long -term global strategy for food and agriculture

A Global Strategic Roadmap for

Nanotechnology Applications in Agriculture ?

John E.E. Baglin

IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA 95120, USA

[email protected]

Long-term global strategy for food and agriculture development -

Consider the Big Picture now !

Opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of IBM .

OUTLINE

Why is Nano Different from Macro?

Nanotechnology Applications

Implementation of Nanotechnology

Terminology and Regulation

Big-Picture Issues and Opportunities

Conclusions

WHY IS NANO DIFFERENT FROM MACRO?

“Nanos” = dwarf (Greek) Nano-scale simply refers to “tiny”

Fundamental distinctions exist between Nano-Scale and Macro-scale.

Examples of the Nanoscale World

- Placing single atoms on a surface

Cryo STM images – single atoms, logic, science

- Growth of a nano-particle

Properties progress from surface-driven to volume energy

- Catalysis

Surface chemistry + configuration change

kinetics/energetics for chemical reaction

- Nano-Composites

Optical sensors

High tensile strength Portland cement

WHY IS NANO DIFFERENT FROM MACRO?

“Nanos” = dwarf (Greek) Nano-scale simply refers to “tiny”

Fundamental distinctions exist between Nano-Scale and Macro-scale.

Examples of the Nanoscale World

- Placing single atoms on a surface

Cryo STM images – single atoms, logic, science

- Growth of a nano-particle

Properties progress from surface-driven to volume energy

- Catalysis

Surface chemistry + configuration change

kinetics/energetics for chemical reaction

- Nano-Composites

Optical sensors

High tensile strength Portland cement

X enon atom s on N i(110) - E ig ler and Schweizer (1990)

Q uantum corra l

Fe on Cu(111) - C rom m ie et a l. 1993

M olecular assem bly

Cs8I8

- Hopkinson et a l. (1994)

Atom ic im aging and

m anipulation on surfaces

Scanning Tunneling

M icroscopy (STM )

X enon atom s on N i(110) - E ig ler and Schweizer (1990)

Q uantum corra l

Fe on Cu(111) - C rom m ie et a l. 1993

M olecular assem bly

Cs8I8

- Hopkinson et a l. (1994)

Atom ic im aging and

m anipulation on surfaces

Scanning Tunneling

M icroscopy (STM )

More Examples of the Nanoscale World

- Self-assembly

Raindrops; snowflakes …; surfactants for oil

Salts, metals

C60, CNTs, tetrahedral amorphous carbon, graphene, diamond

Properties and interactions totally related to structures

- Surface passivation.

Corrosion; C on metals; Hydrophilicity; BioActivity of surfaces; H on Si;

native oxides

- Polymers – Diblocks; patterns guided

(energy minimization theme)

- Organic Molecules

Protein folding, RNA, DNA, etc.

DNA sequencing

More Examples of the Nanoscale World

- Self-assembly

Raindrops; snowflakes …; surfactants for oil

Salts, metals

C60, CNTs, tetrahedral amorphous carbon, graphene, diamond

Properties and interactions totally related to structures

- Surface passivation.

Corrosion; C on metals; Hydrophilicity; BioActivity of surfaces; H on Si;

native oxides

- Polymers – Diblocks; patterns guided

(energy minimization theme)

- Organic Molecules

Protein folding, RNA, DNA, etc.

DNA sequencing

c-axis

c/a = 0.96

Unique Properties of Carbon Nanotubes• Size: Nanostructures with dimensions

of ~1 nm diameter (~10 atoms around

the cylinder)

• Electronic Properties: Can be either

metallic or semiconducting depending on

diameter and orientation of the hexagons

• Mechanical: Very high strength,

modulus, and resiliency. Good

properties on both compression and

extension.

• Physics: 1D density of electronic states

• Single molecule Raman spectroscopy

and luminescence.

• Single molecule transport properties.

• Heat pipe, electromagnetic waveguide.

chiral

zigzag

armchair

graphene sheet SWNT

Nanometric Scale Protein Adsorption Processes

Surface:

Charge

Roughness

Polar domain

Dispersive

domain

Proteins:

•Polar groups

•Charged groups

•Non-polar groups

Solution:

Positive and negative ions,

Water molecules,

Driving Interactions

•Coulomb•Charge-dipole•Dipole-dipole•“Van der Waals”•Hydrophobic •Interaction

The initial interaction of a protein with the surfaces depends on the spatial “matching” of the different domains.

per G.Marletta, 2009.

Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymer Films

Polar PMMA block adsorbs on polar surfaces; PS prefers air.

Interface energy minimization makes lamellae.

Non-polar substrate, no pattern: edge-on lamellae, in swirls.

Patterned substrate, at 24nm pitch, makes straight, parallel stripes, alternating PS/PMMA/PS/PMMA …….

R.Register, Princeton, in Nature,July’03

Polar substrate

Pre-patterned substrate (polar/non polar)

NANOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS

Enabling Role

Nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanotechnology all will have massive impact on the

ultimate success of the evolving global industries of agriculture and food, over

the long term.

(a) Providing enabling instrumentation for global surveillance systems, and

computer modeling predictions for climate change, land use, water resources,

market projections, population movements and ecosystem changes.

(b) Providing advanced instrumentation for precise, specific, sensitive, cheap, fast

analysis of the physical/chemical constituents, functional performance, and

potential toxicity of food products, food packaging and handling materials,

water, air, bio-mass, fertilizers, pesticides, soils, and assessing environmental

impacts.

(c) Enabling fundamental research and invention, aimed to create new fabrication

processes, and 'smart' materials that can improve the economics and

productivity of agriculture and contribute to human nutrition.


Enabling Role - an Example

From : P.J.J. Alvarez, Qilin Li and J. Brame, FAO Mini-Paper, 2010.

Engineered Nanomaterials (ENM) Opportunities in Water Treatment and Re-Use

Desirable ENM

Properties

Examples of ENM-Enabled Technologies

Large surface area to

volume ratio

Superior sorbents with high, irreversible adsorption capacity

(e.g.,nanomagnetite to remove arsenic and other heavy metals)

Enhanced catalytic

properties

Hypercatalysts for advanced oxidation (TiO2 & fullerene-based

photocatalysts) & reduction processes (Pd/Au to dechlorinate TCE)

Antimicrobial properties Disinfection without harmful byproducts (e.g., enhanced solar and

UV disinfection by TiO2& derivatized fullerenes), surface

nanopatterning for biofouling control

Multi-functionality

(antibiotic, catalytic, etc.)

Fouling-resistant (self-cleaning), functionalized filtration

membranes that inactivate virus and destroy organic contaminants

Self-assembly on surfaces Surface structures that decrease bacterial adhesion, biofilm

formation and corrosion of water distribution and storage systems

High conductivity Novel electrodes for capacitive deionization (electro-sorption) and

lowcost,energy-efficient desalination of high salinity water

Fluorescence Sensitive sensors to detect pathogens and other priority pollutants


New materials will be invented or developed, in some of which

the key to success is their incorporation of engineered

nanoscale particles or coatings or structures that endow the

products with new functional capabilities. e.g., stainless steel,

graphene, semiconductors, magnetic disk storage, solar

cells,....

Opportunities for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology reach far beyond the manufacture of nano-engineered materials related

to the food chain, and water resources.

Regulatory activity must be specific and precise. It must not

continue to depend sloppily on the ubiquitous, catch-all terms

"Nanotechnology" or "Nanomaterials".

IMPLEMENTATION

Nano-fabrication:

Manufacturing products that include nanoscale structures,

layers, patterns, chemistry

Requires:

- Appropriate tools – e.g. chip lithography, biomaterial

imaging, DNA sequencing, …

- Product performance criteria to suit market

- Economic criteria: cost, throughput, yield

- Quality control

- Safety issues – short term and long term

precursor

gas

assisted deposition modification

of materials

substrate

patterned

ion beam

(200x reduction)

ion milling / etching

Programmable

Aperture plate

ion species: H+, He+, Ar+, Xe+, …

resolution: 25 nm < 10 nm potential

Technology and Innovation

CHARPAN Process and Application

Some Modes of Nano Engineering with Ion Beams

Courtesy W. Bruenger et al., 2005

Ion Beam (Focused or Patterned)Appropriate Tool for Nano-Fabrication

Self-Organized Ripples on Ion-Irradiated Si(111)H. Bola George, A.-D. Brown, M.R. McGrath, J. Erlebacher and M.J. Aziz,

MRS Symp. Proc. 908E, OO2.4 (2005)

250 eV 500 eV 1200 eV

Ar+

717ºC, 60º off normal0.75 mA cm-2

256 min.

(20, 20, 10 m2)

Self-Organized Surface Ripple Pattern - Period ~100nm

Helium Ion Beam Writing Courtesy P. Alkemade and D.Maas

For demonstration of

the image resolution of

0.24 Nanometers a

linescan over the very

sharp edge of an

asbestos fiber on a thin

holey carbon foil is

shown. The texture of

the holey carbon foil

demonstrates the

extremely high surface

sensitivity of the

ORION® which equals

or even exceeds the

surface sensitivity of an

SEM operated at 1kV

and below.

Helium Ion Microscope Surface Resolution Courtesy P. Alkemade and D.Maas

Sequencing Single Stranded DNA with Nanopore MembraneJ. Golovchenko Group

Diameter of single strand about 2nm. DNA molecule negatively charged in salt solution. Field attracts. DNA blocks hole in 5-nm thick Si3N4 membrane. Resistivity increase sensitive to type of bases currently trapped.

D. Fologea et al., Nano Lett. 5, 1905 (2005).

Electrophoresis

Sequencing Single Stranded DNA with Nanopore MembraneJ. Golovchenko Group

Peng Chen et al., Nano Lett. 4, 1333 (2004).

Closing FIB holes with ALD of Al2O3

FIB

+ALD

Translocation current vs. time for bacteriophage lambda DNA (48 kbp)

Anomaly shows portion of molecule is folded.

2.0 nm dia.

IMPLEMENTATION

R & D in Agri-Directed Applications (Examples)

- Water purification on large scale

- Soil engineering

- Drug delivery for food animals (external control, targeted)

- DNA/protein development for specific crop/animal

enhancements/modifications

- Bio-sensors

- Electronic nose

- Bio-fuel processing (catalysts/ genetic engineering)

- Develop environmental standards (and tools to apply them),

relating to toxicity and lifetimes of nano materials in the

biosphere.

TERMINOLOGY AND REGULATION

We have been practicing nanotechnology forever.

- It governs all steps of the evolution of species

- It gives us a passivating layer of oxide on stainless steel

- It makes Scotch tape stick

- It governs the behavior of semiconductors – and all the

electronic devices and systems that use them

- ... and so on.......

So, statements of policy or strategy that designate their

target with no more specificity than the words

“nanotechnology” or “nanomaterials” can have no legitimacy,

and no legal validity. They would make no scientific sense.

TERMINOLOGY AND REGULATION

Need Scientific Specificity Everywhere

Problem with 'Generic' Words - "Nano-food" is meaningless.

- "Nanoparticles in Food" designates the specific agent suspected of toxicity. But only some sizes, shapes, chemistry, and concentrations of nanoparticles are

apparently toxic. Others are apparently not (e.g. milk micelles 50 - 500 nm ).

- "Nanotechnology" is omnipresent, in many forms - most unrelated to food or

agriculture.

- "Nano-Engineered Bio Materials" implies an enormous class of synthesized

products that might call for regulation and scrutiny. Tighter definitions would

be preferable.

Identifying clearly the hazardous objects and the conditions that make them hazardous, is an essential pre-cursor to writing any effective regulations.

TERMINOLOGY AND SPECIFICITY

A STORY ABOUT SPECIFICITY - ( and EDUCATION }

Two semi-rural Counties, California, 2008. Fruit growing + residential areas.

- Infestation by the Light Brown Apple Moth detected by Agriculture Dept.

- Alarmed officials ordered aerial pesticide spraying over the whole area.

- Alarmed residents reported respiratory illness (some severe) after first spraying.

- Residents: "Stop the program!". Officials: "This pesticide is certified non-

toxic!"

- Big political fight.

Scientific investigation

Summary: Respiratory problems exist for many people who inhale aerosol particles of

size 0.1 - 2.5 microns. Spray manufacturer's rating said the mean particle size was

coarse ~10 microns. So officials insisted it must be safe. However, this aerosol is

delivered with a wide dispersity of particle sizes. So people allergic to particles <2

microns still suffered. Controlling particle size with better equipment could

presumably resolve the issues. BUT residents continued to blame the pesticide

chemical itself, and try to have it banned. Officials never understood at all.

[The eradication spray was based on polymer-encapsulated pheromones, aerosolized.]

BIG-PICTURE ISSUES

- Trained technical workforce – Nanotech degree programs; Extension

Programs; Vocational training

- Science Education / Science Literacy – include general population

- Climate change – plan land use changes ahead (including water)

- Land Use Optimization – satellite imaging

- Food versus Energy Sources / Fuels

- Sustainable technology (greenhouse gases)

- Environmental monitoring (and modeling)

- Market changes

- Long-term projected consequences in land use (e.g., toxic build-up;

aquifer changes; depletion of essential minerals)

- Sustained advancement of underlying basic and applied research

- Information aggregation, networks, and access

- Intellectual Property and Proprietary Information (need definitive,

global rules).

BIG-PICTURE ISSUES









- Market changes

- Long-term projected consequences in land use (e.g., toxic build-up; aquifer

changes; depletion of essential minerals)




global rules).

European Nanotechnology Roadmap [GENNESYS]

Courtesy M. Van De Voorde, 2009

MIT Professional Education

Programs

Topics for Continuing Education Units– Biotechnology / Pharmaceutical

Computing / Networks / CommunicationsData Modeling & AnalysisEnergy / TransportationHigh-Speed ImagingLasers / PhysicsLean EnterpriseNano & Micro Technology / TribologySupply Chain / Marketing / IQSystems EngineeringTechnology & Organizations

http://web.mit.edu/mitpep/pi/courses_topic.html













ACS Short Course Topics

• Biological/Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry

• Chromatography

• Computers

• Engineering

• Food Chemistry

• Intellectual Property

• Management/Business/Professional Development

• Organic/Physical

• Polymer

• Quality/Regulatory/Compliance

• Spectrometry

• Statistics/Experimental Design/Chemometrics

http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/careers/profdev/continuing/shortcourses/topics/CTP_006403












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BIG-PICTURE ISSUES









- Market changes

- Long-term projected consequences in land use (e.g., toxic build-up; aquifer

changes; depletion of essential minerals)




global rules).

As Mark Twain put it,

“The trouble with the world is

not that people know too little,

it’s that they know so many

things that just aren’t so.”

Basic Books, 2009

General Community Awareness about 'science & technology'

Issues Informed decisions Informed planning Personal understanding Target sectors include industry, commerce, government, educators,

economists, lawyers, entrepreneurs, health care providers, media and journalists, and average citizens

Examples of Resources Available The Exploratorium Captures interest of everyone - children, students, adults Aims to stimulate curiosity and insight.... urge to ask "why?.." Teaching the teachers -- special programs Fun Constantly updated in-house

ASM International - 'City of Materials' online site - Materials World Modules - teaching resource

The Exploratorium (San Francisco)

BIG-PICTURE ISSUES

Driving Forces for Innovation, Change and Regulation

How to reconcile (globally) all of the following ??

- Max. short-term ROI for farmers ? corporations? nations? investors? the world?

- Maximum long-term performance ROI …

- Environmentally stable agriculture

- Sustainable agri-food industry?

- Global human health

- Stewardship of the planet, including natural species?

- Enforceable policy

- Information transfer, access and ownership for nanoscience related discoveries

- Global economic stability of resource-related issues

- Issues of national and global security. Minimizing vulnerabilities.

BIG-PICTURE ISSUES

Driving Forces for Innovation, Change and Regulation

How to reconcile (globally) all of the following ??

- Max. short-term ROI for farmers ? corporations? nations? investors? the world?

- Maximum long-term performance ROI …

- Environmentally stable agriculture

- Sustainable agri-food industry?

- Global human health

- Stewardship of the planet, including natural species?

- Enforceable policy

- Information transfer, access and ownership for nanoscience related discoveries

- Global economic stability of resource-related issues

- Issues of national and global security. Minimizing vulnerabilities.

An in-depth study of this question, seeking to develop potential solutions, could be

commissioned by UN agencies and/or ICSU. This could ultimately be the biggest

determinant of success or failure of scientifically well-supported strategic policy

for the Nano-Agri community.

CONCLUSIONS

- Terminology: Nanotechnology is actually old and ubiquitous. All

regulatory definitions must be specific, and scientifically precise.

- Great opportunities exist for invention and application in global

agricultural enterprise.

- Big-Picture perspective is important. Advanced technology is critical.

- A Technology Roadmap for Agriculture, with long term horizons, and

active, regular maintenance, could stimulate unprecedented progress for

Agriculture and for the Earth. It should be constructed to recognize and

foster the progress of nanoscience, in products, infrastructure, and

strategic long term planning.

long -term global strategy for food and agriculture

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