1. What is NANO ?
The word "nano” came from a Greek word meaning "midget” and later took on the definition of 10-9m in length measurement.Nano is short for nanometer, or nm, a measurement of length; it is equal to 0.0000000001m. A nanometer is 1 / 80,000 the diameter of a piece of human hair. It is the combined length of 2-3 metallic atoms.
2. Microscopic Universe In Nature
A nano world refers to a world 1nm~100nm in size
• Hydrogen atoms (o.1--0.4nm)
• DNA (2nm)
• Virus (100nm)
• Carbon nano tube (2nm)
• Light touch median particles (10nm)
• CMOS components (100nm)
3. Nano and The World
( Lotus Leaf )
Have you ever wondered why the water on lotus leaves are always in perfectly round beads that slide right off, but not so on other leave surfaces? This phenomenon was observed in 1990 by a German scientist, who found that the surface of a lotus leaf was full of protruding epidermal cells between 5 to 15um, which were covered with water-repelling waxy fibers 100 nanometers in size. Because air fills in the gaps between the protruding epidermal cells, water cannot come in contact with the lotus leaf surface, and the structure of microfibers heightens its liquid repellency. This effect prevents the water droplets from attaching to the surface of the object, so beads of water are free to move about quickly, hovering over this surface. With enough momentum, the water will slide off the surface, taking with it all dirt and other dust particles, thus producing the "self-cleaning effect” of the lotus.
( Dolphin Skin )
The seemingly smooth shape and texture of dolphin skin naturally prevents marine creatures from clinging it. Using high-powered electron microscopy, researchers have found that dolphin skin, for all its seeming smoothness, is slightly rippled on the nanometer scale. These ripples are not large enough to hinder movement through the water but are small enough that they leave few "niches" for marine creatures to grip. By adapting the qualities of the dolphin skin, scientists are currently developing a group of nontoxic "antifouling" coatings that may one day inhibit marine organisms such as barnacles, tube worms and zoo spores from attaching to the hulls of ships so that they may become more fuel-efficient.
( Insect Wings )
Insects in flight must keep their balance, and any dust or dew on their wings will influence their sense of balance and therefore hinder their ability to fly. Most insects, especially those bigger in size, cannot clean their wings with their limbs and must depend on the self-cleaning abilities of the wings with nano structure themselves to reduce the possibility of dirt, dust, and dew sticking.