Nanotechnology involves man-made materials and structures that exploit quantum-mechanical effects in matter and result in new macroscopic material properties. Recent surge of developments in nanotechnology has shown that to play broadly in this field one needs to be an experts in combining a variety of scientific fields, primarily, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Microbiology and ultimately medicine are going to be very important. A good example of such a broad field is the semiconductor industry where nanotechnology has been exploited for decades: Semiconductor lasers and transistors were among the first commercial exploitations of nanotechnology (they use structures that vary in size from 1 nm to 100 nm). The more-recent appearance of quantum wires and quantum dots are a result of a natural progress in our ability to create, analyze, and make useful structures.

A few pointers for discussion:

  • What are the weaknesses and strengths of NanoTech research in Croatia? Weakness: We’re late in this development. There has been a tremendous amount of work already done and consequently the low-laying fruit has been picked. There will be high cost in acquiring a broad knowhow and building up the infrastructure for making and analyzing nano-materials. Strengths: We have advantages in several niche fields. For example, medical instrumentation applications, hardware (sensors) based on nano-materials (and interfaces to sensors), software for analysis/modeling/instrument control of sensors and instrumentation and new nano-material and/or application to be found.
  • What are the needs and possibilities? Critical needs are the acquisition of knowhow in creating materials and analyzing them, and building up the infrastructure for research, manufacturing, and analysis of nano-materials.
  • What are the challenges of a future industry in nanotechnology? Safety of nanomaterials and faster path from an idea to product. The safety of nanomaterials has not been established. There seems to be a generally accepted impression that if some substance is safe in its molecular form that it will also be safe in it nano-particle form, but this is not generally true. Some of these new materials are showing signs of posing serious hazards to human health and the environment, including the same kind of threat resulting from exposure to asbestos (particles with size >700 nm).
  • How will we direct resources efficiently? Clear definition of application, focus on fewer topics that have immediate needs.
  • What needs to be done to maintain the development and manufacturing? Domestic market. Government/EU funding for initial thrust and infrastructure.
  • Are there any “nanotechnology materials” of the future? Very likely. Good research and ideas are needed. The big topics that are capturing the interest of an increasing number of research institutions: clean water, food and human health.

 

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