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What is nanotechnology?
In nanotechnology, matter made up of extremely small particles with unique properties is applied in a useful way.
"Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications."
Size: materials or features that have at least one dimension in the range of 1-100 nm –2. a human hair is approximately 50,000 nm thick, the HIV virus is 90nm long and a DNA helix has a diameter of around 2nm.
Unique phenomena: Ordinary materials, like gold or carbon, often show novel properties when reduced to the nanoscale. For instance, 12 nm gold particles do not have the typical gold colour but are red. Other novel properties include higher strength, electrical conductivity and increased reactivity.
Application: We talk about nanotechnology when the unique phenomena can be used in something useful, such as stronger and lighter composites, more sensitive sensors or faster electronics.