Maarg Manthan · Topic 15.2

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Origin and Basic Concepts

Science & Technology › Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Robotics · Topic 15.2

Nanoscience studies matter at the nanoscale, between about 1 and 100 nanometres, where one nanometre is one billionth of a metre, and nanotechnology designs and uses structures, devices and systems at this scale. A human hair is about 80,000 nanometres wide. At this scale materials show new properties because their surface area is large compared with their volume and because quantum effects become important, so gold can look red and copper can turn transparent. The idea was first presented by Richard Feynman in 1959 in his talk There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom. The word nanotechnology was used by Norio Taniguchi in 1974. The scanning tunnelling microscope of 1981 made it possible to see and move atoms. In India the Nano Mission was launched in 2007 by the Department of Science and Technology.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Robotics

At a Glance

Scale 1 to 100 nm
Idea Feynman, 1959
Term Taniguchi, 1974
Tools STM 1981, AFM 1986
Indian mission Nano Mission, 2007
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Robotics

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of superconductivity. It introduces the basic ideas of the nanoscale that are needed for the later topics on nanomaterials, applications and health risks. Previous topic: Superconductivity: History, Classification and Applications. Next topic: Nanomaterials: Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, Quantum Dots.

How Did Nanotechnology Begin and What Are Its Basic Ideas?

Concept	Details
Nanometre	One billionth of a metre. A nanoparticle has at least one dimension of 1 to 100 nm; a DNA strand is about 2 nm wide
Feynman, 1959	The physicist Richard Feynman said at the American Physical Society that it should be possible to arrange atoms one by one
Taniguchi, 1974	The Japanese scientist Norio Taniguchi first used the word nanotechnology for precise processing at the nanometre scale
Drexler	Eric Drexler popularised molecular nanotechnology in the 1980s with his book Engines of Creation (1986)
Scanning tunnelling microscope	Invented in 1981 by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer at IBM, Nobel Prize in 1986. It can image and move single atoms
Atomic force microscope	Developed in 1986, it senses force between a tiny tip and the surface and works on insulators also
Fullerenes	The discovery of C60 in 1985 by Kroto, Curl and Smalley opened the field of carbon nanomaterials

Why Do Materials Behave Differently at the Nanoscale?

Surface to volume ratio: smaller particles have much more surface for the same mass, so they react faster and are better catalysts
Quantum effects: electrons are confined, so energy levels become discrete and colour, melting point and conductivity change with size
Optical change: gold nanoparticles look red or purple, and the colour of quantum dots depends on their size
Mechanical change: some nanomaterials are far stronger than bulk materials of the same type
Top-down approach: starts with bulk material and cuts or etches it down, as in lithography used to make chips
Bottom-up approach: builds from atoms and molecules, by chemical synthesis, self-assembly or vapour deposition
Natural nanostructures: lotus leaf surface, gecko feet and butterfly wings use nanoscale structure
Indian Nano Mission: launched in 2007 by the Department of Science and Technology with an outlay of Rs 1,000 crore for five years, to support research, infrastructure, human resources and international links

What Else Should You Remember?

Nanoparticle: a particle with all three dimensions at the nanoscale
Nanowire and nanotube: structures with two dimensions at the nanoscale
Nanosheet: a structure with one dimension at the nanoscale, such as graphene
Natural and engineered: volcanic ash and smoke are natural nanoparticles, while carbon nanotubes are engineered
Sol-gel and chemical vapour deposition: common bottom-up methods
Electron beam lithography: a top-down method that writes patterns with an electron beam
Self-assembly: molecules arrange themselves into ordered structures without outside direction
Electron microscopes: scanning and transmission electron microscopes are used for imaging nanostructures
Nobel Prize: the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry honoured the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots
Nano Mission institutions: Centres for nanoscience and nanotechnology were set up at universities and institutes such as IISc Bengaluru and IIT Madras
Nano Mission outcomes: water purification technologies based on silver and other nanoparticles reached rural areas through the mission
INST Mohali: the Institute of Nano Science and Technology at Mohali is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology
International interest: the United States started a National Nanotechnology Initiative in 2000
Standards: ISO has a technical committee for nanotechnology and the Bureau of Indian Standards has a nanotechnology committee
Interdisciplinary: the field combines physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and medicine
Ethical issues: concerns about safety and fair access are covered in Adverse Health and Environmental Impacts of Nanotechnology
Measurement: 1 nm equals 10 angstrom, and a nanometre is a thousand times smaller than a micrometre

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

People and years: Feynman 1959, Taniguchi 1974, STM 1981
Scale: 1 to 100 nm
Approaches: top-down versus bottom-up
Current affairs link: Nobel 2023 and Nano Mission successor programmes
Common errors: confusing STM with AFM or nano with micro

As an analytical point, nanotechnology is an enabling technology that changes medicine, energy, electronics and materials. Its benefits depend on safe handling, standards and building Indian capability beyond laboratories.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Origin Feynman, Taniguchi
Properties Surface and quantum
Methods Top-down, bottom-up

What Came Next?

The next topic covers nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and quantum dots. Next topic: Nanomaterials: Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, Quantum Dots.

Key People and Terms

Nanometre 10 to the power minus 9 m
STM Scanning tunnelling microscope
AFM Atomic force microscope
Top-down Carve from bulk
Bottom-up Build from atoms
Self-assembly Spontaneous ordering

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

1 nm = 10 to the power minus 9 m.
Feynman talk: 1959.
STM: 1981; AFM: 1986.
Nano Mission: 2007.
Quantum dots Nobel: 2023.

Do Not Confuse With

STM and AFM Needs a conducting sample versus works on insulators also
Top-down and bottom-up Carving versus building
Nanoscience and nanotechnology Study versus application

Memory Hook

Feynman dreamed in fifty-nine, Taniguchi named in seventy-four, STM saw atoms in eighty-one.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for years, scale and approaches. These points help.

Concept Scale and properties
Methods Two approaches
Policy Nano Mission

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“What is nanotechnology? Why do materials show different properties at the nanoscale?”

How to Answer

Define Nanoscale.
Origin Feynman.
Properties Surface, quantum.
Policy Nano Mission.

GS Relevance

Prelims: nanoscale, Feynman, Taniguchi, STM, approaches, Nano Mission. GS Paper 3: science and technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is the science and engineering of designing, making and using structures and devices at the nanoscale, roughly 1 to 100 nanometres, where one nanometre is a billionth of a metre. At this size materials show new properties, which are used in medicine, energy, electronics and many other fields.

Who is called the father of nanotechnology?

Richard Feynman is often credited with the idea for his 1959 talk There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom, while the word nanotechnology was first used by Norio Taniguchi in 1974. Eric Drexler later popularised molecular nanotechnology. Questions may name any of these, so read the options carefully.

What is the difference between top-down and bottom-up approaches?

In the top-down approach, bulk material is cut, etched or milled to make nanoscale structures, as in the lithography used for computer chips. In the bottom-up approach, structures are built from atoms and molecules by chemical reactions or self-assembly, as nature does when it builds proteins.

Why do nanoparticles have different properties?

Nanoparticles differ from bulk material mainly for two reasons. They have a very large surface area compared with their volume, so they are more reactive, and their small size confines electrons so quantum effects change colour, melting point and electrical behaviour depending on particle size.

What is the Nano Mission of India?

The Nano Science and Technology Mission, launched in 2007 by the Department of Science and Technology with an outlay of Rs 1,000 crore, supports basic research, infrastructure, training and applications such as water purification. Institutions such as the Institute of Nano Science and Technology at Mohali work under it.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The word nanotechnology was first used by Norio Taniguchi.

True

In 1974.

2 One nanometre equals one millionth of a metre.

False

It is one billionth.

3 The scanning tunnelling microscope was invented in 1981.