The Future of Nano: Energy and Textiles

June 24, 2008

Nano has been on my mind lately, mostly because of Andrew Maynard's recent My Take on the Discovery Tech site, in which he discusses the need fund research into the risks associated with nanotech. It may have a dark side.

Recently, a marketing company called RNOS released a report about the growing market of nanotechnology. A great blog on Nanowerk summarizes the report, which costs an arm and a leg.

Some key points

• -the market for nanoparticles in the energy sector is poised to grow 59 percent by 2012 from 2006
• -nanotechnologies being used in textiles (think surface coatings and smart clothing) could grow more than 53 percent by 2012
• global spending on nanotechnology grew 29 percent in 2006
• nanotechnology investments by the government were initially led by Europe, North America and Japan. However, countries such as Russia, China, Brazil, Turkey and India have joined the trend and are making significant investments into the sector.

That kind of growth is simultaneously exciting and scary. Think of the many problems nanotech can solved. Energy being a biggie. But we know so little about the technology and the implications of it infused into our society. The promise of big profits will certainly plow this industry forward. I hope that we can find a way to keep up with the machine to ensure the technology's safety.

Image: Pulickel Ajayan, Rice University