What is nanotechnology text thread Nanotechnology is the control of matter at the atomic and molecular level, a relatively new branch of sci...
What is nanotechnology
text thread
Nanotechnology is the control of matter at the atomic and molecular level, a relatively new branch of science. Nanotechnology is also defined as "the control of matter with at least one dimension ranging from 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers." Because of the variety of potential applications (including medical, industrial, and military), governments have invested billions of dollars in nanotechnology research. Since nanotechnology is defined by size, it includes scientific fields such as earth science, organic chemistry, molecular biology, semiconductor physics, microfabrication and is naturally very broad. Related research and applications are equally diverse. Nanotechnology has been making significant contributions to clinical medicine, especially oncology, for some time now.
Nanomaterials have several characteristic properties that make them ideal for oncology applications. In particular, the following two features, "preferential accumulation in tumors and low distribution in normal tissue", put nanomaterials in an advantageous position over other small molecules. These features (preferential accumulation in tumors and low distribution in normal tissue) have been well studied in radiation oncology practice, both in imaging and treatment planning. , as well as making contributions to increasing sensitivity to radiation therapy.In this series of articles, we aimed to discuss nanomaterials suitable for oncology applications and the possible benefits of nanotechnology in cancer treatment in the future.
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The first concepts that nourish nanotechnology were given by the famous physicist Richard Feynman, who was also actively involved in the construction of the atomic bomb, in his famous speech titled "There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom" in 1959, in which he talked about the possibility of a synthesis through the direct control of atoms. discussed during.
While it was mostly discussed in theoretical environments until the 1980s, scientific, political and commercial attention to the field of nanotechnology increased in the early 2000s. States have begun to support and finance nanotechnology research, starting with the National Nanotechnology Initiative, which established funds on nanoscale research in the USA.
Nanotechnology Applications
Nanotechnology has brought about many discussions (risks of nanotechnology applications in the food industry, possible health effects resulting from exposure to nanoparticles, etc.). Meanwhile, commercialization of products based on advances in nanoscale technologies has begun. These products are limited to bulk applications of nanomaterials rather than atomic control of matter. According to estimates of the Project on Emerging Nanotechnology, more than 1600 nanotechnological products are publicly available. New ones are released 3-4 times a week. This project lists all products on a public online database. Most applications are limited to the use of “first generation” passive nanomaterials. These passive nanomaterials; Contains titanium oxide in sunscreen, cosmetics, surface coatings and some food products. Additionally, Carbon allotropes used to produce gecko tape; silver in food packaging, clothing, disinfectants and household appliances; zinc oxide in cosmetics and sunscreen; and cerium oxide as a fuel catalyst are also examples of these nanomaterials. Further applications make tennis balls last longer, golf balls fly straighter, and bowling balls are more durable and have a harder surface. Nanotechnology is also used in trousers and socks to make them last longer and keep people cool in the summer. Silver particles are used in bandages to heal wounds quickly. Cars are also being produced with nanomaterials, so they may need less metal and fuel in the future. Video game consoles and personal computers could become cheaper, faster and have more memory thanks to nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology is shown by The Institute for Global Futures as the field that will have the greatest socio-economic impact in the next 10 years. While the added value of nanotechnology-based end products in the global economy was 150 billion USD in 2010, this value reached 2.6 trillion USD in 2014.
From Bigger to Smaller: Materials Perspective
As the size of the system decreases, some events become evident. Materials reduced to the nanoscale can exhibit different properties than those displayed at the macroscale, allowing for unique applications. For example; opaque (matte, opaque) substances can become transparent (copper); stable substances may become flammable (aluminium); insoluble substances can become soluble (gold). A substance that is chemically inert (inactive) at normal scales, such as gold, can serve as a potential chemical catalyst at the nanoscale. Much of the interest in nanotechnology stems from the quantum and surface phenomena that matter exhibits at the nanoscale.
From Simple to Complex: The Molecular Perspective
Modern synthetic chemistry has reached the point where it is possible to prepare small molecules into almost any structure. These methods are used to produce many useful chemicals, such as medical products or commercial polymers. These approaches use molecular self-assembly and/or supramolecular chemistry to automatically transform themselves into useful forms via a bottom-up approach.
One of the important application areas of nanotechnology: Medicine
Engineering nanoscale matter can give us nanoparticles (nanomaterials smaller than 100 nm in size). These nanoparticles have unique properties that are different from small molecules. These properties have been used to develop new medical diagnostics and therapeutics. For example, “iron-oxide nanoparticles” have “superparamagnetic” properties that are not found in other iron-oxide materials. In the presence of an external magnetic source, iron-oxide nanoparticles can provide paramagnetic signals even at low doses, which makes iron-oxide nanoparticles an excellent contrast agent in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
Nanomaterials also have several characteristics that make them ideal for oncology applications. These are the “enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect”, different biodistribution, pharmacokinetics and controlled release. The leaky vessels and inefficient lymphatics inherent in tumors allow nanoparticles to flow into tumors but do not allow them to return to the circulation. This is called the EPR effect and results in preferential accumulation of nanoparticles in tumors. This preferential accumulation provides advantages in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Nanoparticles also have a unique biodistribution compared to small molecules. Compared to small molecules, nanoparticles do not adhere to normal vessels and capillaries. This feature ensures that unwanted drug accumulation in normal organs (such as skin, lungs and heart) is minimal. As a result, many nanoparticles can be designed to release their contents in a slow and controlled manner. Thanks to this controlled release, the possibility of tumor cells being exposed to the anti-cancer drugs inside the nanoparticles increases.
Despite this, most nanotechnology research in the field of oncology is related to diagnosis and delivery of chemotherapy drugs. There has been strong interest in using nanotechnology to improve radiation oncology.
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