Nanotechnology: Prospects and Perspectives

DURAN, NELSON; BOSIO V.E.; FRATE, L.; CASTRO G.R

Recent Developments in Biotechnology: Nano Biotechnology

Publishing Director & Managing Editor STUDIUM PRESS LLC P.O. Box 722 200

Lugar: Houston; Año: 2013; p. 1024 - 1072

Nanotechnology as an application of Science and Engineering at the nanometer scale toward many different uses, provide a promising development of devices, with large benefits to the society by having a wide variety of uses that will expand the opportunities in different areas. The design, characterization, production, and application of structures, devices, and systems by controlled manipulation of size and shape at the nanometer scale can produces structures, devices, and systems with at least one novel/superior characteristic or property (Bawa et al. 2007). Micelles, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, cyclodextrin, dendrimers, nanotubes metallic nanoparticles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, graphenes and graphene oxides, quantum dots, nanoemulsions and nanohybrid structures are some of many systems with exiting propoerties in the nanoscience for nantoechology applications. The main uses of nanobiotechnology can be summarize in a few important fields like agriculture (new products of fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, and nutrients), food packaging and bioactive encapsulation, nanosensors and nanobiosensors, environmental biotechnology and nanomedicine devices for treatment of chronic and acute pathologies (control drug delivery methods), regenerative therapies, visualization, diagnoses, pharmaceuticals and surgery. In this chapter, each topic of these fundamental areas will be analyzed in terms of the present applications and perspectives for the next decades.