Will nanotechnology transform information technology?

The nanotechnology industry is heralding a new world order and is estimated to grow over $1 trillion by 2015. Since it is distinguished by its interdisciplinary nature, can nanotechnology revolutionize information technology?

Even though it has already bringing in radical changes in the fields of healthcare, textile, paint, rubber, automobile industries, but lately also seeing advances on the IT front.

Talking to CXOtoday, Ashok Kumar Manoli, principal secretary IT, BT & Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka said, “without doubt, nanotechnology is making rapid advances in the IT industry since IT is one of the defining features of today’s world. Nano has made advances in IT even if it is not directly related.”

Recently, IBM researchers have created transistors out of carbon nanotubes that can outperform similar silicon transistors, a development that helps build the case that carbon may one day become a building block of computing.

IBM researchers have outlined how transistors made of carbon nanotubes -- long, thin strands of carbon molecules -- delivered more than twice the amount of electrical current at a faster rate than cutting-edge transistors made from silicon and metal, the basis for chips today.

Likewise, Samsung, world’s leading electronics major has added carbon nanotubes to LCD tellies. Reports indicate that Samsung has been showing off its technology, which uses carbon nanotubes to drop the cost and increase the performance of LCD screens.

According to Masum Khan, product manager of Tesscorn, a leading company in customized equipments for nano research said, “Samsung research institutes have developed a 15-inch prototype LCD screen that employs an array of carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes are used instead of conventional light sources, such as bulbs or light-emitting diodes.”

Khan said that telly technologies would lower the cost of LCD TVs in the coming years.

Nanotech in consumer electronics

Nanotube TV technology has been around for a while and has much in common with traditional cathode-ray sets. The downside is that they need new production lines and would be more expensive than LCDs and Plasma screens.

However, if they are used alongside LCDs they could be used to cut the cost the backlight of LCD TVs. The backlight makes up half the cost of a 40-inch LCD. Samsung said that the partial use of nanotubes could lower energy consumption and improve picture quality. An LCD takes 15 milliseconds to render a picture, while an LCD with carbon nanotubes as a backlight just four milliseconds.

Technologists now want to create an LCD with a carbon backlight that lasts 30,000 hours and puts out 60 to 70 lumens per watt.

The other advances in nanotechnology is the “Nanosilver” technology used in almost all consumer appliances like washing machines, refrigerators where in the nanosilver technology helps fighting bacteria so food remains fresh for longer. Khan said a number of products are already coming out in the market.

Car changes color as per outside climate

On the automobile front, nanotechnology is used to develop a paint that can change color depending on the outside weather. This is possible when a small change in done “nanovoltage” to the paints resulting in change of color. “A number of automobile manufacturers have already expressed interest in the technology but this is still in research stage,” adds Khan.

Nano materials in tyres

Likewise, rubber when mixed with nano materials tends to have longer life than the normal tyres and also less on the wear and tear.


Light bullet proof garments

On the textile front, we already seen garments that are stain resistant and wrinkle free but now armed forces will use garments made of carbon material that are very light and even bullet proof. These garments are also anti-bacterial that can be worn for a number of days.