What is Nanotechnology?

At its core, nanotechnology is the manipulation of materials at the molecular level.  What makes it different from “standard” chemistry is the fact that nanotechnology can be used to induce effects and properties in materials that are often markedly different and vastly superior.  As a result, steel can be made stronger, semiconductors can be packed with more performance with less heat and power consumption, batteries can be made to last longer, medical devices can be more effective, glass can be made to be non-streaking and nearly “self cleaning”, and fabrics can be made impervious to stains.  The applications for nanotechnology are nearly endless. 

Nanotechnology holds the promise of being one of the truly transformational technologies for the United Stales in this century.  Testament to that is the fact that the White House Office of Science and Technology has made it one of the top 3 technologies in near-term research and committed $1 billion in annual research funding to it.  Nanotechnology will likely be less susceptible to low-wage offshore competition than other technologies, making it very attractive for U.S. investment.  Despite this, the opportunities in nanotechnology are not lost on Europe and Asia, as their research spending levels in nanotechnology, by nearly any objective measure, rival, and in some cases, surpass U.S. levels.  As a result, it is expected that U.S. interest in and research levels in nanotechnology will remain high for the foreseeable future. 

Learn Nano

The Nano Network and Northeast Ohio offer an abundance of opportunities to learn about the value of nanotechnology.   Our website maintains a list of local and regional conferences on the Events page, and our regular meetings always feature a strong, well-known speaker knowledable on various nanotechnology topics and issues.   

Don't miss your opportunity to learn more about nanotechnology during Nano Week 2006. Register to attend "Nanotechnology: A Beginner's Guide" so you can learn the basics about nanotechnology-what it is and why it's important to your daily life.