More specifically, nanotechnology is the imaging, modeling, measuring, design, characterization, production, and application of structures, devices, and systems by controlled manipulation of size and shape at the nanometer scale (atomic, molecular, and macromolecular scale) that produces structures, devices, and systems with at least one novel/superior characteristic or property.

A defining moment came in 2012, when Professors Henry Snaith at the University of Oxford and Michael Graetzel at the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, building on the work of Tsotomu Mayasaka from Tokyo, found that solar cells with perovskite as the active component could be made with greater than 10% power conversion efficiencies for turning the sun’s rays into electrical energy.

Nanofiltration is a type of membrane filtration process that is used to separate molecules based on size. It is one of the four membrane technologies that utilize pressure to effect separation of contaminants from water streams but it is more selective in the types of molecules it can filter out.

A nanobot, also known as a nanorobot, is a term used to describe a molecule that has the capability to be programmed to perform a specific task. The field of nanorobotics involves the creation, production, programming, and control of robots that operate at the nanoscale.

One of the most fascinating aspects of nanotechnology is the incredibly small scale at which nanoengineering and nanofabrication take place. Consider this example: The first working transistor, built by Bell Labs John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley in 1947, measured roughly 1 centimeter across.

Electrospinning: The most widely used method for producing nanofibers, electrospinning uses an electric field to draw charged threads of polymer solutions or melts into fine fibers. This method offers versatility in controlling fiber diameter, orientation, and composition. Forcespinning: A newer technique that utilizes centrifugal force to draw fibers from polymer melts or solutions, offering ...

Definition: Nanoscale refers to dimensions and tolerances in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, a scale so small that it encompasses the atomic and molecular levels. At this scale, materials exhibit unique physical, chemical, and biological properties that differ significantly from those seen in bulk materials.

Semiconducting Nanowires: These include silicon, germanium, and compound semiconductors like gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP), which are extensively used in electronics and optoelectronics for their superior charge carrier mobility and direct bandgap properties. Metallic Nanowires: Made from metals such as gold, silver, and copper, metallic nanowires are valued for their ...

PENGs use piezoelectric materials, such as zinc oxide nanowires, lead zirconate titanate, or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films. When these materials experience mechanical stress or pressure, their crystal structure changes, leading to a charge separation and, thus, an electric charge generation.

Smart dust refers to wireless networks of sub-millimeter-scale autonomous computing and sensing platforms not larger than a grain of sand. Smart dust senses and records data about its environment such as light, temperature, sound, presence of toxins or vibrations, and transmits that data wirelessly to larger computer systems