Week 8 - Nanotech and Art

In this weeks lecture, Dr. Gimzewski explained the history of Nanotechnology and how it connected and impacted the arts. 

 

Roman cup, colored with copper nanoparticles

One specific part of nanotechnology that has a big role in the arts is the nanoparticle. Nanoparticles have actually been present in art even around 400 B.C. The Romans used nano-sized gold particles to color cups which gave unique tints and reflections. Dr. Gimzewski explains that nanoparticles can be used to generate a diverse multitude of pigments that can be used to color objects.

Nanoparticles have also made an appearance in cosmetic products. Dr. Gimzewski states that many cosmetic companies are investing in nanotechnology in order to improve their products.

Lotus Leaf with water droplets

Nanotechnology can also change the physical properties of a material. One example is the lotus leaf and how it interacts with water. On a microscopic scale, lotus leaves are covered with bumps that prevent water drops from breaking apart, so water just forms beads on the surface.

Another example is given through the Blue Morpho Butterfly wing. The proteins that make the wing are not pigmented. Through this, it becomes clear that nanoparticles aren’t the only things that cause color. For this wing, the color comes from light being altered at the nano-scale level. The structure of the proteins in the wing cause light to be refracted/reflected in a certain way that causes blue light to be reflected and perceived.

However, nanotechnology also comes with risks and downsides, a major example of that being food. With poverty levels increasing, many people have been researching sustainability and new food production methods. Researchers have augmented food with nanoparticles in order to maintain/improve quality. Nevertheless, this can be harmful for the body, and therefore brings up many questions on the ethical application of nanotechnology.

In the end, nanotechnology can be useful for many things, especially in the future, with the trend being compactness and efficiency. It can prove useful for scientific research as well as art. However, one obstacle will be the division of funding, as nanotechnology is no cheap commodity, and with the unstable economy today, it will prove to be a difficult hurdle.

Sources:

Butterflies | Causes of Color. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2017.

"Nanowerk Emerging Technology News." Nanowerk. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2017.

The Arid Arborist - Dew Harvest. "The Arid Arborist and Gardener." The Lotus Leaf Inspired Waterboxx Lid. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 29 May 2017.

"The Cost of Nanotechnology." Emerson Process Experts. N.p., 16 Sept. 2014. Web. 29 May 2017.

"This 1,600-Year-Old Goblet Shows that the Romans Were Nanotechnology 

Pioneers." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, 01 Sept. 2013. Web. 29 May 2017.