Hii I'm Carbon...

Hii... My name is Carbon. I am an element usually referred as an Atom. Now you might get a doubt that why Am I telling about myself right? Let me first tell me about myself and later I'll come to your point. My atomic number is six. Like everyone, I too have few physical properties. My weight is approximately 12 amu. I am a non-metal and tetra valent element. Like a classroom for students we, elements do have periodic table. Here, rows are called periods and columns are known as groups. I belong to Group VI(Group 14) in the periodic table. Okay, today I am here to give you the information about nanotechnology which is directly or indirectly emerged from me. After knowing about this technology, feel free to ask any doubts in the comment section below.

What's in a name

The word nanotechnology describes the devlopment of devices on the scale of atoms. The word nano means one-billionth. So there are one billion nanometres in one metre(3 feet). Nanotechnology is the study of devices that are billionths of a metre in size. Scientists hope to use this new technology to produce some amazing inventions, from nanorobots used in surgery to nanomaterials that could take people to the Moon.

One idea that's out of this world is to use carbon nanotubes to build a space elevator that could transport people on Earth to the Moon. Scientists have already made machine parts on the scale of micrometres which is referred as MICRO-MECHANICS.

Nanotechnology in action

• Scientists have already made tiny electric motors, gears, and springs that are just a few hundred nanometres across. In future, they hope to connect these miniature parts to make nanomachines and nanorobots. These devices could be used to help surgeons repair the human body from the inside or they could circulate in our blood and attack harmful germs.

• While the future uses of nanotechnology may lie with hi-tech industries such as electronics and robotics, this emerging technology has already founded uses in many everyday item, ranging from clothing and paints to cosmetics and health-care products.

• Scientists are using microrobotic ants to study the behaviour of real ants. Nanotechnology helps in the maufacture of the tiny electronic circuits that control the movement of the robots.

• Robot fly is similar in size to a real fly, but the electronic components inside the robot fly are nanometres across.

• Nanoparticles in sunsreen ensure even coverage and do not leave white marks on the skin.

• A Water-repellent fabric is covered with a layer of nano-particles. The water form a near-perfect sphere as it touches the waterproof layer and rolls away from the fabric. The droplets collect dirt as they roll over the surface and so they clean the fabric, too.

Scientists are looking at the possibility of using strong nanomaterials to build very tall skyscrapers, Carbon nanotubes are one possibility. The carbon atoms in these tiny tubes form hexagon shaps, making them extremely stong and lighweight. Engineers could use the carbon nanotubes as the supporting structures for the skyscrapers.

NANOFACTS

• By weight, carbon nanotubes are more expensive than diamont or gold.

• In the future, nanotechnology may be used to assemble individual molecules into the parts for electronic devices such as laptops and mobile phones.

• Other electronic devices using nanosized parts include flexible digital screens and sensors that may etect chemicals in the air.

• Scientists hope to build nanosensors to weigh molecules as small ans as light as a strand of deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA).

• Nanotechnology is being used to make 'smart drugs' that target individual cancer cells and kill specific germs.