Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea |  | Authors: Mark A. Ratner, Daniel Ratner
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
List Price: $39.99
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Seller: elistics
Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 225282
Media: Paperback
Pages: 208
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6 x 0.6
ISBN: 0131014005
Dewey Decimal Number: 620.5
UPC: 076092022008
EAN: 9780131014008
ASIN: 0131014005
Publication Date: November 18, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
This book is the technical and business overview of tomorrow's scientific breakthrough. The authors survey the scientific research and business aspects of the field, try to explain the key concepts, provide a look at current developments, and give some thoughts on where nanotechnology is likely to go in the next few years. The book will be approachable and witty, with lots of illustrations and examples. The focus of the book is on science and technology, but business is discussed as well. The growing interest in nanotechnology by the investment community and the federal dollars going into nanotechnology are explained. Ratner and Ratner go on to explain why the National Science Foundation has estimated that it could be a $1 trillion market by 2015. Nanotechnology, or, as it is sometimes called, molecular manufacturing, is a branch of engineering that deals with the design and manufacture of extremely small electronic circuits and mechanical devices built at the molecular level of matter. Nanotechnology holds promise in the quest for ever-more-powerful computers and communications devices. But the most fascinating applications are in medical science. Nanorobots might serve as programmable antibodies. As disease-causing bacteria and viruses mutate in their endless attempts to get around medical treatments, nanorobots could be reprogrammed to selectively seek out and destroy them. Other nanorobots might be programmed to single out and kill cancer cells.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 29
 Great Book! October 21, 2009
Mohd Ahmed M. Alahmed
This book is so great if you are not a professional or not that much into deep information about the subject but it suggests some books for those interested in more deep information, but as I said if u r not a professional u will get the whole idea about the nanotechnology :D
 One of Three Best Reads for Beginners to Nanotechnology July 9, 2009
Maxim
The discipline of Nanotechnology, as galmorous as it may sound in the media, can be very complex and confusing for a beginner when it comes to understanding and making sense of it. The follwoing three books can help a beginner to ease into this otherwise wonderful field:
1. This Book: Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea. This book introduces both aspects of nanotechnology: science and business. Most of the basic concepts of nanotechnology are covered in a simple way. You don't need to have any technical background to understand this book.The concepts are presented in such a way that they can be understood by readers of all backgrounds. On one hand it takes nontechnical readers on board, and at the same time it does not bore the technical readers either. With practical examples, you get a very good sense of what nanotechnology is up to.
2. Gateway to Nanotechnology: An Introduction to Nanotechnology for Beginner Students and Professionals. This book is written in the format of lecture notes; but very much self contained. Very good introduction to nanotechnology; presents simple exercises with solutions. It's printed in colors. By showing you how different fields have come together to give rise to the field of nanotechnology, it does an excellent job in deevloping the big picture of nanotechnology. In a very concise way, the book covers a wide spectrum of topics in nanotechnology including science behind nanotechnology; nanomaterial characterization; nanofabrication; nanooptics; Nanoelectronics; Nanobiotechnology; business and applications of nanotechnology; and environmental, health, and safety implications of nanotechnology. It provides more technical depth on topics than Ratner's book does. This book combined with Ratner's book will really make your entry into the field of Nanotechnology.
3. Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology This classic written by a visionary is a must for anyone interested in nanotechnology. This book not only visioned the development of nanotechnology it also acted as a catalyst for such development.
An excellent introduction to nanotechnology March 9, 2009
James M. Santos
Anybody without a technical background may be easily swayed by all the hype surrounding nanotechnology. Yes, nanotechnology does hold a lot of promise. But let's separate fact from fiction. "Nanotechnology, A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea" helps us do that. Co-authored by nanotech pioneer Mark Ratner, this book provides an easy to understand introduction to nanotechnology. It is for the non-technical reader wishing to gain a good understanding of this subject. Overall, the book presents scientific concepts in a way that can be understood by readers of any background. It uses graphics and pictures to illustrate certain ideas. It gives you just enough scientific background in order to understand how nanotechnology can be used in various types of applications ranging from computer chips to suntan lotion.
Nanotechnology is a multi-disciplinary field encompassing chemistry, physics, biology, computer science and a host of other applied sciences. In order to understand it, one needs to have a background in atoms and molecules. The book is successful in giving the reader this basic knowledge.
The authors do a good job in presenting scientific concepts in a way that ordinary readers will be able to relate to. For example, in order to explain how research in nanotechnology can further improve the way we harness the power of the sun, the authors had to explain photosynthesis. They did a good job in doing this that even a person far removed from his/her high school biology class will be able to understand it.
Overall, the book achieves its purpose of introducing the non-technical reader to nanotechnology. The writers' style of writing is lucid but at the same time engaging. Their method of describing everyday things familiar to us and relating these to the technical aspects of nanotechnology was very effective in explaining scientific concepts. The book covers a broad range of scientific fields reflecting nanotechnology's multi-disciplinary nature. After reading the book, a reader would have enough knowledge to discern what is fact and what is fiction.
An updated edition of the book is now warranted. New developments in this field have occurred since the book was published. Intel, for one, has already demonstrated its 32nm-based microprocessor. At the time the book was written, the existing chip technology that the authors mentioned was 130nm. Even with some examples already outdated though, I would highly recommend the book to anyone wishing to get a good understanding of nanotechnology. This book is truly a "Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea".
Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea January 12, 2007
IAMS (Philadelphia, PA USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Good book for begginers. It starts simple and build you up. Not too many hard conecpts.
Medical: Quantam Dots, Colloids, Cantilevers, Dendrimers, Nanoshells December 6, 2006
Golden Lion (North Ogden, Ut United States)
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
Quantum Dots contain only a few hundred atoms. Because the electrons in a quantum dot are confined to widely separated energy levels, the dot emits only one wavelength of light when excited. The size of the dot determines its electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. Quantum Dot Corporation has developed a QD cadmium selenide nanoparticle for use as biological labels. Researchers can tag proteins and nucleic acids with QD and illuminate them with ultraviolet light and the crystal will fluoresce at a specific wavelength and show the location of attached proteins. How does a QD work? An organic dye molecule absorbs only photons of light with just the right energy to lift its electrons from their quiescent state to one of the higher levels available to them. The incident light must be exactly the right wavelength or color. The molecule will emit a photon when the electron falls to a lower energy level.
Colloids: nanoparticles in suspension. IBM is exploring using colloids to build ultrahigh density data storage. IBM is using colloids containing magnetic nanoparticles 3 nm across, each composing of about 1,000 iron and platinum atoms. The colloid is spread on a surface and the solvent allowed to evaporate and these nanoparticles crytalize into 2 or 3 dimensional arrays. These arrays could hold trillions of bits per square inch.
Cantilevers: IBM is exploring using atomic force microscopes to screen samples for certain genetic sequences. They attach short strands of DNA to the tops of cantilevers. When genetic material carrying a complementary sequence binds to the anchored strands, it induces a surface stress, which bends the cantilevers subtly, by use nanometers, but enough for detection.
Dendrimers: An dendrimer is an artifical molecule. Dendrimers are globular molecules about the size of a typical protein, but they do not come apart or unfold because they are held together with stronger chemical bonds. Dendrimers can be engineered to transport DNA into cells for gene therapy. Dendrimers offer control. It may be possible to design dendrimers that spontaneously swell and liberate their contents oly when the appropriate trigger molecules are present. This ability would allow a custom-made dendrimer to release its load of drugs I just the tissues or organs needing treatment.
Nanoshells: Nanoshells are extremely small beads of glass coated with gold. Nanoshells capture energy in near-infrared fashion. Such a nanoshell could be made to deliver drug molecules at specific times by attaching it to a capsule made of heat-sensitive polymer. The capsule would release its contents only when gentle heating of the attached nonshell caused it to deform. Another more dramatic application envisions connecting nanoshells with antibodies. The antibodies attach to the tumor cells and the nanoshells are heated using high power infrared sufficiently to destroy the cancer cells, while leaving nearby tissue unharmed.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 29
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