Nanotechnology + Art

Nanoscience is a quickly developing field of research that brings together many different aspects of life and can promote a variety of benefits. It is expected to lead to countless innovations and advancements that can contribute towards addressing many problems facing today’s society. This technology is being integrated into an array of products. However, regardless of nanotechnology’s widespread prevalence, many customers, if not most, are unaware of its influences and brush it off as another scientific theory they come across. We don’t realize we are exposed to nanoparticles in our daily lives.

In order to create an idea of the space nanoscience covers, I will start off with nanoparticle applications in the Manufacturing sector. This includes:

1. Silver nanoparticles in fabric which are used to kill bacteria, making clothing odor-resistant
2. Zinc oxide nanoparticles which can be dispersed in industrial coatings to protect wood, plastic, and textiles from UV ray exposure. 

Secondly, current applications of nanoparticles in the Environment sector include:

1. Gold nanoparticles which are embedded in porous manganese oxide as a room temperature catalyst to breakdown volatile organic pollutants suspended in the air
2. Iron nanoparticles which are used to clean up carbon tetrachloride pollution in our ground water

Nanoparticles can also be applied to the field of Energy and Electronics, as seen with silicon nanoparticles, which are used to coat anodes of lithium-ion batteries to increase battery power and reduce recharge time.

Personally, the most interesting use of nanoscience is color. Color, special effects and intricate patters are all a result of nanotechnology in our everyday lives. If you look at stained glass windows, the color is actually obtained by trapping different color nano-particles into a confined space in order to emit a certain other color. For example, gold nano-particles give you red windows while silver nano-particles give you yellow. Art is meshed with science as the color we enjoy with our eyes is a product of the size of the particles, how they interact with the glass and the way they reflect light.         

[1] "How Nanotechnology Could Reengineer Us." Keithley: A Tektronix Company. Keithley Instruments Inc., n.d. Web. <http://www.keithley.com/knowledgecenter/How-Nanotechnology-Could-Reengineer-Us>.

[2] Kullman, Joe. "Art Form, Nanotechnology Combine to Advance Batteries."Arizona State University News: Science & Tech. Extremetech.com, 22 May 2015. Web. <https://asunews.asu.edu/20131022-chan-lithium-ion-batteries>.

[3] Camara-Campos, Amaya. "Preserving Art at the Nanoscale." Royal Society of Chemistry. RSC Publishing, 7 July 2010. Web. <http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/ChemScience/Volume/2010/08/Preserving_art.asp>.

[4] "Nano in Textiles and Clothing." Nano&Me. Web. 22 May 2015.

<http://www.nanoandme.org/nano-products/textiles-and-clothing/>.

[5] "Gold Nanoparticles in Manganese Oxide Cleans VOCs from Air." Nano&Me. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://www.understandingnano.com/nanoparticles-gold-voc-air-pollution.html>.

[6] Daw, Rosamund. "Nanotechnology Is Ancient History." Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/nanotechnology-world/nanotechnology-is-ancient-history>.