WEEK 8: Nano-art
In the lecture material this week we discussed nanoparticles and nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is part of everyday lives but very few people know about it. The reason for this is because of its microscopic behavior. If people can’t see something then they don't pay much attention to it. Nanotechnology can be found in sweat-wicking socks, high SPF sunscreen, cell phones, scratch-resistant sunglasses, airplanes and wrinkle-free shirts.
Nanotechnology is a branch of technology that deals with dimensions and tolerances of less than 100 nanometers, especially the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules. A nanoparticle is very small and behaves like a whole unit when it comes to its transport and properties. One nanometer is 10 to the negative 9th meters. This makes it 8 times smaller than a water molecule and completely invisible to the human eye. Nanotechnology tries to create nanostructures that mimic naturally occurring ones to create useful functions (self-cleaning leaves using hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, self-assembly of DNA). Technology like the Scanning Tunneling Microscope, created in 1981 by Heinrich Rohrer and Gerd Binnig allows scientists to map out the topography of nanoparticles. This allows scientists to further understand their composition.
Something I found really interesting was when Professor Vesna states that the quiz properties of the nanoparticles actually have the ability to turn opaque objects transparent. She also states that they can make stable particles combustible as well as turn insulators into conductors. As well as products in our everyday lives nanotechnology can also be found in medical areas as well. This can be seen through the development of new cancer therapies that will deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to cancer cells. Nanotechnology is leading to innovations in many different fields including artistic expression. Nanoart utilizes scanning tunneling microscopes to make nanolandscapes. These are able to be photographed and blown up to be viewed by a larger audience.
Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May. 2012. <http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm>
Miller, Jonah. "Unreal Truths: Matter Waves and the Bohr Model of the Atom." The Physics Mill. The Physics Mill, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 May. 2016. <http://www.thephysicsmill.com/2012/12/24/unreal-truths-the-bohr-model-of-the-atom/>.
"Paul Weiss (nanoscientist)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 May 2016. Web. 22 May 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Weiss_(nanoscientist)>.
Uconlineprogram. "5 Bioart Pt1 1280x720." YouTube. YouTube, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 20 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaThVnA1kyg>
Uconlineprogram. "Nanotech Jim Pt4." YouTube. YouTube, 21 May 2012. Web. 19 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHCuZetAIhk>.
Uconlineprogram. "Nanotech Jim Pt6." YouTube. YouTube, 21 May 2012. Web. 19 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKlViSKkPd0>
Myna, I like that you point out nanotechnology that is already present in our lives, and that it is in places we didn't know it was. Do you believe that, as consumers, we should be notified if nanoparticles are in our clothing, food, sunscreen, makeups, etc.? Dr. Gemzewski talked about how GMOs were treated similarly but now they are required by law to be transparent about whether a food has been modified.
ReplyDeleteMyna,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the introduction in your blog post. I think you made an interesting point when discussing that humans so easily disregard, or even simply don't notice, the small things in life and the dramatic impact it has on our daily lives. Frankly, without any of the nanoparticles that you mentioned, our society would not be where it is today -- every single material in this world is created through the small (unseen) particles that create our necessary items. Nice job!