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Fig. 1.18 Structure of nanotechnological studies
(Fig.
1.18
). New concepts such as “nanochemistry,” “nanobiology,” and
“nanomedicine” came into existence. And, in fact, nanotechnology has acquired
the status of an interdisciplinary approach, with its main areas of application being
physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. One of the attempts to bring together
the basic tools of this approach and the specific systems to which it can be applied is
illustrated in Fig.
1.18
. However, due to significant differences in specific features
of different application areas, the notion of “nanotechnology” is undergoing
change. First of all it is manifested by the attempts to separate the technology and
research components of this concept. Thus, for example, in 2002 Koelling of the
Materials Science Division of the Argonne National Laboratory (USA) attempted
to clarify the content of these components. According to Koelling:
The nanoscale is not just another step towards miniaturization. It is a qualitatively new
scale where materials properties depend on size and shape, as well as composition, and
differ significantly from the same properties in the bulk. 'Nanoscience' seeks to understand
these new properties. 'Nanotechnology' seeks to develop materials and structures that
exhibit novel and significantly improved physical, chemical, and tribiological properties
and functions due to their nanoscale size. The goals of nanoscience and nanotechnology
are:
• To understand and predict the properties of materials at the nanoscale
• To “manufacture” nanoscale components from the bottom up
• To integrate nanoscale components into macroscopic scale objects and devices for
real-world uses
