Week 8 Nanotech and Art

Nanotechnology is a rising industry that is affecting our lives increasingly. I am always aware of its existence but have no idea what it really is. This week’s lectures gives me a refreshing introduction to nanotechnologies and this subject is truly amazing to me.


One of the topics that strikes me most is the scanning tunneling microscopy. It is able to image surfaces at atomic level to a precision of 0.1 to 0.01 nanometers. This allows people to get rough images of molecules and atoms, which is inconceivable before. Another application of nanotechnology is in medical areas, in which case it can target specific tumors in human body and directly cure disease. This is more efficient and effective than the usual drug treatments in that it directly attacks the ill cells.


Apart from scientific applications, there are possibilities of artistic practices. One of them is for stain glasses and glazing purposes as mentioned by Jim. Back in the Middle Ages, people had found ways to produce colors not by glazing, but by nanosized particles. The art piece made in this way looks more delicate than the usual coloring techniques. Another potential application I conceive is the self-organization of nanoparticles. Snowflakes are formed out of water but have surprisingly beautiful structures. This is due to the self-assembly of water molecules under certain conditions. Such properties can be used by artists to make art pieces. Instead of manually controlling the transformation of particles, they let the particles assemble by themselves. In this way they can create the most natural art piece.









Reference
Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotechs for Artists Part 2. N.p. N.d.
       https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/684222/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=11226175
Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotechs for Artists Part 3. N.p. N.d.
       https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/684222/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=11226175
Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotechs for Artists Part 4. N.p. N.d.
       https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/684222/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=11226175
Gimzewski, Jim. Nanotechs for Artists Part 5. N.p. N.d.
       https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/684222/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=11226175
Unknown. Nano. N.p. N.d.
       http://blogs.dunyanews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/nano.jpg
Unknown. Stained Glass Dome. N.p. N.d.
       http://blogs.dunyanews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/nano.jpg
Unknown. Snowflake. N.p. N.d.
       http://eskipaper.com/images/snowflake-4.jpg


Comments

  1. UnknownMay 29, 2017 at 10:30 PM

    I also think nanotechnology is truly amazing. In addition to your example of targeting tumors, nanotechnology can significantly help scientists in research. Quantum dots is a useful resource for labeling cells. It helps scientists target the gene of interest that they want to study. Quantum dots provide a spectrum of colors and can distinguish more than one gene at one time, which is necessary in the field of research.

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