Nanotechnology

covert24

Golden Member
Feb 24, 2006
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I am working on my Senior exit Project in English right now and decided to do it on Nanotechnology. Basically i already have a Thesis but i don't know whether or not it is sufficient since the teacher hasn't went over it yet. I just wanted to get your guys opinions on it or if you have any good sources i might be able to use. My idea for my primary source would be a Poll on these forums but i haven't decided. If you would like to review my thesis and give me some suggestions or ideas that would be very helpful. Just drop me a PM and ill give it to you for you to review.

The main gist of the paper will be revolving around the everyday consumer having access to new technology on the molecular level. Such as Atomic models based off of Carbon Nanotubes for heatsinks. I know there is already a project but this is just an example of what I'm trying to get across. Also Biomedical Nanobots used to destroy viruses instead of our dated "Flu Shot".

No I'm not asking you guys to write my paper for me. I'm just looking or constructive responses to help me out and get through this. I really don't see why the school system makes us do it but in a way i think it might be fun.
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
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Instead of speculating, why don't you do some research of nanotechnology already available and in use in commercial products? It'd probably surprise you and your teacher just how much is already out there. :)
 

covert24

Golden Member
Feb 24, 2006
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I realize there is at least one form of nanotechnology in virtually everything but i guess nothing really ground breaking in the perspective of the general public. Such as transistors on processors and IC's on almost everything. I guess....I don't know.... I'm trying to get across in the paper that there should be more ground breaking discoveries that the general public would actually notice and take part in. I know that sounds kind of bad but i really don't have any other topic that i can think of.... Kinda lost and the first 2 pages are due on Wednesday :(
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
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It's not just that though. There are nanoparticles and nanocrystals in a lot of products we use now. Just trust me and do a search and you'll be surprised.
 

firewolfsm

Golden Member
Oct 16, 2005
1,848
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The nokia morph was a far-fetched concept of what it can do. But it's still an idea, like silverpig said, search for nanotechnology, its current uses, patents, and prototypes. Wikipedia is a great place to get ideas for what to search for.
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
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It'd be rather easy and boring to write about nanites in your blood, fixing your cells and fighting diseases. Everyone has heard of that, and honestly we're nowhere near that level yet. It's basically the next flying car. Your teacher will be surprised and interested to find out that you discovered nanotechnology in clothes, paint, and other every day things she might not have known about.
 

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
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Originally posted by: silverpig
Instead of speculating, why don't you do some research of nanotechnology already available and in use in commercial products? It'd probably surprise you and your teacher just how much is already out there. :)

One word.... cosmetics. It is a little known fact that cosmetic manufacturers are one of the biggest developers of nanotechnology.
 

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
Originally posted by: covert24
I realize there is at least one form of nanotechnology in virtually everything but i guess nothing really ground breaking in the perspective of the general public. Such as transistors on processors and IC's on almost everything. I guess....I don't know.... I'm trying to get across in the paper that there should be more ground breaking discoveries that the general public would actually notice and take part in. I know that sounds kind of bad but i really don't have any other topic that i can think of.... Kinda lost and the first 2 pages are due on Wednesday :(

Exactly how are you defining "nanotechnology?" If you do some research, I think you might find that to be a problem. Some consider nanotech to be anything that is submicron in size. Others say is has to have a dimension on the order of 1-100nm. And still others say that is has to have some dimension on the nanometer scale and exhibit properties not found at a larger scale.
 

galois427

Senior member
Feb 17, 2004
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Today's transistors based on MOSFETS are close to the end of its life. As we scaled down to less than 10nm, many physical barriers prevent us from using existing transistor technology. Nanotubes is one solution that is being researched that will allow Moore's Law to be maintained. It uses nanotubes for the transistor channel and and if it proves successful, it would revolutionize the semiconductor industry.
 

NanoStuff

Banned
Mar 23, 2006
2,981
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Nanotubes are for the weak spirited. Graphene is the monkey's banana. Ridiculous heat conductivity and ONE ATOM THICK!

I personally am going to wait for my string-transistor computer the size of a proton. The power button is going to be hard to push.
 

galois427

Senior member
Feb 17, 2004
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At 1 atom think, there is a high probability of tunneling, which means you're gonna have a lot of leakage current. Its possible but very hard to design functional devices that can overcome this large leakage.
 

PolymerTim

Senior member
Apr 29, 2002
383
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Originally posted by: galois427
At 1 atom think, there is a high probability of tunneling, which means you're gonna have a lot of leakage current. Its possible but very hard to design functional devices that can overcome this large leakage.

I guess the question is whether or not it will be harder than getting nanotubes to form transistors. I don't know the answer to that question, but I am a little familiar with nanotubes and they are not so easy to work with using the current technology.
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
12
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Originally posted by: galois427
At 1 atom think, there is a high probability of tunneling, which means you're gonna have a lot of leakage current. Its possible but very hard to design functional devices that can overcome this large leakage.

You don't use the graphene as your insulating layer... You can put a thick insulator on top to shield your gate from conducting.
 

NanoStuff

Banned
Mar 23, 2006
2,981
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Originally posted by: galois427
At 1 atom think, there is a high probability of tunneling,

No tunneling if there's nothing around it to tunnel into. I didn't say the transistors are going to be one atom in size, just one atom thick. Obviously their dimensions are still going to be large enough to prevent such a thing.