A Fundamental Review of the Relationships between Nanotechnology and Lignocellulosic Biomass - The Nanoscience and Technology of Renewable Biomaterials - page 8

As we move forward, it is vitally important to use common nomenclature and defini-
tions with respect to nanotechnology (American Society for Testing and Materials 2006).
The following are the definitions generally used within the nanotechnology community:

• Nanoparticles - a particle with one or more dimensions at the nanoscale;
• Nanoscale - having one or more dimensions of the order of 100 nm or less;
• Nanoscience - the study of phenomena and manipulation of materials at atomic,
molecular and macromolecular scales, where properties differ significantly from those
at a larger scale;
• Nanotechnology - the design, characterization, production and application of struc-
tures, devices and systems by controlling shape and size at the nanoscale;
• Nanostructured - having a structure at the nanoscale;
• Engineered nanoparticles - nanoparticles manufactured to have specific properties or
a specific composition;
• Nanofiber - nanoparticles with two dimensions at the nanoscale and an aspect ratio
of greater than 3:1;
• Quantum dot - a nanoscale particle that exhibits size-dependent electronic and optical
properties due to quantum confinement;
• Nanocomposites - composites in which at least one of the phases has at least one
dimension on the nanoscale;
• Nanophase - discrete phase, within a material, which is at the nanoscale;
• Bottom-up processing/manufacturing - additive processing/manufacturing to create
nanostructures from atoms and molecules;
• Nanowire - a wire with diameter of the order of nanometers. Alternatively, nanowires
can be defined as structures that have lateral size constrained to tens of nanometers
or less and an unconstrained longitudinal size. At these scales, quantum mechanical
effects are important - hence such wires are also known as quantum wires. Many dif-
ferent types of nanowires exist, including metallic (e.g. Ni, Pt, Au), semi-conducting
(e.g. Si, InP, GaN) and insulating (e.g. SiO 2 ,TiO 2 ). Molecular nanowires are com-
posed of repeating molecular units either organic (e.g. DNA) or inorganic (e.g. Mo 6
S 9 - x I x ). Nanowires can be coiled and stretched to reach full length.
• Nanoribbon - a nanoribbon has a flat profile rather than the cylindrical profile of a
nanowire. The thickness is generally of the order of tens of nanometers or less,
while the width can be of the order of 10 to 100 nanometers and it has unconstrained
longitudinal size. Like a nanowire, nanoribbons may be coiled and stretched to reach
full length.

1.5 Nanotechnology-enabled Product Possibilities

By exploiting the full potential of lignocellulosic materials at the nanoscale, nanotech-
nology can provide benefits that extend well beyond fiber production and new materials
development into the areas of energy production, storage, and utilization. For example,
nanotechnology may provide new approaches for obtaining and utilizing energy from
sunlight - based on the operation of the plant cell. Novel new ways to produce energy
and other innovative products and processes from this renewable resource base will help