nanomaterials
Microscale engineered substances
Nanomaterials are materials engineered or structured at the nanoscale—roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where a nanometer is one billionth of a meter.
At this scale, materials often exhibit properties different from their bulk counterparts: altered strength, conductivity, or reactivity.
Carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and nanoparticles of silver or gold are common examples.
Nanomaterials appear in electronics, medicine, cosmetics, and coatings: The sunscreen contains titanium dioxide nanomaterials.
Billionth-meter dimension
- angstromSubatomic length unit
- molecularOf tiny particles
- atomicOf elemental particles
- submicroscopicToo small for optical viewing
quantum · ultrafine · dimensional · bottom-up · top-down · self-assembly · tunability · confinement
Harmlessness to living systems
- drug-deliveryAdministering medicine to body
- biosensorBiological chemical detection device
- hydrogelWater-swollen polymer structure
- biopolymerNaturally produced macromolecule
biodegradability · implant · antimicrobial · nanomedicine · self-assembly · encapsulation · biofilm · cytotoxicity
Combining parts into whole
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- lithographyGrease-based flat plate printing
- etchingAcid-incised metal print
- sputteringParticle ejection from surfaces
self-assembly · hydrothermal · sonication · plasma · template · reduction · precipitation · colloidal
Nanoscale carbon cylinder
- grapheneMonolayer carbon hexagonal lattice
- fullereneCage-shaped carbon allotrope
- nanowireNanoscale conductive filament
- nanofiberUltrathin synthetic strand
nanocage · core-shell · buckminsterfullerene · nanosphere · aerogel
Hybrid with nanometer-scale phase
- matrixOrdered numerical arrangement
- reinforcementAdding support or encouragement
- polymerLarge repeated-unit molecule
- epoxyCatalyst-cured bonding compound
resin · dispersion · filler · interface · agglomeration · percolation · thermoplastic · thermoset
nanoscale
Billionth-meter dimension
submicroscopic · quantum · ultrafine · dimensional · bottom-up · top-down · self-assembly · tunability · confinement · mesoscale
biocompatibility
Harmlessness to living systems
- drug-deliveryAdministering medicine to body
- biosensorBiological chemical detection device
- hydrogelWater-swollen polymer structure
biopolymer · biodegradability · implant · antimicrobial · nanomedicine · self-assembly · encapsulation · biofilm · cytotoxicity · diagnostics
synthesis
Combining parts into whole
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- lithographyGrease-based flat plate printing
- etchingAcid-incised metal print
sputtering · self-assembly · hydrothermal · sonication · plasma · template · reduction · precipitation · colloidal · annealing
nanotube
Nanoscale carbon cylinder
- grapheneMonolayer carbon hexagonal lattice
- fullereneCage-shaped carbon allotrope
- nanowireNanoscale conductive filament
nanofiber · nanocage · core-shell · buckminsterfullerene · nanosphere · aerogel
nanocomposite
Hybrid with nanometer-scale phase
- matrixOrdered numerical arrangement
- reinforcementAdding support or encouragement
- polymerLarge repeated-unit molecule
epoxy · resin · dispersion · filler · interface · agglomeration · percolation · thermoplastic · thermoset · intercalation
- materialsmetal, metals, wood, ceramic, fabric
- Food Regulationfood standards, food inspection, food safety, health codes, allergen labels
- lightweight materialslightweight, balsa, ultralight, featherweight, carbon fiber
- materials sciencealloys, metallurgy, metals, ceramics, polymers
- nanotechnologycarbon nanotube, nanobots, carbon nanotubes, nanorobots, nanotubes
- cosmetics regulationproduct safety, safety testing, cosmetic ingredients, ingredient labeling, product labeling