Nanotechnology: Categories, Applications, Initiatives & More | UPSC Notes

Nanotechnology is the science and engineering involved in the design, fabrication, and application of materials whose structures are on the nanoscale-that is, between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers. It has enormous potential in many fields of endeavor. In this size regime, many physical and chemical properties of materials can be improved or become different from their bulk material properties, including strength, weight, reactivity, conductivity, among others. Nanotechnology has several applications in medicine, which include targeted drug delivery systems, early disease diagnosis, and management of new therapies. In the electronic field, this allows the development of devices that are smaller, faster, and more powerful. 

Nanotechnology UPSC Notes is one of the most important topics for UPSC IAS Examination. In this article on Nanotechnology Notes UPSC, we shall discuss Nanotechnology definition, features, types, applications, risks associated, and measures undertaken by the Government in this regard. This will be very useful for aspirants in the UPSC Prelims Exam.

What is Nanotechnology?

When materials are transformed at the atomic and molecular levels, they have certain unique and beneficial features. This technique is known as nanotechnology because the dimensions of atoms and molecules are measured in nanometres. Nanomaterials are the resulting materials.

Nanotechnology is the study of physical phenomena and the development of novel gadgets and material structures in the physical size range of 1 to 100 nanometres (nm), where one nanometre equals one billionth of a metre. Materials and manufacturing, electronics, computers, telecommunications and information technologies, medicine and health, the environment and energy storage, chemical and biological technologies, and agriculture are all influenced by nanotechnology.

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Categories of Nanotechnology

The many types of nanotechnology are divided into two categories based on how they work (top-down or bottom-up) and the medium in which they work:

Descending (top-down)

At the nanometric scale, which ranges from one to 100 nanometres in size, mechanisms and structures are miniaturized. It is the most common to date, particularly in the electronics industry.

Ascending (bottom-up)

It starts with a nanometric structure — a molecule, for example — and builds a larger mechanism by a mounting or self-assembly process. Dry nanotechnology is utilised to create structures in coal, silicon, inorganic materials, metals, and semiconductors that don’t require moisture to function. Wet nanotechnology is based on biological systems found in water, such as genetic material, membranes, enzymes, and other cellular components.

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Applications of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a new and rapidly developing field that affects practically every aspect of the economy. Nanotechnology research has moved to a variety of disciplines, including health, food, computing, textiles, energy, transportation, space, and agriculture.

Health Sector

Nanotechnology has a wide range of applications in the medical field.

• Nanomaterials have use both within and outside the human body.
• As a result of the combination of nanomaterials with biology, diagnostic gadgets, analytical instruments, drug delivery vehicles, and physical therapy applications have been developed.
• This technology has enabled the delivery of medications to specific cells, resulting in increased efficiency and fewer side effects.
• Nanomaterials have also opened up the possibility of healing damaged tissues by allowing cells to be manufactured artificially.
• Because it can detect and name specific chemicals, structures, or bacteria, this technique has become a significant diagnostic tool.

Food Industry

Nanotechnology has the potential to produce food that is safer and of higher quality, with improved texture and flavor.

• The presence of E. coli can be detected using a contamination sensor that uses a flash of light.
• Antimicrobial packaging composed of cinnamon or oregano oil, as well as zinc, calcium, and other nanoparticles, can destroy bacteria.
• The oxygen-sensitive food can be kept fresh using the nano-enhanced barrier.
• Vitamins, antioxidants, healthful omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients can be improved by nanoencapsulation.
• Antimicrobial packaging constructed from lobster shells or organic maize is possible, and it is biodegradable.
• Nanobarcodes are used to track epidemics and tag specific products.

Electronic components

Nanoscale computers are already in use. The capacity of electrical components has been substantially boosted because of nanotechnology. Transistors in integrated circuits are being shrunk in size. Improving the appearance of electronic device display displays Electronic devices’ power usage, weight, and thickness are all being reduced.

Energy-efficient solutions

This invention has the potential to increase the efficiency of existing solar panels. It may also make solar panel production more cost-effective and efficient. It has the potential to increase the efficiency of fuel generation and petroleum material use. Many batteries that are less flammable, efficient, faster charging, lightweight, and have a better power density are already using it. In general, it has the ability to make existing technologies more efficient while consuming less energy.

Textile manufacturing

Nanotechnology has already revolutionized the textile business, with a commercial impact estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Nanoscience has now manufactured wrinkle- and stain-resistant fabrics, and it may be able to improve on previous achievements.

Environment conservation

Nanotechnology has a wide range of environmentally favorable uses.

• It has the potential to help with the existing pollution problem.
• It can supply clean, inexpensive drinking water by quickly detecting pollutants and purifying the water.
• Nanotechnology has the potential to eliminate industrial water pollutants from groundwater through chemical reactions at a lower cost than conventional approaches, which need groundwater pumping for treatment.
• Nanotechnology sensors and solutions have the capability of detecting, identifying, filtering, and neutralising dangerous chemical or biological substances in the air and soil.

Transport

Nanotechnology aids in the development of lighter, smarter, more efficient, and environmentally friendly automobiles, aircraft, and ships. It also allows for a variety of ways to improve transportation infrastructure, such as ensuring the highway and other infrastructure components’ resilience and lifespan.

Nanoscale sensors and gadgets can also be used to monitor the status and performance of bridges, trains, tunnels, and other structures at a low cost. They can also improve transportation infrastructure to help vehicles avoid accidents and traffic jams, as well as preserve lane position.

Space

Carbon nanotube-based materials can help spacecraft lose weight while maintaining or improving structural strength. They can also be utilized to produce the wires that the space elevator requires. Space elevators can cut the cost of delivering items to orbit by a large amount. The nanosensors can be used to track the chemicals in the spacecraft to see how well the life support system is working.

Agriculture

Herbicides, chemical fertilizers, and genes can all be effectively delivered to the desired region of the plant thanks to the nanocapsule. This ensures a steady and moderate delivery of the required material to the plants while reducing pollutants. Plant viruses and soil nutrient levels can also be detected using nanosensors. With the use of Nanotechnology in agriculture, the produce quality could potentially be monitored using nano-barcodes and nano-processing.

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Steps Taken by the Government to Promote Nanotechnology

Mission Nano

An umbrella initiative aimed at the general advancement of nanotechnology research and the utilisation of its applied potential for economic development.

• It aims to support basic research by providing financing to individuals or groups of scientists, as well as to establish centres of excellence for the advancement of skills and education in this sector.
• In this discipline, infrastructure development is critical, and it necessitates the purchase of expensive equipment such as Optical Tweezers, Nano Indenter, Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and so on. It has been proposed to construct a nationwide chain of shared facilities to make the best use of these expensive infrastructures and technologies.
• This mission has proposed technological advancements in this field.
• Promotion of research and development projects that are focused on solving real-world problems
• It also proposes the creation of Nanotechnology Business Incubators, as well as Nano Applications and Technology Development Centers.
• It also encourages the industrial sector to participate in nanotechnology research and development, either directly or through Public-Private-Partnerships.
• In order to promote multidisciplinary culture in this field, the Nano Mission also focuses on providing education and training in a variety of fields.
• Under this goal, international relationships allow for international visits by scientists and organisations, as well as cooperative workshops, conferences, and research initiatives with other countries.
• It also ensures access to top-tier research facilities in other nations and the creation of joint excellence centres. When necessary, it also forms international relationships between academia and industry.

Program for Nanotechnology

The Department of Information Technology is in charge of it. It was founded in 2004 and focuses on nanoelectronics. It is concentrating on developing institutional capacity and infrastructure for nanoelectronics research and development, as well as human resource development.

The following are some of the projects that have been implemented as part of this programme:

• IIT Bombay and IISc Banglore have developed a Nanoelectronics Center of Excellence. They’re working on organic and biopolymer devices, GaN devices, acoustic sensors, magnetic materials for LC resonators, ferroelectrics for FRAMs and phase shifters, and more.
• IIT Delhi has just launched a study to investigate non-silicon based nanotechnology. Nanogenetics, nanophotonics, nano photovoltaics, nanoelectronics, nanomechanics, biosensors, and mesoscale devices will be the key focus.

Nanotechnology necessitates the measurement of nanoscale dimensions, electrical characteristics, and so on. As a result, the National Laboratory has created and established standardizing facilities for electrical parameters such as nanvolt, nanoscale current, nanoscale resistance, and nanoscale charges.

Initiative on Nanoscience and Technology (NSTI)

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) established it in 2001 to focus on infrastructure development, research, and application programmes linked to nanomaterials, such as medicines, drug delivery, gene targeting, and DNA chips.

Nanotechnology and Science Mission (NSTM)

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NSTM) was established in 2007 with the goal of promoting nanotechnology research and development. Research promotion, infrastructure development to facilitate research, nanotechnology development, human resources, and international cooperation are among the goals.

Project Unnati

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched the UNNATI training programme (UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training by ISRO).

• UNNATI is a capacity-building programme for nanosatellite development.
• Participants from developing nations can improve their skills in nanosatellite building, integration, and testing through this programme.
• It’s an ISRO initiative commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Outer Space Exploration and Peaceful Uses (UNISPACE+50).
• The UNNATI programme is being run in three batches over three years by ISRO’s U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), with the intention of helping 90 officials from 45 countries.
• The programme involves both theoretical and hands-on teaching in nanosatellite definition, utility, regulations governing their impact on space debris, design drivers, reliability, and quality assurance, as well as nanosatellite assembly, integration, and testing.
• The first batch of this programme began on January 17, 2019, with 30 participants from 17 countries (Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Oman, Panama, and Portugal).

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Potential Effects of nanotechnology

Nanotechnology may constitute a threat to the environment, human health, and other safety concerns. Because this discipline is still in its infancy, the potential risks are debatable. The question of whether this technology requires particular government regulation is currently being contested.

• Regulatory agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency and the European Commission’s Health and Consumer Protection Directorate have begun to investigate the nanoparticles’ possible dangers.
• The organic food industry is the first to be regulated to prohibit the use of modified nanoparticles in organic crops. It has been implemented in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, as well as in all Demeter-certified foods.
• Nanomaterials are tiny enough to be easily absorbed by the human body. However, more research into how it would act inside an organism is required.
• Before putting nanoparticles in the market, their behaviour must be thoroughly investigated based on their size, shape, and surface reactivity.
• Chemical composition, shape, surface structure, surface charge, and other nanomaterials all have an impact on toxicity. It is difficult to generalize the health risk associated with nanomaterials due to the multiple variables that influence their toxicity. As a result, each new nanomaterial must be evaluated individually, with all material attributes taken into account.
• Nanopollution is a broad word that refers to the trash produced by nanodevices and nanomaterials throughout the manufacturing process. Because of their small size and diverse features and interactions, nano wastes may pose a threat. Because man-made nanoparticles are not naturally occurring, live organisms may be unable to cope with them.
• Nanotechnology’s impact on health, the environment, society, the economy, security, and trade has yet to be thoroughly examined. This is a threat in and of itself.

Key Takeaways for UPSC Aspirants Definition and scope: It involves the study of materials at the atomic, molecular, and macromolecular level in dimensions less than 100 nanometers. Application to Medicine: New areas of study include targeted drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and diagnostics (nanobiosensors). Industrial Application: The technology finds applications in industries related to electronic gadgets, material sciences, renewable energy, and even water purification. Research and Development: Give details on prevailing trends in R&D in India at IITs, CSIR laboratories, and NPL. Regulatory Framework: Appropriate regulations for addressing the health, safety, and environmental impacts. Global Trends: Highly contributory competitive landscape by countries such as the USA, Japan, and Germany. Mission Nanotechnology: Government initiatives to upgrade more innovative applications and commercialization, such as the "Nano Mission". Ethical Concerns: Ethical issues related to privacy due to nanosensors and other potential misuse in areas such as nanoweapons.

We hope that all your doubts regarding Nanotechnology will be cleared after going through this article. You can download the Testbook App now to check out various other topics relevant to the UPSC IAS Exam.