What are Nano Materials?

Author : Md. Mahfuzur Rahman Redwan Date published : Nov. 13, 2024, 1:49 a.m. Read time : 8 mins

Introduction:

Nowadays, Nanomaterials or Nanotechnology is gaining a lot of interest from industry to research and it’s new applications in different fields such as medicine, electronics, or agriculture make it easy. Research on nanomaterials is used to improve in material technology and synthesis gained the support. But What nanomaterials Actually are?

Our Todays Topic is all about Nano Materials. So lets explore what nano Materials Actually is. And why Nano Materials are so intensely studied by scientists. Here we try to explained about nanomaterial. In this blog post, we'll try to dive into nanomaterials, by exploring their properties, applications, advantage, disadvantage and many thing.

Nanomaterials are chemical substances or materials with a unit size between 1 and 100 nanometers (nm). Nanomaterials have emerged as an exciting class of materials that are in high demand for a range of practical applications. They have unique properties that make them advantageous over traditional materials. A nanometer is one millionth of a millimeter - about 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a single hair.

Properties:

Nanomaterials have unique properties, such as Physical, chemical, biological, optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties, that differ from bulk materials. Some major properties are here for discuss.

Physical Properties:

Nanomaterials have a much greater surface area to volume ratio than their conventional forms. And then at nanoscale, quantum effects become more pronounced, leading to changes in optical, electrical, and magnetic properties. For example, quantum dots can emit light of different colors depending on their size.

Chemical Properties:

The large surface area of nanomaterials makes them highly reactive, leading to increased catalytic activity and chemical reactivity. Also The small size of nanomaterials allows for faster diffusion of atoms and molecules, leading to improved reaction kinetics.

Optical Properties:

Nanomaterials can exhibit unique optical properties such as tunable light absorption and emission. Some nanomaterials exhibit nonlinear optical properties, which can be used for optical switching and data storage. Also most of the Metal nanoparticles can exhibit surface plasmon resonance, leading to intense light scattering and absorption, which can be used for sensing and imaging applications.

Thermal Conductivity:

Nanomaterials can have high thermal conductivity, making them useful for thermal management applications. because they have a large surface area and so heat transfers occur directly on the surface of the material.

Magnetic Properties:

Some nanomaterials exhibit unique magnetic properties, such as superparamagnetism used for applications in the medical and environmental fields. In most cases, the magnetic nanoparticles range from 1 to 100 nm in size and can display superparamagnetism.

Electrical Conductivity:

Nanomaterials can have high electrical conductivity due to the few defects in their crystals. Also Nanomaterials have distinct dielectric properties compared to bulk materials due to their size, surface effects, and quantum confinement.

These emergent properties have the potential for great impacts in electronics, medicine, and other fields.

Occurs:

Nanomaterials can occur naturally, be created as the by-products of combustion reactions, or be produced purposefully through engineering to perform a specialized function. These materials can have different physical and chemical properties to their bulk-form counterparts.
Scientists, however, are particularly interested in engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), which are designed for use in many commercial materials, devices and structures. Engineered nanomaterials are resources designed at the molecular (nanometre) level to take advantage of their small size and novel properties which are generally not seen in their conventional, bulk counterparts.

It is important to differentiate nano materials according to their origin for the purpose of this review. In this sense, three different groups can be established,

Accidentally formed nanomaterials
Artificially produced nanomaterials
Naturally produced nanomaterials

Uses:

The use of nanomaterials is prevalent in a wide range of industries and consumer products. from healthcare and cosmetics to Military environmental preservation and air purification. Here are some of the key uses of nanomaterials:

Energy Field:

Nanomaterials are used to improve the energy density and charging speed of batteries. It also catalysts to improve the efficiency of fuel cells. Nanomaterials are used to develop new materials for energy storage, such as supercapacitors

The Healthcare field:

In Aerospace Field:

Nanomaterials can be used to create lightweight and strong materials for aircraft and spacecraft. It also can be used to improve the thermal management of aerospace components

Auto Mobile Field:

Nanomaterials can be used to create lightweight and strong materials for automotive components, improving fuel efficiency. It can be used to create durable and scratch-resistant paint coatings for vehicles.

Sports:

The sports industry has been producing baseball bats that have been made with carbon nanotubes, making the bats lighter therefore improving their performance. Also carbon nanotubes allow enhancing equipment and tools by improving resistance and flexibility, granting and enduring a more effective product.

Military:

Nanomaterials have also been developed for use in the military. One example is the use of mobile pigment nanoparticles being used to produce a better form of camouflage, through injection of the particles into the material of soldiers’ uniforms. Additionally, the military have developed sensor systems using nanomaterials, such as titanium dioxide, that can detect biological agents.

Environment:

Environmental preservation processes make use of nanomaterials too - in this case, nanowires. Applications are being developed to use the nanowires (zinc oxide nanowires) in flexible solar cells as well as to play a role in the treatment of polluted water.

Agriculture:

Now a days, agriculture nanotechnology has focused on research and application to resolve agriculture and environmental issues sustainability, crop improvement, and enhanced productivity.

Nanotechnology also use to improve quality of soil and fertilizer distribution. Nanomaterials and nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, and quantum dots are now exploited in agriculture research as biosensors for evaluating the quality of soil and fertilizer distribution. Also Nanotechnology makes the absorption of nanostructured or nanomaterials for fertilizer transport or limited release routes to construct smooth fertilizer as new opportunities to modify nutrient usage efficacy and reduce charges for environmental safety.

Examples:

Here are some common examples of nanomaterials: Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), Graphene: Quantum Dots (QDs),Nanoparticles (NPs),Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles (TiO₂),Silver Nanoparticles (Ag NPs), Nanocellulose, Nanoclays, Fullerenes (Buckyballs and Bucky Tubes),Nanowires, Nanocomposites, Metal Oxide Nanoparticles, Gold Nanoparticles (Au NPs),Polymeric Nanomaterials and so on.

Advantage:

We already discuss about materials at the nano scale can have different properties are increased relative surface area and new quantum effects. Because Nanomaterials have a much greater surface area to volume ratio than their conventional forms, which can lead to greater chemical reactivity and affect their strength. Also at the nano scale, quantum effects can become much more important in determining the materials properties and characteristics, leading to novel optical, electrical and magnetic behaviors. And Its thermal, magnetic, optical or electrical properties makes it more useful and give advantage in various ways.
So at the end we can say, the all usage and the examples and also its unique properties make it

Disadvantage:

From the discussion till now, we hardly believe that nano materials is that thing we needed in every moment every sector for the future better technology or something else. But Nano Materials are only made advantage for human or nature its not true. Nanotechnologies involve both benefits and risks. There are some major disadvantage also. So Let’s discuss about some disadvantage of Nano Materials:
In the environment this might be a massive menace to the environment. Nanomaterials can accumulate in soil, affecting ecosystems.
And the Dangerous part is that the long-term environmental impact of nanomaterials is still largely unknown for us. And one of most Important, The High cost of Nanomaterials. Production costs can be high. Research and development of nanomaterials is often expensive. Exposure to nano materials raises concerns about potential health risks due to their small size and unique properties. Inhalation of nano particles and direct contact with nano materials can pose risks to human health, including respiratory problems, inflammation, and potential toxicity. Ensuring safe handling and regulation of nano materials is crucial to protect public health.

Potential Toxicity of Nano Materials:

Some nano materials have the potential to exhibit toxicity due to their small size and increased reactivity. They may interact with biological systems, causing oxidative stress, DNA damage, and other harmful effects. Understanding the toxicity of nano materials is crucial for assessing risks and implementing safety guidelines to protect human health.