Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Introduction to Nanotechnology: History, Status, and Importance of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Education

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Global Perspectives of Nanoscience and Engineering Education

Part of the book series: Science Policy Reports ((SCIPOLICY))

Abstract

Nanotechnology refers to technology done at nanoscale that has applications in the real world. Unique physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials can be exploited for applications that benefit society. Nanotechnology represents a “megatrend” and has become a “general purpose” technology. An executive action of 2000, the National Nanotechnology Initiative was formalized with the twenty-first Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act in 2003. Through FY 2015 in the United States, federal R&D investment has been about $20 billion, with annual investment in FY 2015 of about $1.5B, and more than double that by the private sector. The revenues from nano-enabled products continue growing, with over $200B in FY 2012 in the U.S. alone, and over $700B worldwide. This represents an impressive return on investment. Research on potential safety issues of nanotechnology, development of workforce, and education and curriculum should be continued.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anonymous, Nanotechnology: Shaping the World Atom by Atom. National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Technology, The Interagency Working Group on Nanoscience, Engineering, and Technology, Washington, DC (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Anonymous, National Nanotechnology Initiative: Leading to the Next Industrial Revolution. National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Technology, The Interagency Working Group on Nanoscience, Engineering, and Technology, Washington, DC (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Anonymous, National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan, February, National Science and Technology Council Committee on Technology, Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology, Washington, DC (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Anonymous, The National Nanotechnology Initiative – Supplement to the President’s 2015 Budget, March, The National Science and Technology Council and the Office of Science & Technology Policy, Washington, DC (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Anonymous, Nanomanufacturing: Emergence and Implications for U.S. Competitiveness, the Environment, and Human Health, January, GAO-14-181SP, Government Accountability Office, Washington, DC (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Anonymous, Report to the President and Congress on the Fifth Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, October, President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Executive Office of the President, Washington, DC (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  7. S. Arora, A. Porter, J. Youtie, P. Shapira, Capturing new developments in an emerging technology: an updated search strategy for identifying nanotechnology research outputs. Scientometrics 95, 351–370 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bhushan, Springer Handbook of Nanotechnology, 3rd edn. (Springer, Heidelberg, 2010)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Bhushan, Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology, 2nd edn. (Springer International, Switzerland, 2016)

    Google Scholar 

  10. B. Bhushan, Governance, policy, and legislation of nanotechnology: a perspective. Microsyst. Technol. 21, 1137–1155 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. B. Bhushan, Perspective: science and technology policy – what is at stake and why should scientists participate? Sci. Pub. Policy 42, 887–900 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  12. B. Bhushan, D. Luo, S.R. Schricker, W. Sigmund, S. Zauscher, Handbook of Nanomaterials Properties (Springer, Heidelberg, 2014), vols. 1–2, 1464 p

    Google Scholar 

  13. R.J. Chen, H.C. Choi, S. Bangsaruntip, E. Yenilmex, X. Tang, Q. Wang, Y.L. Chang, H. Dai, An investigation of the mechanisms of electrode sensing of protein adsorption on carbon nanotube devices. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 1563–1568 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. H. Chen, M.C. Roco, J. Son, S. Jiang, C.A. Larson, Q. Gao, Global nanotechnology development from 1991 to 2012: patents, scientific publications, and the effect of NSF funding. J. Nanopart. Res. 15, 1–21 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  15. W.C. Crone, Bringing Nano to the Public: A Collaboration Opportunity for Researchers and Museums – NISE Network (Science Museums of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 2006)

    Google Scholar 

  16. R.P. Feynman, There’s plenty of room at the bottom. Eng. Sci. 23, 22–36 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  17. H. Flynn, Nanotechnology Update: Corporations Up Their Spending as Revenues for Nano-enabled Products Increase (Lux Research, New York, 2014)

    Google Scholar 

  18. L.J. Hornbeck, Digital light processing update – status and future applications. SPIE 3634, 158–170 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  19. D.J. Irvine, Drug delivery: one nanoparticle, one kill. Nat. Mater. 10, 342–343 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Y. Li, S. Arora, J. Youtie, P. Shapira, S. Carley, Program on Nanotechnology Research and Innovation System Assessment, March, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia. Analysis of Publication records of articles indexed in ThomsonReuters Web of Science (SCI, SSCI, and A&HI) (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  21. J. Lorengo, Nanotechnology-Related Patenting: USPTO & Global Statistics. Presented at the 2013 NanoBusiness Commercialization Association Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, Oct 2013

    Google Scholar 

  22. M.J. Madou, Fundamentals of Microfabrication and Nanotechnology, 3rd edn. (CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2011)

    Google Scholar 

  23. M. Mehta, 2014 NCMS Study of Nanotechnology in the U.S. Manufacturing Industry (National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), Ann Arbor, MI, 2015) (Unpublished data)

    Google Scholar 

  24. National Research Council, Triennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (The National Academies, Washington, DC, 2013)

    Google Scholar 

  25. National Research Council, Research Progress on Environmental, Health, and Safety Aspects of Engineering Materials (The National Academies, Washington, DC, 2013)

    Google Scholar 

  26. NIOSH, Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology – Managing the Health and Safety Concerns Associated with Engineering Nanomaterials, Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009-125 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  27. NIOSH, Current Strategies for Engineering Controls in Nanomaterial Production and Downstream Handling Processes, Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2014–102 (2013a)

    Google Scholar 

  28. NIOSH, Protecting the Nanotechnology Workforce: NIOSH Nanotechnology Research and Guidance Strategic Plan, 2013–2016, Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2014–106 (2013b)

    Google Scholar 

  29. M.C. Roco, The long view of nanotechnology development: the national nanotechnology initiative at 10 years. J. Nanopart. Res. 13, 427–445 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. M. Roco, NSF and long-view for nanotechnology development. Presented at the 10th international nanotechnology conference on communication and cooperation (INC10), NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 13 May 2014

    Google Scholar 

  31. M.C. Roco, W.S. Bainbridge, The new world of discovery, invention, and innovation: convergence of knowledge, technology, and society. J. Nanopart. Res. 15, 1–17 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. J.F. Sargent, Jr., Nanotechnology: a policy primer. Report #RL34511, Congressional Research Service (U.S. Congress, Washington, DC, 2013) (Internal Document)

    Google Scholar 

  33. D. Srivastava, Computational nanotechnology of carbon nanotubes, in Carbon Nanotubes: Science and Applications, ed. by M. Meyyappan (CRC, Boca Raton, FL, 2004), pp. 25–36

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  34. W.G. van der Wiel, S. De Franceschi, J.M. Elzerman, T. Fugisawa, S. Tarucha, L.P. Kauwenhoven, Electron transport through double quantum dots. Rev. Mod. Phys. 75, 1–22 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. L. Whitman, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (Washington, DC, 2015) Personal communication

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics (NLBB), The Ohio State University, 201 W. 19th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Bharat Bhushan

Authors
  1. Bharat Bhushan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bharat Bhushan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

    Kurt Winkelmann

  2. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    Bharat Bhushan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bhushan, B. (2016). Introduction to Nanotechnology: History, Status, and Importance of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Education. In: Winkelmann, K., Bhushan, B. (eds) Global Perspectives of Nanoscience and Engineering Education. Science Policy Reports. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31833-2_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation