Abstract
During the twentieth century, progress in physics, chemistry, and biology brought a detailed understanding of the structure and properties of both living and inert matter on the nanometric scale, i.e., lengths of the order of one billionth of a metre. By the end of the 1950s, instruments were being developed to observe, manipulate, and assemble matter and devices on this same length scale. It was thus clear that the convergence of all this knowledge would open the way to spectacular applications, and yet it was not until the 1990s that nanotechnology truly came into its own. The most visible application was without doubt nanoelectronics, today present in an increasing number of products which are in the process of changing our lives. But nanotechnology is being put to work in many other sectors such as materials, sensors, energy, and medical applications. Thousands of products contain nanosized ingredients and, given the scope of these developments, concern has been expressed, particularly about the possible toxicity of nanoparticles and inadequate control of industrial applications. Since its inception, nanotechnology has been closely associated with the notion of economic growth, but its maturity will also depend on an understanding of the associated risks and its contribution to the crucial future questions of sustainable development.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
However, it should not be thought that there is nothing smaller than an atom. The atom is itself a complex object, made up of elementary particles much smaller than the nanometer, but this matter is no longer of the kind we see around us.
- 2.
Johannes Diderik van der Waals was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1910 for his work on the equation of state of gases and liquids. His research on the continuity of fluid states, and in particular gases and liquids, led him to discover short range cohesive forces.
- 3.
These include the Institut national de l’environnement industriel et des risques (INERIS), the Centre scientifique et technique du bâtiment (CSTB), the Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l’environnement de Lyon (IRCELYON), the Laboratoire d’étude des particules inhalées de la ville de Paris (LEPI), the École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), and the université Paris-Est.
- 4.
K.E. Drexler: Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology, Doubleday, New York (1986).
- 5.
- 6.
These generally have diameters of the order of a 1000Â nm, but some are 10 times thinner.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Laurent, L. (2016). Introduction. In: Lourtioz, JM., Lahmani, M., Dupas-Haeberlin, C., Hesto, P. (eds) Nanosciences and Nanotechnology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19360-1_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19360-1_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-19359-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-19360-1
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)