Nanotechnology: the Nexus of Science Education

Dr. Stephen J. Fonash April 4, 2008

Nanotechnology: the Nexus of Science Education

illustration by Court Patton (From an article by Robert Poe) -- Electronic Business, 11/1/2002

Copyright 2008 Stephen J. Fonash, The Pennsylvania State University

Outline •   Introduction to Nanotechnology •   Its interdisciplinary nature •   Some applications •   Its far reaching impact

»   on industry »   on the workforce »   on education

•   Nanotechnology education, and successful national economies

•   My nanotechnology education activities •   Nanotechnology: the nexus of science

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Nanotechnology

•   It is the making, seeing, and using of man-made things whose sizes, in at least one-dimension, are in the range of billionths of a meter.

•   One billionth of a meter is called a nanometer.


How Small is a Nanometer?


How Small is a Nanometer?


What’s so “hot” about the Nanoscale?

Unique properties exhibit themselves at these small sizes


•  New doors open (new phenomena become available) at the

Nano-scale

•  New opportunities (new products, new materials, etc) become accessible

The Nano-scale is Unique because-


The Sources of the Unique Properties

•   Small size ─ can put a lot of nano-things per area or per volume

•   High surface to volume ratio ─ unique environment of surface atoms

•   Surface forces dominate over bulk forces─ for example, gravity is not important!

•   Importance of quantum mechanical effects •   Dominance of the wave properties of light


The Sources of the Unique Opportunities

•   Sizes corresponding to basic biological structures

•   Sizes corresponding to macro-molecules

•   Unique chemical bonding configurations possible

•   New epistemologies (i.e., new ways of knowing)


Why Did Nanotechnology Suddenly Burst Onto the Scene

Now?

•   We can now controllably and repeatedly make things in the nano-size range. (45 nm transistors made millions at a time!!)

•   And finally we can now “see” what we have made!

Because We Have Learned What’s Going On-


We Can Now Affect and See Things in the Nano-Scale Range

M.F. Crommie, C.P. Lutz, D.M. Eigler. Confinement of electrons to quantum corrals on a metal surface. Science 262, 218-220 (1993).

Today, we can even actually see atoms





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The Interdisciplinary Nature of Nanotechnology •   Chemistry •   Surface science •   Materials science •   Physics •   Engineering •   Biology •   Medicine


Biology + Chemistry + Physics + Materials Engineering

gives us this Understanding ─ In this movie, we watch Kinesin

Molecules labeled using Quantum Dots (QDs) as they move on Microtubules

Microtubules are tracts for moving molecules and they also give a cell its structure (shape). Here kinesin molecules have been labeled with green-emitting QDs so we can see them moving. Note kinesin sometimes stops, then restarts as it moves along the microtubule tracks. The fuel kinesin is using to move is the molecule ATP.

Arnold Seitz & Thomas Surrey, European Molecular Biology Lab, Hidelberg, Gr.





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The Product: A number of companies are manufacturing and selling shoes and clothing containing silver nanoparticles for odor control.

A Product Example


The Product: Abraxane®, the first approved drug to use albumin nanoparticles to improve the therapeutic and safety properties of an anticancer agent. It was approved on February 7, 2005, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have failed combination drug therapy.

Another Product Example

The Product: Companies are manufacturing microelectronics circuits with more, more

speed and more functionality due to the nanoscale transistors used in these circuits.

Another Product Example





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Nanotechnology Products: Facts and Forecasts

Predicted growth of nanotechnology products on the market:

•   Forecast – By 2015: -   15% of global manufactured goods will

incorporate nanotechnology (~ $3 Trillion Market )

-   and 50% of New Advanced Technology Products will incorporate nanotechnology.

Lux Capital - 2006

•   Site has consumer products information at http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/consumer/

Project on Emerging Technologies - partnership between the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Pew Charitable Trusts The project is dedicated to helping ensure that, as nanotechnologies advance, possible risks are minimized, public and consumer engagement remains strong, and the potential benefits of these new technologies are realized.

Examples of the information on this site:

www.nanotechproject.org

Nanotechnology Examples – In Our Lives Today

•   Site has medical applications information at

http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/medicine/apps/imaging/trilite_technology/

More Products Mean a Growing Need for a Trained

Nanotechnology Workforce Workforce Demand:

•   By 2015: –   2 million nanotechnology workers needed worldwide

–   Mihail C Roco, Nature Biotechnology Vol. 21, No. 10, Oct. 2003

–   Potentially 5 million additional “infrastructure” support jobs needed in the global market by 2015.

–   Mihail C Roco, Nature Biotechnology Vol. 21, No. 10, Oct. 2003

•   However, few states in the US have seriously addressed the issue of workforce development

–   Jack Uldrich, Smalltimes Magazine, April 22, 2005

Results of Some Nanotechnology Education Studies

•   A 2006 study by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training finds that features of nanotechnology education such as quantum effects and self organization are at the heart of the new, integrative knowledge that is increasingly required of employees with training below university level, and the study calls for significant increases in public funding for nanotechnology education programs at this level (Abicht, Freikamp, and Schumann, 2006).

Results of Some Nanotechnology Education Studies

•   A 2007 meta-study of nanotechnology education in Europe finds that private investment in nanotechnology research has now overtaken public investment, and argues that nanotechnology education programs should be more carefully designed to address the needs of employers (Malsch, 2007).

•   A 2006 survey of micro- and nanotechnology companies in the San Francisco area found that employment in these fields is expected to increase by 12 percent in the next year (Center of Excellence for Greater Silicon Valley, 2006).






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Around the year 1100. Arab craftsmen made steel swords of legendary strength. To-day we know these swords had carbon nanotubes and nanowires in the material. This is the oldest known use of carbon nanotubes and nanowires.





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•   Created a University-wide Nanotechnology Minor at Penn State. •   Created a State-wide Nanotechnology Education

Partnership involving 27 other institutions—enabling these 27 schools to grant nanotechnology degrees with hands-on experience.

•   Hold three-day Teacher Workshops ( 3 for 2008) •   Hold Nanotech Camps for secondary school

students (12 for summer 2008) •   Conduct Industry Workshops

My Education Activities


•   State-wide Nanotechnology Education Partnership

•   Enabling two-year degree and four-year degree students attending various institutions across Pennsylvania to obtain an education in nanotechnology.

•   Partnership includes Penn State’s University Park Campus, 26 other institutions, PA industry, and the State of Pennsylvania.

State-wide Partnership


•   Partnership is composed of 27 academic institutions offering a total of 54 two-year and four-year nanotechnology degrees across Pennsylvania.

State-wide Nanotechnology Education Partnership


Partner Locations


The common element in all the two-year and four-year degree programs:

The students in all of these programs must spend one semester at Penn State attending the hands-on nanotechnology fabrication, synthesis, and characterization emersion provided by the Capstone Semester.



•   Two-year degrees include nanobiotechnology, nanomanufacturing, and chemical technology.

•   Four -year degrees include physics with a concentration in nanotechnology, chemistry with a concentration in nanotechnology, biology with a concentration in nanotechnology, and engineering technology with a concentration in nanotechnology.







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A Famous Example of Roman Nanotechnology:

the 4th Century Lycurgus Cup –   In reflected light, cup

appears green; in transmitted light, it appears red

–  Cause: 40 ppm Au nanoparticles & 300 ppm Ag nanoparticles embedded in silica glass

source: British Museum

(2) Barber, D J and Freestone, I C, An investigation of the origin of the colour of the Lycurgus Cup by analytical transmission electron microscopy, Archaeometry, 32 (1), 33-45, 1990.

References: (1) Paul Mulvaney, Not all That’s Gold Does Glitter, MRS Bulletin, December 2001, pg.’s 1009-1013

Documents

Nanotechnology: the Nexus of Science Education