Page 6 - Book Hosokawa Nanoparticle Technology Handbook

Preface

During the last few years the term “Nanotechnology” is increasingly employed to describe the process tech-
nologies and analytical techniques for material in the ultrafine range of the order of a millionth of a milli-
meter. Because they are sure to take an important part in shaping the 21st century, great attention is being paid
to these technologies, with many countries actively involved in R&D. As the link between these new tech-
nologies and the established particle and powder technology, ‘‘Nanoparticle technology’’ includes the concepts
and know-how to create, process and apply the ultrafine particles in the nanometer range, and is one of the
key technologies for new material developments.
The technologies that are used to treat powders arrived with mankind, and countless inventions and improve-
ments have been made during history. These particles and powders have very different properties from the bulk
materials from which they are derived. There are applications to be seen in all industrial areas.
The history of the academic study of particle and powder technology is not so old. The first related society,
Chubu Association of Powder Technology, was founded in Japan in 1956. It later became the Society of Powder
Technology, Japan, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006. Correspondingly, the Hosokawa Micromeritics
Laboratory was established in 1956 and published its 50th anniversary issue of the annual technical journal
Funsai (The Micromeritics) also in 2006.
Throughout this period a key issue has been to reduce the size of particles to maximise their functional prop-
erties and thus find new applications and create new products with superior performance. Great interest has been
shown in submicron and even finer particles. Research and development has advanced at a rapid rate due to the
cooperation of academia and industry in many areas, starting with particle creation and particle size analysis,
and expanding to encompass particle design and processing in the micron- and nanometer-size ranges. Japan has
been at the forefront in the conception and development of these technologies.
Due to this interest, the second World Congress in Particle Technology (WCPT) was held in Kyoto in 1990.
Eight years later at the 3rd WCPT in Brighton, the author highlighted the importance of these ultrafine par-
ticles to an audience of about 700 researchers and engineers during the opening speech. Hosokawa Micron
Corp., which celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2006, has been engaged in R&D on particle creation by the
build-up (bottom up) method in both gaseous and liquid phases for more than 20 years. The result of this
research, as combined with that on conventional grinding (top-down) processes, has led to the establishment
of a mass production system for nanoparticles and to the foundation of a business based on application of
these nanoparticles to functional materials.
Founded 15 years ago, the Hosokawa Powder Technology Foundation holds an annual symposium on
powder technology for the exchange of information on particle engineering and powder technology. Since
2001, the main topics of the symposium have, in response to the requirements of industry, been related to
nanoparticles and nanostructure control. The number of grant proposals received by our Foundation for
research into nanoparticles continues to increase, and currently 40% of some 120 proposals relate to
nanoparticles.
As a result of this trend, we published 3 years ago, the book Nanoparticle Technology to promote nanopar-
ticle-related engineering by documentating the technologies constituting in this field. That book was very well
received, and to continue contributing to the common welfare through the promotion of powder technology,
we decided to systematically update Nanoparticle Technology, adding further developments and many exam-
ples of applications. The results of that effort were published in the form of a handbook, first in Japanese in
the memorable year 2006, and with the present volume, in English this year. Although R&D in nanoparticle
technology advances rapidly, and the contents of the future editions are sure to change, we hope the present

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