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About This Technology

This Technology Map assesses the commercial potential of nanomaterials of nonbiological origin. Nanomaterials have unique physical or chemical properties specifically because of their small size or features (0.1 to 100 nm). Interfacial phenomena, surface effects, and spatial confinement are the predominant influences on nanomaterial properties. Consequently, feature size becomes a new lever for scientists to adjust material properties and device functions that may lead to a new generation of commercial products with capabilities superior to those of existing solutions. Commercially useful nanomaterials include carbon nanotubes, nanoparticles, and thin films, which find use in devices including laser emitters and resonance-tunneling transistors. Such new materials and devices could launch a revolutionary age for science and technology if scientists can discover and understand the underlying principles of controlling chemical and physical properties through the manipulation of nanoscale structures.

Several categories of nanomaterials exist at various stages of development and commercialization. One cause for confusion in this arena is that not all stakeholders agree on a uniform definition of nanotechnology or nanomaterials, which adds difficulty in establishing the boundaries of the industry. This Technology Map uses the critical definition that novel properties must manifest at the nanoscale that are different from the properties of those same materials at larger sizes. If size alone were a sufficient metric to define nanomaterials, then modern computer chips would qualify by having features as small as 32 nm, as would proteins and numerous conventional materials. Nanomaterials are already available in commercial products—for example, the lasers that read compact discs and DVDs—and are components of significant economies. The real challenge for materials scientists is to synthesize nanomaterials and nano-related structures and devices efficiently at a commercial scale.

Various nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles, are commercially available as components for the manufacturing of specialty products such as antistatic compounds and transparent coatings. Early users of nanomaterials include the chemical and materials industry, the cosmetics industry, the paint industry, and the nanobiotechnology industry. The nanobiotechnology industry uses nanomaterials in a range of applications, including biosensors, diagnostic devices, drug-release systems, and tissue repair and regeneration. In addition, the consumer electronics and computer industries, energy-device developers, and the automotive industry will make increasing use of nanomaterials in the coming years. The regional markets most active in commercializing nanomaterials are in Japan, North America, and European countries, including Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Nanomaterials technology is still in its infancy, but as the technology matures, it could launch an era of technological revolutions. In the near term, not only will nanomaterials refine the development of existing technologies, but also they will bring new emerging and disruptive technologies to the marketplace. In the long term—according to some fanciful visionaries—nanomaterials may lead to a powerful and accelerated social revolution in which virtually all present-day industrial processes become obsolete, along with our contemporary concept of labor. The reality will be substantially different, but without doubt, nanomaterials have an important role to play across many industries and will over time have a strong impact on people's lives. Consumer goods could become inexpensive, smart, durable, and more plentiful. The capabilities of medicine could make a quantum leap. However, the application of stringent regulations at an early stage of the development of nanomaterials technology may slow or inhibit its commercial expansion in some areas, and the practicalities and costs of developments will often be prohibitive. Close attention to feasible and practical aspects of the technology is essential to form a realistic view of the future of nanomaterials.