Nanotechnologies: What we do not know
Vuk Uskoković
Technology in Society, 2007, vol. 29, issue 1, 43-61
Abstract:
This paper considers the impossibilities, uncertainties and undefined relationships that may be involved in extending scientific and humanistic interest towards the development of nanosciences and nanotechnologies. The author proposes a closed loop that moves from material properties, to synthesis procedures, to applied functioning of nanoproducts and their place within ecosystems and societies, to the design of novel features of nanomaterials. Unpredictabilities that may occur in the transition from micro to nano within material structures are described. The paper then discusses trial-and-error approaches and self-organization effects within every nanodesign procedure, and considers the impossibility of forming perfect nanoproducts. Uncertainties arising from environmental effects, and the extensive future use of nanoproducts within bio/technological interfaces pave way for the study of GM case and discussion of sustainability and zero-waste potential.
Keywords: Nano; Nanoscience; Nanotechnology; Genetically modified foods; Sustainability; Zero waste; Trial-and-error approach; Bioengineering; Ecology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)
Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X06000480
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.
Export reference: BibTeX
RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan)
HTML/Text
Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:teinso:v:29:y:2007:i:1:p:43-61
DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2006.10.005
Access Statistics for this article
Technology in Society is currently edited by Charla Griffy-Brown
More articles in Technology in Society from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().