Nanotech for Societal Bottom

India cannot afford to miss the nanotech bus. The country is ripe both in the need and in the desire to implement nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology refers to the capability to manipulate matter atom-by-atom in order to design structures for diverse functions. But whether or not it touches the bottom of the society is probably one of the major concerns in India.

Nanotechnology is the best that science of materials can provide – it includes all the technological advancements of today. Its influence would be felt in all spheres of life, from agriculture to nuclear engineering and from chemical synthesisto biotechnology. However, the impact of each one would depend upon the society in which the results are implemented. The large Indian problems are distinctly different from those of several of the emerging economies. However, the potential of Indian intellect and the emerging capabilities of the nation suggest a bright nanotechnology future for the country.

Indian contribution to the global nanotechnology research enterprise is significant and is growing steadily. Indian nanotechnology efforts closely parallel the global initiatives in themes, however, properties and applications of single nanoscale structures are still in infancy. In the next few years, nantoechnology is likely to improve human lives in India in areas such as environmental clean up, security/sensing, and agriculture. These areas are likely to receive big thrust from government and private companies as well.

Environmental clean up includes water purification, air purification, and wastewater treatment besides others such as decontamination. The matter of national security is multifaceted; a few important issues are related to detection of genuine currency and real-time sophisticated sensing of toxins, explosives, and biomolecules. In these, nanotechnology can play a pivotal role using novel materials (see Briefing).

In specific areas of relevance to India such as clean water, there have been some efforts. It is probably in this area that new products having nanomaterials are launched; the very first product is in market since 2007. Considering the implications of such research, more efforts are needed. Nanotechnology using new properties of nanostructured materials, while important, is not going to offer the ultimate nano products. For that, new nanoscale phenomena have to be understood and implemented in a sustainable fashion.

Story continues below

Although we have identified problems and have solutions on the horizon, these will get implemented only when significant changes happen in our administrative structures. The country is ripe both in the need and in the desire to implement, but will it happen is a question. We cannot afford to miss the nanotech bus.

T. Pradeep is professor at IIT Madras, Chennai.