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Nanotechnology: History, Trends and Modern Applications

Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji1*, Olalekan Akinbo1, John Tsado Mathew2, Chukwuebuka Egbuna3, Abel Inobeme4, Olotu Titilayo5, Olulope Olufemi Ajayi6, Wadazani Dauda7, Shakira Ghazanfar8, Frank Abimbola Ogundolie9, Julinan Bunmi Adetunji10, Babatunde Oluwafemi Adetuyi11, Shakirat Oloruntoyin Ajenifujah-Solebo12 and Abdullahi Tunde Aborode13

1Applied Microbiology, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Edo University Iyamho, Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria

2Department of Chemistry, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria

3Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria. Nutritional Biochemistry and Toxicology Unit, World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence, Centre for Public Health and Toxicological Research (PUTOR), University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

4Department of Chemistry, Edo University Iyamho, Edo State, Nigeria

5Department of Microbiology, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria

6Department of Biochemistry, Edo University Iyamho, Edo State, Nigeria

7Department of Crop Protection, Federal University Gasua, Zamfara State, Nigeria

8Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

9Department of Biotechnology, Baze University Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

10Laboratory for Reproductive Biology and Developmental Programming, Department of Physiology, Edo University Iyamho, Edo State, Nigeria

11Department of Natural Sciences, Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

12Department of Biochemistry, Osogbo, Osun State University, Osun State, Nigeria

13Healthy Africans Platform, Research and Development, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are expanding fields of research that include tools and platforms with new characteristics and roles owing to the organization of molecules nanoscale. Nanotechnology contributes extensively to numerous fields of science, like physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, computer science, physiology, anatomy, and technology. Although lack of information and the potential for negative influences on human health and the environment, continues to be of concern, the possible roles in many fields like coatings and paints, apparel and textiles, cosmetics, catalysis, food technology, and more have offered new opportunities to improve measurement, monitoring, and control methods. This chapter describes an overview of the advances and basic principles of nanotechnology and presents both premodern and modern eras of detections and innovative milestones in their areas of application.

Keywords: Nanotechnology, applications, human health, safety, sustainability

1.1 Introduction

Virtually, several fields of technology, science, physiology, and engineering in the area of nanoscience are making life easier. Nanotechnology is a growing field of study that include structures, tools, and platforms possessing new characteristics and roles owing to the organization of atoms in the nanoscale [1]. This field was a topic of budding public consciousness and debate in the early 2000s, resulting in the commercial applications of nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology contributes to several fields of science, like physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, engineering, and computer science. In recent few decades, nanotechnology has been utilized in human health with encouraging results, particularly in the area of cancer management [2]. To appreciate the advancement in nanotechnology, it is useful to consider the chronology of detections that have led to the recent development in the field. This overview describes the advances and basic ethics of nanotechnology presented in both premodern and modern eras of findings and advances in their areas of application.

The preface “nano” is a Greek word meaning “dwarf” or very little, which stands for thousandths of a meter. Nanotechnology and nanoscience must be distinguished or separated. Nanoscience is the study of nanometer-scale molecules or structures in the range of one to hundred nm, and the tools that apply them to hands-on uses like tools is called nanotechnology [3]. For comparison, it should be understood that the thickness of one human hair is 60,000 nm, and the radius of DNA double helix structure is 1 nm [4].

Advances in nanoscience can be traced to the era of the Democritus and Greeks in the 5th century BC. At the time, researchers viewed the question of whether the matter is continuous and can be divided into infinitely lesser parts, or whether it consists of indivisible, small, imperishable matter and particle [4].

Nanotechnology is one of the most advanced tools of the 21st century with the capability to transform nanoscience theories into valuable uses by measuring, analyzing, manipulating, manipulating, assembling, and creating materials on the nanoscale [5].

This definition assumes two settings for nanotechnology; the first is a matter of scale. Nanotechnology uses structures to control size and shape at the nanoscale. More so, the second problem is the novelty since nanoscale nanotechnology has to do with small molecules by taking advantage of certain characteristics [6, 7].

Nanotechnology is the utilization of scientific techniques to control and manipulate molecules at the nanoscale to exploit size, shape, and arrangement-dependent characteristics and spectacles as opposed to those involving single molecules or wholesale materials [8]. This field presents new opportunities to develop FMCG products with improved efficiency, lowered manufacturing costs, and reduced raw material usage. Nanotechnology, closely aligned with European Union’s agenda for sustainable, smart, and accountable growth, is possibly a major social change confronting the region, like health requirements of an ageing population, better utilization of available resources, and the development of renewable energy sources. It will help to solve the problem to meet the increased requirements [9].

However, questions remain that the role of nanoparticles, mostly due to the inadequate level of information on their characteristics and usefulness, as well as concerns about the adverse effects nanotechnology, may have on health and the environment. This chapter provides a brief overview of nanoparticles utilized in key industries.

Nanotechnology has advanced growth and innovation in many industries. Nanotechnology is considered a major tool for a diverse range of utilizations in healthcare, electronics, chemistry, cosmetics, material science, energy, and more. Uses fewer raw materials. Despite advances in nanotechnology, several challenges are still encountered by scientists in providing adequate outstanding and role of nanotechnology in several industrial sectors. Inadequate information and the potential for negative influences on human health, environment, sustainability, and safety continue to be of concern [10–15].

1.2 History of Nanotechnology

Nanoscience and nanotechnology must be distinguished. Nanoscience is a combination of materials science, physics, biology, and technology that involves the manipulation of matter at the molecular level. Nanotechnology is also the ability to observe, quantify, manipulate, collect, control, analyze, and create matter on the nanometer scale [16]. Some reports show the account of nanoscience but there are no reports that summarize nanoscience and technology as a progressive event from the beginning of nanoscience to that era. It is therefore essential to recap the major advances in nanoscience and technology to fully appreciate advances in this field.

American Nobel laureate and physicist Richard Feynman introduced the idea of nanotechnology in 1959 [17]. At the American Physical Society meeting, Feynman gave a public lecture (California Institute of Technology) entitled “There’s a lot of space on the floor.” Feynman hypothesized, “Why can’t we write all 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica on Pinhead?” And he defined an idea of utilizing technologies to make machines small to molecular level [18]. This new idea showed that Feynman’s hypothesis was accurate, and for this reason, he is given the father of contemporary nanotechnology.

About 15 years later, Japanese scientist Norio Taniguchi first used and defined the term “nanotechnology” [19]. After Feynman revealed this novel area of study that has attracted the attention of numerous researchers, two methods have been established to explain the diverse potentials of nanostructure production. These industrial methods fall into two classes: bottom-up and top-down, which vary in speed, cost particles, and quality. This can be attained utilizing innovative methods like lithography and precision tools [9, 20, 21].

Bottom-up approaches use the controlled manipulation of atomic self-assembly to represent the growth of nanoparticles under molecule-to-molecular through chemical and physical approaches in the nanoscale range (1 nm to 100 nm) and Molecular [22]. Chemical production is a method of generating coarse materials which can be utilized in...