Author(s) : Unknown

This title demystifies the topic for investors, business executives, and anyone interested in how molecule-sized machines and processes can transform our lives. Along with dispelling common myths, it covers nanotechnology's origins, how it will affect various industries, and the limitations it can overcome. This handy book also presents numerous applications such as scratch-proof glass, corrosion resistant paints, stain-free clothing, glare-reducing eyeglass coatings, drug delivery systems, medical diagnostic tools, burn and wound dressings, sugar-cube-sized computers, mini-portable power generators, even longer-lasting tennis balls, and more. Nanotechnology is the science of matter at the scale of one-billionth of a meter or 1/75,000th the size of a human hair Written in the accessible, humorous For Dummies style, this book demystifies nanotechnology for investors, business people, and anyone else interested in how molecule-sized machines and processes will soon transform our lives Investment in nanotechnology is exploding, with $3.7 billion in nanotechnology R&D spending authorized by the U.S. government in 2003 and international investment reported at over $2 billion Nanotechnology For Dummies 5 About the Authors 7 Dedication 9 Authors’ Acknowledgments 11 Contents at a Glance 13 Table of Contents 15 Introduction 21 Why Buy This Book? 21 Why Nanotechnology? 22 Foolish Assumptions 22 How This Book Is Organized 23 Icons Used in This Book 24 Going Online 25 Part I: Getting Small with Nanotechnology 27 Chapter 1: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Nanotechnology 29 Grasping the Essence of Nanotechnology 29 Getting a (Small) Piece of Nanotechnology for Yourself 41 Chapter 2: Nano in Your Life 49 Going from Lab to Factory to Home 49 Jumping Over the Hurdles 53 Looking at Ethics and Society 54 Chapter 3: Gathering the Tools of the Trade 59 That Bit of Chemistry and Physics You Just Have to Know 59 Picking Apart Objects with Spectroscopy 71 Seeing Molecules with Microscopy 73 Moving the World with Nanomanipulators 79 Part II: Building a Better World with Nanomaterials 83 Chapter 4: Nanomaterials Galore 85 It All Starts with Carbon 85 How Carbon-Based Things Relate to Nanotechnology 86 Bouncing Buckyballs 89 Buckyballs Grow Up to Become Nanotubes 93 Getting Wired with Nanowires 100 Chapter 5: Adding Strength with Composites 103 Compose This! 103 One Word: Plastics 104 Lightening the Load with Nanofibers 115 Raising the Bar with Smart Materials 124 Part III: “Smarter” Computers! Faster Internet! Cheaper Energy! 135 Chapter 6: Building a Better Digital Brain 137 Linking the Brain with the Computer 138 And Fast Is Good Because . . . ? 139 End of the Transistor Road 140 Does a Nano-Size Elephant Ever Forget? 156 Quantum Leaping (Oh, Boy . . . ) 171 Chapter 7: Routing Information at the Speed of Light 181 Manipulating Light with Crystals 182 Magic with Mirrors 193 Chapter 8: Nano-fying Electronics 203 Lighting Up Tomorrow 203 Sensing Your Environment 207 Mechanizing the Micro World 210 Chapter 9: Getting Energy and a Cleaner Environment with Nanotech 221 The Energy Challenge 221 Using Nanotechnology to Make Solar Cells Affordable 222 Making Hydrogen Fuel Cells 224 Using Nanotechnology to Energize Batteries 230 Using Nanotechnology to Reduce Energy Consumption 231 How Nanotechnology Can Help Our Environment 233 Part IV: Living Healthier Lives 239 Chapter 10: Diagnosing Personal Health Quickly, Easily, and Pain-Free 241 Lab-on-a-Chip 242 Super X-Ray Vision 259 Mapping Our Genes 262 Chapter 11: The Fantastic Voyage into Medical Applications 269 Understanding How Pharmaceutical Companies Develop Drugs 270 Delivering a New Drug the Nanotech Way 271 Cooking Cancer with Nanoshells 281 Biomimetics 288 Part V: Investing in Nanotech 299 Chapter 12: Industries Going Small 301 Semiconductor Types Are Completely into Nano 301 Mining the Medical Possibilities of Nanotechnology 303 Making Better Materials from Tires to Clothing 304 Making Nanotech Materials for Others 305 Designing for Small with Software 306 Testing Things 307 Technology That’s Changing Telecommunications 308 Fueling Energy with Nano 308 Making Up with Nanotechnology 309 Chapter 13: Countries Investing In a Nano Future 311 Showing Nano-Initiative, U. S. Government Style 311 Nano in the Lab 314 U. S. State and Regional Initiatives 316 Euro Nano 318 Jumping on the Bandwagon: Asia 320 Nano Is Going Over Big Time in Israel 322 Chapter 14: Nanotechnology Goes to School 325 Harvard . . . of course 325 Small as Rice 326 Small Things in the Big Apple: Columbia 327 “And Perhaps Cornell?” 327 Nano House on the Prairie: Northwestern University 329 Small Progress at Rennsselaer 330 Ben Gurion University and Nano 331 Made in Japan: University of Tokyo 331 California (Nano) Dreaming at Berkeley 332 Educating Yourself in Nano 332 And a Whole Bunch More . . . 334 Part VI: The Part of Tens 337 Chapter 15: Ten (or So) Nanotech Movers and Shakers 339 Richard Smalley 339 Charles Lieber 340 Hongjie Dai 340 James Heath 341 James Von Ehr II 341 George Whitesides 342 Paul Alivisatos 342 Angela Belcher 343 Visionaries: Richard Feynman and Eric Drexler 343 Nanoshells: Naomi Halas and Jennifer West 344 Molecular Logic: James Tour and Mark Reed 344 Investors: Steve Jurvetson and Josh Wolfe 345 Chapter 16: Further Reading on the Web and in Your Library 347 Web Sites 347 Magazines 350 Glossary 353 Index 363 From the Publisher: This title demystifies the topic for investors, business executives, and anyone interested in how molecule-sized machines and processes can transform our lives. Along with dispelling common myths, it covers nanotechnology's origins, how it will affect various industries, and the limitations it can overcome. This handy book also presents numerous applications such as scratch-proof glass, corrosion resistant paints, stain-free clothing, glare-reducing eyeglass coatings, drug delivery systems, medical diagnostic tools, burn and wound dressings, sugar-cube-sized computers, mini-portable power generators, even longer-lasting tennis balls, and more. Nanotechnology is the science of matter at the scale of one-billionth of a meter or 1/75,000th the size of a human hair. Written in the accessible, humorous For Dummies style, this book demystifies nanotechnology for investors, business people, and anyone else interested in how molecule-sized machines and processes will soon transform our lives. Investment in nanotechnology is exploding, with $3.7 billion in nanotechnology R & D spending authorized by the U.S. government in 2003 and international investment reported at over $2 billion