacity. This phenomenon was accurately predicted by James Moore over 50 years ago and later became known as Moore's Law. However, many scientists - including physicist Michio Kaku - believe that Moore's law will one day stop working. This is because the computing power of computers cannot keep up exponentially with existing manufacturing technologies.

While Kaku focused on processing power, the same applies equally to capacity. Fortunately, this is not the end. A team of scientists from RMIT University in Melbourne is currently looking for alternatives. Led by Sharath Sriram, a team of scientists is on the verge of creating data storage devices that mimic the way the human brain stores information. The scientists' first step was to create a nanofilm that is chemically programmed to store electrical charges in an "on" and "off" state. The film, which is 10,000 times thinner than a human hair, could become the cornerstone for the development of memory devices that mimic the brain's neural networks.

Nanoart

The promising development of nanotechnology fascinates the scientific community. However, advances in nanotechnology are not limited to medicine, biology and engineering. Nanoart is an emerging field that allows us to see the tiny world under a microscope from a completely new perspective.

As the name suggests, nanoart is a combination of art and nanoscience practiced by a small number of scientists and artists. Among them is John Hart, a mechanical engineer at the University of Michigan who created a nanoportrait of the president. The portrait, titled Nanobama, was created for the president when he was a candidate in the 2008 presidential election. Each facet of the portrait is less than half a millimeter, and the entire portrait is made of 150 nanotubes. It's only a matter of time before such a portrait can be printed.

New records

Humanity has always strived to create things stronger, faster and bigger. But when it comes to the smallest things, nanotechnology comes into play. Among the smallest things created using nanotechnology is a book called Teeny Ted From Turnip, which is currently considered the world's smallest printed book. The book measures just 70 by 100 micrometers and is filled with letters carved onto 30 pages of crystalline silicon. True, such a book costs a lot - more than $15,000. In addition, to read it you will need an electron microscope, which is also not a cheap pleasure.

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In recent years, we have increasingly heard the words “nanoscience”, “nanotechnology”, “nanostructured materials”: we hear them on the radio and on television, we notice them in the speeches of not only scientists, but also politicians. Nanotechnologies are given high priority when financing scientific and innovation programs in all developed countries of the world. For example, Japan is a world leader in the creation of nanomaterials; in the United States, research in the field of nanotechnology receives generous funding from both the state and business, and even from private individuals; the European Union has adopted its framework program for the development of science, in which nanotechnology occupies a leading position. Recently, our president announced a high priority for the development of nanotechnology, drawing attention to the special role of nanotechnology for the defense capability of our country. Considerable funds are allocated for this from the country's Reserve Fund. The Ministry of Industry and Science of the Russian Federation and the Russian Academy of Sciences also have their own lists of priority, breakthrough technologies with the prefix “nano-”.

So what does the word “nano” mean? What is nanotechnology and why is it receiving so much attention around the world? Why is this called a “revolutionary breakthrough in technology”, what does it promise for us, ordinary people, and what, perhaps, does it threaten the world? Let's try to figure out these questions.

Kudukhova Larisa Ilyinichna, 13.03.2017

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Development content

Target scientific work consists in a comprehensive characterization of nanotechnology, taking into account the specifics and all the features of this field of applied science.

Object of this research is nanotechnology as a field of science and technology, and subject– features of the application of nanotechnology.

To the main tasks works include:

1. Definition of the concept “nanotechnology”.

2. Consideration of the history of the development of nanotechnology in the world in general and in Russia in particular.

3. Clarification of the applied aspect of nanotechnology, that is, the features of application in various industries.

4. Analysis of the possibilities, methods and methods of applying nanotechnology.

5. Identification of technological features of the application of nanotechnologies.

6. Indication and forecasting of prospects for the development of nanotechnology in Russia.

Nanotechnology- a set of methods and techniques that provide the ability to create and modify objects in a controlled manner, including components with dimensions less than 100 nm, having fundamentally new qualities and allowing their integration into fully functioning systems of a larger scale

An example of the first use of nanotechnology is the invention of photographic film in 1883 by George Eastman, who later founded the famous company Kodak.

Application of nanotechnology.

Nanoelectronics and nanophotonics

One of the most promising areas of application of nanotechnology is computer technology.

Nanophotonics companies are developing highly integrated optical communications components using nanooptics and nanofabrication technologies. This approach to the manufacture of optical components makes it possible to speed up the production of their prototypes, improve technical characteristics, reduce size and reduce cost.

Nanoenergetics

Solar panels.

Toshiba has developed a nanomaterial-based lithium-ion battery that charges approximately 60 times faster than a conventional battery. In one minute it can be filled to 80%.

Nanostructured materials. Currently, progress has been made in the production of nanomaterials that imitate natural bone tissue.
2. Nanoparticles. The range of possible applications is extremely wide. It includes the fight against viral diseases such as influenza and HIV, cancer and vascular diseases.

3. Micro- and nanocapsules. Miniature (~1 µm) capsules with nanopores can be used to deliver drugs to the desired location in the body.
4. Nanotechnological sensors and analyzers. Such a device, capable of detecting literally individual molecules, can be used to determine the sequence of DNA bases or amino acids, detect pathogens of infectious diseases, and toxic substances.

5. Scanning microscopes are a group of devices unique in their capabilities. They allow you to achieve magnification sufficient to view individual molecules and atoms.

6. Nanotools. An example is scanning probe microscopes, which allow you to move any objects down to atoms.

Nanocosmetics

Several years ago, L'Oreal launched the famous Revitalift cream on the market, containing Pro-Retinol A nanosomes, and, according to the company, this cream is absorbed into the skin much better than creams from other brands, due to special microparticles

Nanomaterials in textiles. Textiles based on nanomaterials acquire unique waterproofness, dirt-repellence, thermal conductivity, the ability to conduct electricity and other properties.

Nanotechnologies for agriculture and food industry

Nanotechnologies are already used to disinfect air and various materials, including feed and final livestock products; processing of seeds and crops in order to preserve them. They are used to stimulate plant growth; treatment of animals; improving feed quality