Nanoscience

BIRTH OF NanoTechnology

Plenty of rooms at the bottom

“… it seems that the laws of physics

present no barrier to reducing the size of computers until bits are the
size of atoms, and quantum behavior holds way.”
- Richard P. Feynman (1985)

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 Moore’s law
The number of components in integrated circuits will be doubled
Every 18 months.

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 Nano Science
Nano Science can be defined as the study of phenomena and
manipulation of materials at Atomic, Molecular and
Macromolecular scales where properties differ significantly
from those at a larger scale.

Nano Science is the study and understanding of properties of

Nano Particles.

Nano Technology
Nanotechnology can be defined as the design,
characterization, production and application of structures
devices and systems by controlling shape and size at a Nano
meter Scale.
 Nano Material
1. Nano Materials could be defined as the materials with at least
one of its dimensions in the range of a Nano meter.
2. Thus the material need not be so small that it cannot be seen, it
can be a large surface or a long wire whose thickness is in the
scale of Nanometers.
3. Materials that are Nano scale in one dimension are layers, such
as a Thin films or Surface coatings.
4. Materials that are Nano Scale in two dimensions include Nano
wires and Nano tubes.
5. Materials that are Nano scale in three dimensions are particles
for example precipitates, colloids and quantum dots (Small
particles of Semiconductor Materials)
 Why properties of Nano Materials are different ?
The properties of Nano Materials are very much
different from those at a larger scale.
Materials in nanometers dimension are significantly
different from that bulk materials. This is due to
1.High surface area to volume ratio.
2. Large fraction of atoms at the surface.
3. High surface energy
4.Quantum confinement effect.
5. Reduced imperfections.
These factors can change or enhance properties such as
reactivity, strength and electrical characteristics.
 Increase in a Surface Area to Volume ratio

Nano Materials have a relatively larger Surface area when

compared to the same volume or mass of the material
produced in a larger form.

Let us consider a Sphere of radius “r”.

Its Surface Area =4πr2.
Its volume= 4/3πr3
Surface Area to Volume Ratio= 3/r.
Thus when the radius of the Sphere decreases , its Surface
to Volume ratio increases.
 1m

surface area  6 1m2  6m2

 Let us consider one Cubic Volume shown in figure its the
Surface Area is 6m2 .
 When it is divided into eight pieces its Surface Area
becomes 12m2, similarly When the same volume is divided
into 27 pieces its Surface Area becomes 18m2.
 Thus we find that when the given volume is divided into
smaller pieces the Surface Area increases.
 Hence as particle size decreases a greater proportion of
atoms are found at the surface compared to those inside.
 Nano particles have a much greater surface area per given
volume compared with larger particles. It makes materials
more Chemically reactive.
1
m
2

1 2
surface area  6  ( m)  8  12m 2
2
 Quantum Confinement
Electronic energy levels are continuous in the bulk
materials, whereas nano crystals have discrete energy
levels. This is due to the confinement of the
electronic Wave function to the physical dimensions
of the particles. This phenomenon is called
Quantum confinement.

Spatial dimensions of the system are of the order of

de Broglie wavelength of carriers and hence energy
levels and density of states are quantized.
 Underlying concept in quantum confinement is
particle in a box problem, in which the spacing
between the energy levels increases as the length of
the box decreases.

Energy level separation increases as the size of the size

of the nano crystals decreases.

Confinement depends on parameters like dielectric

constant and effective mass.
 Types of Quantum Confinement

Dimension Variation 
Zero dimensional confinement:
particles are free to move in all the three spatial directions.
One dimensional confinement: particles are confined in
one direction and free to move in Other two directions.
This is known as Quantum well systems.
Quantization is inversely proportional to thickness of the wall.
Two dimensional confinement:
particles are confined in two directions and free to move in
one direction. This is known as Quantum Wire systems.
Quantization is inversely proportional to the diameter of the wire.
Three dimensional confinement:
particles are resatricted to move in all three directions.
This is known as Quantum Dot systems.
Quantization is inversely proportional to the diameter of the sphere.
Nanoscale materials are divided into three category

1. Zero dimension – length, breadth and heights are confined at

single point. (for example, Nano/Quantum dots)

2. One dimension – It has only one parameter either length (or)

breadth (or) height ( example: nano/Quantum wires )

3. Two dimensions- it has only length and breadth (for example,

quantum well)

1. Three dimensions -it has all parameter of length, breadth and

height. (for example, Nano Particles).
Density of states: No. of states with energies between E and E+dE
Quantum dot
• It is a zero dimensional system
• The electron movement was restricted in entire three
dimensions
• It is a semiconductor nano-structure that confines the motion of
conduction band electrons, valence band holes or excitons in
all three spatial directions.

Quantum dot

In quantum dot all the three dimensions are reduced to zero

Quantum Wire
• It is a one-dimensional system
• The electron can move in one direction and restricted in two
directions.
• Quantum wires are ultra fine wires or linear arrays of Nano dots,
formed by self-assembly
• They can be made from a wide range of materials such as Semiconductor
Nanowires made of silicon, gallium nitride and indium phosphide.

* Nanowires can be prepared by growth techniques such as

1. Chemical Vapour deposition (CVD)
2. Electroplating

Nanowires have potential applications in

1. In high-density data storage
2. In electronic and opto-electronic Nanodevices
General properties of Nanowire
 Diameter – 10s of nanometers
 Single crystal formation -- common crystallographic orientation along the
nanowire axis
 Minimal defects within wire
 Minimal irregularities within nanowire arrays.

Some example of Nanowire

Quantum well
• It is a two dimensional system
• The electron can move in two directions and restricted in one direction.
• Quantum wells are formed in semiconductors by sandwitching the material
between two laters of a material with a wider band gap

Semiconductor substrate
growth (single
layer)
Properties of Nano materials
 Physical Properties of Nano Particles
• Crystal structure of Nano particles is same as bulk
structure with different lattice parameters.
• The inter atomic spacing decreases with size and
this is due to long range electrostatic forces and the
short range core-core repulsion.
• The Melting point of Nanoparticles decreases with
size.
• The total surface area (or) the number of surface
atom increases with reducing size of the particles
 Mechanical properties
• Due to nano size mechanical properties like
melting point, hardness, wear resistance, fracture
toughness, elastic modulus are modified to large
extent
• Synthesis of Metals with grain size of 50 – 100 nm
gives extremely high strength. Relation between
grain size and yield strength is
• The Melting point of Nanoparticles decreases with
size due to high surface to volume ratio.
• Hardness of the nanomaterials is high due to less
imperfections.
 Optical properties
• Optical band gap of semiconductors and
conductors increases as the size decreases.
Bulk Gold- Yellow; nano sized Gold –Red

• Colour of materials arises due to surface Plasmons

(natural oscillations of electrons within a
nanosphere). If the size is reduced then surface
Plasmon frequency changes and hence change in
colour is observed.
 Electrical properties
• The electronic structure of Nano materials is
different from its bulk material.
• The density of the energy states in the conduction
band changes.
• The Ionization potential at Nano sizes are higher
than that for the bulk materials
• Carrier concentration decreases and mobility of the
carriers increases.
• Bulk Carbon – Conductor; CNT-
Conductor/semiconductor.
 Magnetic Properties
• Some materials exhibit different magnetism at nano scale
when compared to their bulk nature.
Eg. Bulk pd and pt are not magnetic whereas their
nanoparticles are ferromagnetic.

• Bulk Gold is diamagnetic, when capped with suitable

molecules Gold exhibits ferromagnetism.

• Permanent magnetism is observed in the case of thiol

capped Gold nanoparticles.

• Super paramagnetism occurs when the material is

composed of nano crystallites of size 1 – 10 nm.
 Preparation of Nanomaterials

Physical Methods Chemical Methods

Electro- Chemical Chemical vapor

Ball Milling Sputtering/ Deposition reactions Deposition
Evaporation
Applications of Nano Materials
1. Nanotechnology Applications in Medicine

• Because of their small size, nanoscale devices can readily interact with
biomolecules on both the surface of cells and inside of cells.
• By gaining access to so many areas of the body, they have the potential to detect
disease and the deliver treatment.
2. Sunscreens and Cosmetics

• Nanosized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are currently used in some sunscreens, as
they absorb and reflect ultraviolet (UV) rays.
• Nanosized iron oxide is present in some lipsticks as a pigment.

3. Fuel Cells

The potential use of nano-engineered membranes to intensify catalytic processes could

enable higher-efficiency, small-scale fuel cells.
 4. Displays
• Nanocrystalline zinc selenide, zinc sulphide, cadmium sulphide and lead telluride are
candidates for the next generation of light-emitting phosphors.
• CNTs are being investigated for low voltage field-emission displays; their strength, sharpness,
conductivity and inertness make them potentially very efficient and long-lasting emitters.

5. Batteries
• With the growth in portable electronic equipment (mobile phones, navigation devices,
laptop computers, remote sensors), there is great demand for lightweight, high-energy
density batteries.

• Nanocrystalline materials are candidates for separator plates in batteries because of their
foam-like (aerogel) structure, which can hold considerably more energy than conventional
ones.

• Nickel–metal hydride batteries made of nanocrystalline nickel and metal hydrides are
envisioned to require less frequent recharging and to last longer because of their large
grain boundary (surface) area.
 6. Catalysts
In general, nanoparticles have a high surface area, and hence provide higher catalytic
activity.

7. Medical Implantation

• Unfortunately, in some cases, the biomedical metal alloys may wear out within the lifetime
of the patient. But Nano materials increases the life time of the implant materials.

• Nanocrystalline zirconium oxide (zirconia) is hard, wear resistant, bio-corrosion resistant

and bio-compatible.

• It therefore presents an attractive alternative material for implants.

• Nanocrystalline silicon carbide is a candidate material for artificial heart valves primarily
because of its low weight, high strength and inertness.
8. Magnetic Nano Materials applications

• It has been shown that magnets made of nanocrystalline yttrium–samarium–cobalt

grains possess unusual magnetic properties due to their extremely large grain interface
area (high coercivity can be obtained because magnetization flips cannot easily
propagate past the grain boundaries).

• This could lead to applications in motors, analytical instruments like magnetic

resonance imaging (MRI), used widely in hospitals, and microsensors.

• Nanoscale-fabricated magnetic materials also have applications in data storage.

• Devices such as computer hard disks storage capacity is increased with Magnetic Nano
materials

9. Water purification

•Nano-engineered membranes could potentially lead to more energy-efficient water

purification processes, notably in desalination process.