Page 139 - Nanotechnology an introduction

Appendix: Nano Neologisms

Any new technology almost inevitably introduces new words. A great many of the terms that have been invented for nanotechnology are simply
existing words with “nano” prefixing them. Their meaning is therefore self-evident; a formal definition is only needed in some cases to remove
ambiguity. This Appendix describes these and some other new words, given in alphabetical order.
Errification. A change in the parameters of a system that promotes a higher incidence of defective components, or errors in operation.
Eutactic. (adj.) Describes the ideal nano-environment, in which every atom is positioned and oriented as desired. The eutactic environment is an
essential precursor for carrying out mechanosynthetic chemistry (cf. Section 8.3).
Micro-Enabled Nanotechnology. A general challenge of nanotechnology is how to scale it up or out in order to provide artifacts usable by human
beings. Microtechnology has the potential to act as a key intermediary in this process. For example, nanocatalysts may line the inner tubes of a
microchemical reactor [84].

Nanification. To approach the meaning of the word “nanification”, think of miniaturization but in a more all-encompassing fashion. To nanify
electronics, for example, is not only to make individual components smaller (right down to the nanoscale) but also to adapt all parts of the industry to
that situation, including design aspects. In short, nanification means introducing nanotechnology in an integrated rather than a piecemeal fashion.
Hence, to nanify manufacture is, ultimately, to introduce molecular manufacturing, which involves not only the actual assembly devices themselves,
but also logistics, indeed the entire supply chain, and the (re)organization of the economic system. Nanification of physical systems (designed for
human use) implies vastification (q.v.)—many systems are required to work in parallel in order to achieve something of practical use. But in each
individual system fluctuations will play an enhanced role (see, e.g., Section 2.4).
Nanobiology. The obvious meaning is the investigation of biological objects at the nanoscale. It is difficult to perceive how this differs from
molecular biology. The application of nanotechnology to biological research is called nanobiotechnology (see Chapter 4). We deprecate use of the
word “nanobiology” as a synonym for molecular biology. On the other hand, the mindset of molecular biology, which is rooted in biology and
chemistry, is very different from that of nanotechnology, which is rooted in engineering and physics. Nanobiology has a valuable meaning
describing the scrutiny of biological processes at the molecular level using the formal scientific method associated with physics, namely the
mapping of the observed phenomena onto numbers, and the manipulation of those numbers using the rules of mathematics. The relationship of
nanobiology to molecular biology is the same as that of Sommerhoff's analytical biology [154] to biology.
Nanoblock. Nanostructured object, typically made by a bottom-to-bottom assembly process, and designed to be capable of self-assembling into a
finished object, or being conveniently processed using conventional microscopic or macroscopic techniques.
Nanochemistry. If one allows nanobiology, it seems highly appropriate to also allow this term, defined as chemistry with explicit consideration of
processes involving only a few molecules. It could therefore be said to have been founded by Alfred Rényi with his landmark paper on reactions
involving very small numbers [147]. Micromixing as studied by chemical engineers, but extended down to the nanoscale, would also belong to
nanochemistry.
Nanocriterion. A very useful word, meaning a criterion that can be applied to determine whether something is nanotechnology or not.
Nanofacture. Contraction of nanomanufacture. Linguistic purists prefer this word because the etymology of manufacture implies the involvement of
human hands in the making process (however, manufacture is currently used to describe operations taking place in a wholly automated factory).
Nanology. Surprisingly, given its obvious parentage, this word has been rather rarely used so far. It is useful as an umbrella term covering both
nanotechnology and nanoscience, and could be used wherever it is awkward to distinguish between them.
Nanonutrition. The exact quantification of all elements and compounds (in principle, by enumerating them) present in food. The word is contrasted
with micronutrition, which is defined as the micronutrients (vitamins, trace elements, etc.) which are required for assimilation and transforming the
macronutrients (the energy-rich proteins, carbohydrates and lipids), from which the micronutrients cannot be synthesized by our bodies. This term
does not yet appear to be in use, but is included in this list to illustrate the essential difference between “micro” and “nano” approaches.

Nanoscience. Is there a need for this term? Sometimes it is defined as “the science underlying nanotechnology”. If so, is it not those parts of
biology, chemistry and physics that can be grouped under the term of “molecular sciences”? It is the technology of designing and making functional
objects at the nanoscale that is new; science has long been working at this scale and below; for some time in universities and research institutes a
movement has existed to unite departments of chemistry and molecular biology, and some parts of physics, into a “department of molecular
sciences”. No one is arguing that fundamentally new physics emerges at the nanoscale; rather, it is the new combinations of phenomena
manifesting themselves at that scale that constitute the new technology. The term “nanoscience” therefore appears to be superfluous if used in this
sense. A possible meaning could, however, be to denote those parts of molecular sciences that are useful (at any particular epoch) for
nanotechnology. Another possible meaning is the science of mesoscale approximation, which amounts to roughly the same as virtual
nanotechnology (see the legend to Figure 1.1). The description of a protein as a string of amino acids provides a good example: at the mesoscale,
one does not need to inquire into details of the internal structure (at the atomic and subatomic levels) of the amino acids. This is perhaps the most
useful meaning that can be assigned to the term.

Nanoscope. Device for observing in the nanoscale. The term “microscope” is clearly misleading: an optical microscope cannot resolve features in
the nanoscale. Unfortunately the word was (rather unthinkingly but perhaps understandably) applied to new instruments such as the electron
microscope and the scanning tunneling microscope well able to resolve objects in the nanoscale. It may be too late to change this usage, in which
case the term “ultramicroscope” might be used instead, a word which is already established in German.
Scaleout. Massive parallelization of a nanoscale production process.

Sensorization. The embedding or incorporation of large numbers of sensors into a structure (which might be something fixed like a bridge or a