Difference Between Nanoscience And Nanotechnology
Nanoscience
❖The word Nanoscience refers to the study, manipulation and engineering of matter, particles and structures on the
nanometer scale (one millionth of a millimeter, the scale of atoms and molecules). Important properties of materials, such as
the electrical, optical, thermal and mechanical properties, are determined by the way molecules and atoms assemble on the
nanoscale into larger structures.
Nanotechnology
❖Nanotechnology is the application of nanoscience leading to the use of new nanomaterials and nanosize components in
useful products. Nanotechnology will eventually provide us with the ability to design custom-made materials and products with
new enhanced properties, new nanoelectronics components, new types of “smart” medicines and sensors, and even interfaces
between electronics and biological system
Types of Microscopes Used To View Nanomaterials
❖Microscopy techniques have been around for many decades and are always improving. The field itself has had to improve
because the samples being analyzed have been getting smaller and smaller, especially since nanomaterials have emerged into
many areas of science.
Optical Microscopy
❖Optical microscopes are known as light microscopes. These microscopes use light to illuminate a sample and vary in
complexity depending on the type. Optical microscopes are ideal for observing samples that you can see with the naked eye but
in more detail as well as micron-sized materials.
Electron Microscopy
❖Electron microscopy (EM) is a tool that enables biologists to capture photos of their samples at a greater and better
resolution, than with a light microscope. Also, the technique is used for obtaining high-resolution images of non-biological
specimens, too.
❖German engineers Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska first developed the electron microscope in the 1930s. The microscope utilizes a
beam of electrons to illuminate a specimen and produce high precision and a magnified image. These microscopes produce
greater and better resolution photos than conventional microscopes. Electron microscopy (EM) encompasses a number of
techniques, but the most notable are scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
❖SEM is designed to directly study the surfaces of solid objects with a beam of focused electrons. In SEM, the electrons are
backscattered due to surface interactions, and the interactions produce secondary electrons which are also backscattered. Both
types of electrons are detected and are used to build an image.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
❖TEM is used to view thin specimens such as molecules and tissue sections. In TEM, the electrons don’t scatter, rather, they
pass through the material (like optical microscopy) and are detected. Some electrons are scattered in TEM, and these electrons
can be analyzed by using reflection electron microscopy (REM)—but this mode isn’t as widely used.
Distinct Features of Nanoscale
❖Nanosized particles exhibit different properties than larger particles of the same substance. The study phenomena at this
scale results to learn more about the nature of matter, develop new theories, discover new questions and answers in many
areas, including health care, energy, and technology
Properties of a Material
❖A property describes how a material acts under certain conditions. Properties are usually measured by looking at large
(~10^23) aggregations of atoms or molecules.
Types of properties
Optical Property (e.g. color, transparency)
Example: GOLD, Bulk gold appears yellow in color but nanosized gold appears red in color. The particles are so small that
electrons are not free to move about as in bulk gold.
Example: Zinc Oxide (ZnO) (particles typically found in sunscreen), Large ZnO particles can block UV light, scatter visible light
and appear white. While Nanosized ZnO particles can also block UV light, but so small compared to the wavelength of visible
light that they don’t scatter it and appear clear.
Electrical Property (e.g. conductivity)
Example: Conductivity of Nanotubes, Nanotubes are long, thin cylinders of carbon. They are 100 times stronger than steel, very
flexible, and have unique electrical properties. Their electrical properties change with diameter, “twist”, and number of walls.
They can be either conducting or semi-conducting in their electrical behaviour