Archive | 2019
Nanotechnology in Ancient Era
Abstract
Nanotechnology is defined as design and production of structures, devices, and systems by controlled manipulation of sizes and shapes at atomic, molecular, and macromolecular scale where properties differ significantly from those of bulk materials. Although the concept of “nanoscience/nanotechnology” was introduced by the Nobel laureate Richard Feynman in 1959, long before the beginning of “nanoera,” ancient people used various nanoparticles and processes related to it. Some classic examples are the Lycurgus cup: A cup made up of glass containing gold–silver-alloyed nanoparticles which change color from greenish-yellow to red when light is shone on it; Maya blue: a corrosion-resistant blue pigment which consists of indigo molecules incorporated into needle-shaped palygorskite crystallites; Damascus steel sword: an unbreakable and exceptionally sharp sword built using steel blades containing oriented nanowires- and nanotube-like structure. Nevertheless, the breakthrough of nanotechnology has been permitted over the last three decades due to invention of many techniques/instrument which allowed the manipulation and observation of the nanoworld. Nowadays, nanomaterials/nanoparticles are being used for many applications in daily life, such as in the fields of electronics, catalysis, optics, biology, and medicine. This chapter presents an overview of nanotechnology, from ancient eras.