nano science & nanotechnology in india & world

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www.sainsce.com Nanotechnology and Nanoscience applications: revolution in India and beyond What, When & How of Nanotechnology Nano science refers to the science & discipline and nano technology refers the applied part of it including the engineering to control, manipulate and structure the matter at an unimaginably small scale: nano scale. This scale is also referred to as ‘atomic’ or ‘molecular’ scale which is 100 nanometers or smaller. This capability also simultaneously gives us the ability to build materials and devices or shapes and products on that scale. Because of the brevity in operation, smarter and lighter products can be made from the molecules of the same matter with every atom in its specified place through ‘positioned assembly’ or ‘self assembly’. The matter displays unimaginably different qualities when manipulated and structured at nano scale. It produces different products when assembled at that scale. This is what is the future unleashed by the nano technology revolution. The mankind has seen several technology revolutions in the past: industrial, agricultural, medical, and infotech in a course of two centuries. But through each of these, we have been able to exploit only a small fraction of the total possibilities. We have been still dealing with the matter at a bigger scale. The building blocks, our engineering skills and products were bigger than the nano size and hence had limitations in manipulation. It is this arrangement of atoms which defines the properties of matter. With its capacity to manipulate the smallest possible component of the matter, the nano technology has the potential to bring that cycle of technological revolution to completion: dealing with the matter atom by atom, molecule by molecule. It is this capacity of mankind to deal with matter at molecular level that will give the mankind a historical new ability to shape, process and create things which have never been thought of. Nanotechnology in India: A Case Study of the Potential India, with its more than one billion people, a wide landscape and a diverse socio-economic base, has tremendous possibilities for any technological intervention including nanotechnology. India has been slow to adopt the technologies and even slower to experiment them. This has happened primarily because the risk taking ability of individuals, organizations and the Governments has been low. Moreover, because of lack of communication to the rest of the world, the level of confidence in the innovations has been low.

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Page 1: Nano Science & Nanotechnology in India & World

www.sainsce.com

Nanotechnology and Nanoscience applications: revolution in India and beyond

What, When & How of Nanotechnology Nano science refers to the science & discipline and nano technology refers the applied part of it including the engineering to control, manipulate and structure the matter at an unimaginably small scale: nano scale. This scale is also referred to as ‘atomic’ or ‘molecular’ scale which is 100 nanometers or smaller. This capability also simultaneously gives us the ability to build materials and devices or shapes and products on that scale. Because of the brevity in operation, smarter and lighter products can be made from the molecules of the same matter with every atom in its specified place through ‘positioned assembly’ or ‘self assembly’. The matter displays unimaginably different qualities when manipulated and structured at nano scale. It produces different products when assembled at that scale. This is what is the future unleashed by the nano technology revolution.

The mankind has seen several technology revolutions in the past: industrial, agricultural, medical, and infotech in a course of two centuries. But through each of these, we have been able to exploit only a small fraction of the total possibilities. We have been still dealing with the matter at a bigger scale. The building blocks, our engineering skills and products were bigger than the nano size and hence had limitations in manipulation. It is this arrangement of atoms which defines the properties of matter. With its capacity to manipulate the smallest possible component of the matter, the nano technology has the potential to bring that cycle of technological revolution to completion: dealing with the matter atom by atom, molecule by molecule. It is this capacity of mankind to deal with matter at molecular level that will give the mankind a historical new ability to shape, process and create things which have never been thought of.

Nanotechnology in India: A Case Study of the Potential

India, with its more than one billion people, a wide landscape and a diverse socio-economic base, has tremendous possibilities for any technological intervention including nanotechnology. India has been slow to adopt the technologies and even slower to experiment them. This has happened primarily because the risk taking ability of individuals, organizations and the Governments has been low. Moreover, because of lack of communication to the rest of the world, the level of confidence in the innovations has been low.

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However, in the last decade, India has gained not only confidence to try out new technologies but also to experiment and innovate. This is primarily because the entrepreneurial base has increased. A number of new companies come to the market everyday. The number of millionaires in India, its richest people and its companies are quite at the top in the global list of the rich. This is also happening because the people’s purchasing power has increased. India is the fourth largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. Another reason for this is that the Indian consumer has started asking for the best that is available on the earth. This makes India a huge market for quality goods. The spirit of innovation is also getting strengthened because of the fact that India is a young country; with almost half of its population in the younger age group. This age group is inclined to make forays in the unknown but exciting fields. The new companies being formed look for exciting emerging technologies. India is ready for Nanotechnology Thus, for the first time in its history, India is ready not only to adopt what is working elsewhere, but also to innovate, experiment, adopt and adapt what is entirely new. This includes what has not been tried at all but makes an economic, social or environmental sense. Nanotechnology is a phenomenon in that range. It is new, it is evolving, it is challenging. This is what India is now ready for. Thus, nanotechnology and its applications have a bright future in India. Nanotechnology in India is expected to unleash the full force of India’s creativity and its craving to satisfy all its basic needs, to catch up with the world, rather to surpass the world. Nanotechnology in India: a Huge Potential

• India’s 60% population depends on agriculture, but income levels are low because productivity is low and is marred by low inputs, pests, diseases and losses

• India is has massive food requirement and has variety of crops, fruits, flowers and vegetables but food sector is handicapped due to inefficiencies in production, processing, storage and packaging

• India gets excellent solar radiation, every roof top can become a power house, but solar energy is not generated because right and affordable technology is not in place

• India gets excellent rains but still drinking and irrigation water is not available in many parts because water storage and purification techniques are not perfect

• Average Indians do not lead a long and healthy life partly because the drugs and medicines used in treatment cause even greater damage than the disease itself.

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• India’s Industrial and infrastructure sectors are growing very fast, but the materials used in both are not as durable and precise as they could be

• India is urbanizing fast but still faster is the level of pollution because of urban waste, untreated water etc.

• Most of the processing and packaging in industry and agriculture leaves behind a trail of environmental hazards, which if not tackled at this juncture, will lead and add to long term ecological problems including global warming

Nanotechnology in India can bring in a revolution Nanotechnology applications will benefit India in all the above and many more such areas. It will bring revolution in the socio-economic life and make India take a qualitative leap at least in three following major ways. Nanotechnology in India: to satisfy its basic needs

• With better productivity in various sectors • By reducing the losses due to pests & diseases • By reducing wastages & by enhancing capacity

Nanotechnology in India: to enable it to catch up with the world

• By reducing the inefficiency in processing, storage and packaging • By ensuring better life to people, materials and the amenities • By reducing environmental damages

Nanotechnology in India: to enable it to surpass the world

• By enabling all its hands to work, all its fields to produce • By enabling all its roofs to produce electricity • By enabling all its products to benchmark with the best in the world

This is why the entrepreneurs, the policy makers, the companies and the people are keen to learn and leverage nanotechnology in India. Nanotechnology and nanotechnology applications , thus, have a great future in India.

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A nano glimpse of India in 2030 with nanotechnology applications in full sway • Agriculture productivity is increased through better investigation of pests & diseases,

targeted treatment trough precision farming, better forecasting of weather, minimizing the waste and maximizing the life cycle of agro products through nano technology;

• The processed foods stay fresh for months together: thanks to nanotech- enabled packaging and processing-impermeable coating, packaging etc. to cite a few initiatives.

• Rooftop solar generation enabled by nano solar cells; for each building just like you produce your vegetables in kitchen garden: common man’s dream realized through cheaper, durable solar cells.

• Imagine the savings on transmission lines and power stations and substations! Lighter wind and hydro energy turbines ensuring much higher revolution per minute thus producing more energy even with lesser water and wind availability. .

• Water proof nano sand reducing wastage of water in irrigation by 75%! just lay down beneath typical desert topsoil;

• The nano super sand stops water below the roots level of the plants and maintains a water table, giving greenery a constant water supply:

• Potable water for all: water purification with high precision nano tech membranes, on a higher scale at a much lower cost.

• A nano submarine floats through the blood of human body treating the right cells instead of contaminating the whole body with antibiotic toxics and generating a host of side effects.

• A much lighter aircraft or a car made of nano materials which are lighter and cheaper, yet sturdier. And the bonus of fuel efficiency!

• A computer nano chip as powerful as all the computers of the today’s world put together. That too in a form of hand held device. And you know how powerful the computer chips already are.

SAiNSCE’s Commitment for Nanotechnology Development

We are driven by the above belief that the nano-technology has immense potential across various sectors in bringing welfare to the society. This technology is going to drastically change production processes, communication systems and a host of other patterns of generation and consumption. It is, in fact, going to substantially change human life itself. This obviously gives lot of commercial potential to the technology. And seeing this happen is our passion; seeing this expand is our mission.

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The result: better life for us, better life for our children. All this is going to happen. And it should happen. We also believe that there is immense business potential in what is going to happen- with or without many of us participating in the process of making it happen. This is why SAiNSCE feels that nano-science is not just a new science or an emerging technology; it’s a way of life in the 21st century. Seeing the nano technology commercialize fast is our strategy and business.

The founders of SAiNSCE are committed to work in the areas which deliver value for:

• The common man’s wellbeing • Pervasive creation of wealth • Conservation of environment

In order to be more focused and conclusive, we have carefully selected the following areas of work which, over a period of time, have become our core strength. These have been briefly given below:

Nanotechnology in Agriculture & Food

Producing & Preserving Food through Nano technology

How SAiNSCE looks at it

Food security has always been the biggest concern of the mankind. Nations, communities and Governments have been struggling with the issue since long. Particularly, it’s a prime agenda for the developing world including India. Recent decades have seen even bigger challenges on this front. The future looks even bleaker with food shortage issue looming large. The challenge is how to feed the growing population by producing more on a stagnant or shrinking landscape; with lesser input costs and with lesser hazards to the eco-system. Another adjunct to this problem is how to add to the income of agricultural producers so as to sustain their motivation to grow crops. This also leads to the question as to how to add value to what is being produced. Value for the producer as well as the consumer! And how to make the transaction in agro products smooth, safe and reliable. Thus, all across the world, an urgent need is being felt for more scientific and targeted management of the agriculture and food sector. Nano technology has answers to many of these challenges. Applications of Nanotechnology have the potential to change the entire agriculture sector and food industry chain from production to conservation, processing, packaging, transportation, and even waste treatment. Strategic applications of Nano science can do wonders in the agriculture scenario. Nano science concepts and Nano technology

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applications have the potential to redesign the production cycle, restructure the processing and conservation processes and redefine the food habits of the people. Nanotechnology in Agriculture: A Case Study of India For India, nanotechnology applications in agriculture and food sector make all the more relevance and importance since the Indian economy is predominantly agriculture and given the large population to feed, the food security concern is all the more serious. The Indian agricultural scenario is also characterized by diversity of soils & agro-climatic conditions and thus diversity in crops and fluctuation in productivity. This offers as much potential as challenges in the sector. Nanotechnology applications in basic agriculture, value addition, preservation of crops and food can therefore bring a sea change in the agriculture scenario of India. Thus, applications of nano technology in agriculture can prove to be a big boon.

What Nano technology offers for Agriculture Major Challenges

What do the applications of nano technology offer

Food security for growingnumbers

Use of Nano technology in agriculture and food industry can revolutionize the sector with new tools for disease detection, targeted treatment, enhancing the ability of plants to absorb nutrients, fight diseases and withstand environmental pressures and effective systems for processing, storage and packaging.

Low productivity incultivable areas

Precision farming- Nano tech application here makes farming more targeted and scientific. Precision farming makes use of computers, global satellite positioning systems, and remote sensing devices to measure various parameters. Accurate information through applications of nano technology for real time monitoring of soil conditions, environmental changes and diseases and plant health issues.

Large uncultivable areas Bringing more areas under cultivation by nano tech enabled environmental monitoring and management including cost effective water management through applications of nano science. Use of nanotechnology in agriculture can thus change the land use pattern substantially.

Shrinkage of cultivable lands The remedy is to enhance productivity through nano techdriven precision farming and to maximize the output and minimize inputs through better monitoring and targeted

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action. Wastage of inputs Nano tech enabled sensors and smart delivery systems will

help the agricultural industry combat viruses and other crop pathogens.

In the near future, nano structured catalysts will be available which will increase the efficiency of pesticides and herbicides, allowing lower doses to be used.

Wastage of products Precision farming through use of nanotech applications can also help to reduce agricultural waste and thus keep environmental pollution to a minimum.

Perishability/ low shelf life Use of nano technology in sensing applications will ensure food safety and security, as well as technology applications which alert the customers and shopkeepers when a food is nearing the end of its shelf-life. Nanotech based new antimicrobial coatings and dirt repellent plastic bags are a remarkable improvement in ensuring the safety and security of packaged food.

Technology limitations Various devices designed through application of nanotechnology which include biosensor for the detection of pesticides, herbicides, insecticide, viruses, microbe will bridge this gap to a great extent. Smart packaging developed by applying nano science concepts & technology would be able to repair small holes/tears, respond to environmental conditions (e.g. temperature and moisture changes), and alert the customer if the food is contaminated. Food companies will have to be very vigilant in logistics.

Skill limitations Nanotechnology applications have the potential to produce easy-to-handle devices which reduce the dependence on human skills on many fronts, thus reducing the human risk. Fresh and processed food companies will have a new dimension to quality and production.

Processing limitations Nano technology will change the existing system of food processing and will enhance the nutritional quality of food and will ensure the safety of food products. Other strategic applications of nanotechnology for use in agriculture and food processing industry include the addition of nano particles to existing foods to enable increased absorption of nutrients. This is possible through selected additives and

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improvements to the way the body digests and absorbs food. Nanotechnology is already making an impact on the development of functional or interactive foods, which respond to the body’s requirements and can deliver nutrients more efficiently. Research is on to develop new nano tech driven “on demand” foods, which will remain dormant in the body and deliver nutrients to cells when needed. This is possible by applications of nano science. The food companies are keen to adapt new technology in a big way

Packaging limitations Silver nano-particles can be embedded in polymeric materials such as PVC, PE, PET while polymerization occurs. Silver Nan particles kill pathogens, bacteria, viruses and fungus and are used as a good and safe packaging pot. Such nanotech based packaging materials are 100 times more secure than the normal one for the storage of juices, milk and other agri-products. Nanotech products in packaging food products thus offer immense potential. Food packaging films in the name of “hybrid system” films have enormous number of silicate nano particles. They massively reduce the entrance of oxygen and other gases, and the exit of moisture, thus preventing food from spoiling or drying. Nanotechnology can provide solutions for modifying the permeation behavior of foils, increasing barrier properties (mechanical, thermal, chemical, and microbial), improving mechanical and heat-resistance properties. Other nano tech devices may include developing active antimicrobial and antifungal surfaces and sensing as well as signaling microbiological and biochemical changes.

Diseases & calamities The union of biotechnology and nanotechnology in sensors will create equipment of increased sensitivity, allowing an earlier response to environmental changes and diseases.

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Impact on Environment Nanotechnology will also help protect the environment indirectly through the use of alternative (renewable) energy supplies, and filters or catalysts to reduce pollution and clean-up existing pollutants. Nano tech Research also aims to make plants use water, pesticides and fertilizers more efficiently. This Nano tech application will help to reduce pollution and to make agriculture more environmentally friendly. Thus, the use of nanotechnology in agriculture will lead to a real breakthrough in this sector

More than the smart devices for producing, processing and packaging, the convergence of nano technology, information technology and bio technology has really given us a new whole world of agriculture. Through cell engineering, cells can be made to form and multiply faster. This will mean that crops which take months to get ready can be available in week’s time; that too on much less costs. This is the extent of possibility through introduction of Nano science & nano technology in Agriculture. The potential for producing better at reduced cost by use of technology makes it very important for a country like India.

Nanotechnology in Water Management

Safe and sufficient water through Nano science Applications

How SAiNSCE perceives the potential

It is a paradoxical situation that one-third of the globe constitutes of water and still the world struggles with this basic necessity of life –water. Supply of clean water, safe water, potable water and that too adequately and on a regular basis, are the main issues faced by the people. Even in the 21st century, thousands of people walk for miles to quench their thirst, not even sure of what they are drinking. The plight of dumb animals devoid of water is still worse. Water borne diseases take lives of millions. Poor people in the developing world spend up to 25 per cent of their real income to have access to clean water. And the worst part is that the situation is predicted to get further grim with the resources depleting and the population pressure increasing. The increasing ecological imbalance on one hand and increased use by the urban elite further aggravate the problem.

Solutions are being found out by use of science and technology for water harnessing, management and conservation. Purification, filtration, desalination, recycling,

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recharging of wells and tube wells are some of the means. Rain water harvesting, run-off conservation and economic use through micro irrigation and many other measures are presently employed to find solutions for this basic need. But the crux lies in finding faster and efficient solutions.

Application of Nanotechnology to these conventional solutions in the first stage and for finding new solutions subsequently is a ray of hope in this area. Nano technology not only assures better quality but also with lesser energy consumption and hence at a much lower cost

Water management through Nano tech Applications: Potential in India Nanoscience applications in water management assume a special importance for a vast developing region like India. Given the diverse geographical conditions, different regions face a range of water problems varying in terms of magnitude. Problems of safe and potable water prevail alike other developing regions of the world, more so in the arid and semi arid regions. The prevalence of waterborne diseases is also quite high. Improving the quantum of supply of water as well as its quality, at an affordable cost, is what a common Indian would expect the most from the researchers and experts engaged in exploring strategic applications of nano science. This one area can change the socio economic scenario substantially. Major Challenges Solutions offered by the Nano technology Providing clean and safe water devoid of virus, bacteria and other elements which the conventional methods can’t tackle

Filtration via nano membranes would ensure much more precision and purity. Filtration through nano electropositive media can ensure improved filtration of pathogenic microbes, particularly those which are resistant to conventional depth filters. Nano technology enabled filters also ensure filtration of those viruses and bacteria which are too small to be filtered by conventional filters.

Providing clean and safe water at a lower cost

Affordable desalination is the panacea to the water problem. The high cost of conventional desalination is mainly owing to the energy cost. By strategic use of ultra thin membranes, thanks to Nanotechnology, high pressure pumps, energy recovery systems, pretreatment systems, back flushing and other maintenance costs would be minimized substantially; some even eliminated. This would make desalination

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affordable even for the developing nations. Increasing the usability of unusable water through desalination, recycling

Nano filtration membrane technology is widely used to remove dissolved salts from salty water, remove micro pollutants, soften water and treating waste water. Nano filters can remove up to 99 per cent of ammonia from contaminated waterways and sewage outflows. This allows the water to be recycled while the ammonia removed can be re-used as fertilizer.

Conserving water Conserving water is as important as increasing the supply of usable water. Nanotech has immense potential in this area since this precision technology has strategic solutions to control waste of water flowing through canals through better linings and coatings, better drip and sprinkler systems, more efficient coatings to stop seepage in household and industrial water systems and less requirement of back flush in filtration systems.

Preserving the essential nutrients in water like calcium etc

Nanotech based filters can precisely select the substances and hence retention of essential ones will be possible

Measuring and monitoring contaminants at the trace level

Nano filters can analytically and effectively measure and monitor contaminants like arsenic, mercury and others even at the trace level, unlike the conventional ones which can measure only the concentrated high level contaminants.

New possibilities Nano science enables various strategic applications as under: Purification applications, ranging from high purity semiconductor and medical uses through home drinking water. Remediation of both waste water and polluted ground water. Desalination applications, including both sea water and brackish water

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Nano technology & Environment

Make the Environment Sustainable through Nano technology

SAiNSCE’s concerns for Environment

The subject of ‘Global Warming’ itself is generating a lot of heat now a days. Having struggled with the issue of ozone layer depletion in the last decades, the world is now facing the challenge of global warming and resultant climate change. It is said ‘environment is not what we inherit from our ancestors, we borrow it from our future generations.’ We have already started facing the consequences of reckless use of natural resources leading to ecological imbalance. Thus, to hand over to our future generations the same level of environmental quality which we are presently enjoying is becoming difficult day be day. This makes the issue of environmental sustainability more important than it ever was. The brighter spot is that quite a lot of awareness is being created on environmental issues the world over. The world has realized that it is the high time that we resort to discriminate the use of natural resources and try for lower contamination. People and organizations are addressing pressing energy and environmental needs by deploying renewable energy sources, switching to energy efficient and less polluting ways of production, finding alternatives ensuring lesser need of raw materials for the same quantum of production, etc. Nanotechnology applications can reduce the environmental problems substantially with their targeted and indirect interventions. nano technology has the potential to change the way the things are produced and processed and to further reduce their hazardous side and after effects. Nanotechnology in India: Case Study of Environmental Issues

India is still on the first middle side of the Kuznet's curve. At this position, both the income inequalities and the environmental problems are acute. By the time India becomes a developed economy; both these problems, particularly the environmental, are expected to settle. Kuznet's curve underlines that the more developed an economy is, the cleaner it becomes. Regarding the things needed badly in the Indian economy to achieve that level of development, energy finds a prime place. Nano technology has the potential to facilitate energy production in a much cleaner and renewable way. Quite a few emerging renewable energy developments are coming with the integration of the science and technology of energy generation and that of the nano science and nanotechnology. From solar cell and fuel cell fabrication to energy management, transmission, conservation and savings the applications of nanoscience offer a range of opportunities. Clean energy is becoming a mainstream business.

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Challenges How nanotechnology helps Cleaner conventional energy • Production of electricity from coal or

natural gas can be made more efficient by strategic use nanotechnology in turbine plants.

• In nuclear energy, nanotechnology can help improve the radiation resistance of the materials.

Dependable supply of renewableenergy at affordable cost. The twobig complaints against solar andwind power are high cost andintermittent supply as large scalestorage not possible

• Use of nanotechnology in chemical reactions could provide hydrogen for tomorrow's fuel-cell powered vehicles.

• Cells with nano-crystalline coatings of metal oxides enable production of hydrogen gas directly from sunlight.

• Nano structured turbines ensure efficient production of wind energy at lower cost

• Nano based solar cell and panels contribute a lot for efficient generation and transmission of solar power.

• The batteries currently available are not suitable for large scale storage. Strategic applications of nanoscience will help in creating large banks of batteries to make storage on large scale possible

• Nanotech would also enable creating new kind of nano tubes based capacitors which make batteries usable for indefinite period

Safe and large scale storage ofhydrogen energy. Conventionaltechnology stores hydrogen inhigh pressure tanks which ishighly unsafe.

• Nanotechnology offers safe and practicable solutions like absorption onto high surface area solids and use of carbon nano tubes and nano structured graphite fibers for combining with metal hydride compounds

Fuel cell usage has been limiteddue to material performance andhigh cost since it needs platinum

• Nanoscale material can replace platinum completely or partially with increased efficiency for specific applications.

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which is scarcely available

• Carbon nanotubes could enable a substantial improvement in the performance of fuel cells, together with a heavy cost reduction of catalyst material.

Developing efficient transmissiondevices

Nano engineering could lead to smart devices like smart windows, energy efficient LEDs and wireless controls and also highly efficient conductors and superconductors that could eventually replace current transmission facilities. Strategic use of nanostructures would make any device energy efficient

Developing energy efficientdistribution networks

Nano-enabled capacitors will create entirely new networks for local electricity storage which could ensure much lower rates of energy wastage and improved performance.

Addressing the issues of soil,water and air pollution throughstrategic applications ofnanoscience

• pollution monitoring using nano sensors • lower energy needs due to lightweight

strong materials • Products with molecular-level precision

through the use of productive nano systems, could result in virtually no chemical waste.

• Nano-enabled products like nanowire based paper can cleanup oil and other organic pollutants

• Nano-sized particles of iron are useful for cleaning up contaminants in groundwater, soil and sediments

New possibilities through nano technology

• Personal power-jackets that could useheat from the human body to recharge cell-phones and other electronic devices.

• Microbial fuel cells where an organism performs electron transfer mechanism are being developed through use of nanotechnology

• High powered batteries that can be used in electric vehicles are being developed by strategic applications of nanoscience

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Nano technology in Solar Energy

Energy on one’s roof top through Nanotechnology

SAiNSCE is keen to make it happen Energy needs have been growing exorbitantly across the globe and across the sectors. The energy needs of the 21st century are going to be definitely higher than ever. But at the same time, they have to be met with qualitatively different sources and processes. The reason is that majority of the present sources of energy are neither clean nor renewable and are depleting progressively. Many of those processes cause heavy damage to the environment. On both accounts, the entire process is not sustainable. There have been efforts to get energy through cleaner and renewable sources (hydro and wind); but they too have locational and mechanical limitations. Moreover the entire demand-supply chain in the energy sector is quite capital intensive, monopolistic and hence cumbersome. Nano technology has shown the possibility of fulfilling everyone’s dream of getting cheap and clean energy through its strategic applications. Its intersection with energy is going to change the way energy was hitherto being generated, stored, transmitted, distributed and managed. nanotechnology is particularly going to revolutionize the solar energy sector. The beauty of solar energy is that it can be produced by every house hold on his rooftop or farm. We consume only a fraction of the energy delivered by the Sun. Theoretically, it is possible to convert the rest into usable and transportable energy. If we add into that the potential of energy generated by Sun’s invisible rays (infrared), the potential is really immense. Moreover this energy will be cleaner and sustainable than any of the other energy streams. Because of that possibility, in today’s time, not only energy but clean energy is becoming a huge business in itself. Many of the developments in clean energy revolve around strategic applications of nano science. Nanotechnology offers more possibilities in solar energy sector than they have been experimented today. The entire technology is in the process of evolution. But one thing is sure: it offers immense potential to harness solar energy. Nanotechnology in the energy sector: A case study of India India is an emerging economy. With its faster growth process, its energy requirements are high and increasing day by day. It has to meet its massive energy requirements by all possible sources, preferably the cleaner and renewable ones. It also has to improve its technological and managerial skills to reduce the T & D losses. Practically speaking, energy saved is equal to energy produced, perhaps a more prudent course of action. Thus, India is a

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market where there is huge potential for energy producing and saving technologies and equipments. With its faster growth process, India needs more and more of the sophistication in its economy, particularly in the energy sector. At the same time, environmental awareness is increasing day by day. People are desperately in search of such technologies that give the required guarantee of energy availability. This too they want without either polluting the environment or without making them entirely dependent on the power producing companies. Solar energy is the answer….Nano technology is the answer for getting solar energy made cheaper, cleaner as well as decentralized. The applications of nanoscience can make India the hub of non renewable energy, particularly the solar energy.

Major issues What Nano technology can offer Conventional Energy istoo expensive

Nano tech devices have given us the possibility of producing cheap power and enough for every one.

Conventional Energy istoo centralized

Nano solar cells embedded in flexible plastics will be able to adjust to the shape and terrain of the rooftops and/or could be put into the building materials like tiles and siding. Thus, it will be possible to produce energy at every roof top

Conventional Energy ispolluting

Nano energy is clean; cleaner than anything else possible.

Solar energy again is toocostly

Nano technology has added to the possibility of producing solar energy which is cheaper than that from the conventional sources

How will it be stored Nano technology enabled super capacitators will help in local storage of energy

How to reduce wastage ofenergy: transmissionlosses

Nano superconductors will replace current transmission facilities and they will have better performance on this front

The photovoltaic cellsthat make up most present day solar panels are:

• made up ofcrystalline silicon,which requiresclean manufacturing freeof dust and airbornemicrobes.

• Silicon is in shortsupply andexpensive

With nanotechnology, tiny solar cells can be printed onto flexible, very thin light-retaining materials, bypassing the cost of silicon production. thin rolls of highly efficient light-collecting plastics spread across rooftops or built into building materials Nano cells made up of materials, several thousand times smaller than hair, will have more light capturing capabilities. Each nano solar cell will be an energy collector and spread with the plastic sheets will cover large surface areas than photovoltaic cells.

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• high manufacturingcosts lead to highwattage prices.

Nano enabled plastic solar cells can turn the sun's power into electrical energy, and they are many times more efficient than present solar cells Flexible sheets of tiny solar cells made by using nano science applications may be used to harness the sun's energy and will ultimately provide a cheaper, more efficient source of energy By integrating applications of nanoscience "solar farms" may be created which consist of the plastic material with solar cells which can be rolled across deserts to generate energy

What are further possibilities

Nanotubes: because of their structure, exhibit electrical and optical properties, which help in the absorption of solar energy and its conversion to electrical energy Nano particles like quantum dots with a polymer to make the plastic can detect energy in the infrared solar rays. This will strategically capture more solar energy. Nanoscience also enables production of solar cell glass that will not only generate energy, but also act as windows in future houses and commercial buildings. While it captures solar energy to power the building it also reduces overheating of the house thereby reducing the need for cooling. Dye-sensitized Nano solar cells using photo sensitive dye which do not require costly and large-scale production equipment.

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Nano technology in Medicine & Health Care

Effective & Precise Medical Services with Nanotechnology

SAiNSCE a part of the drive for long and healthy life Health is an integral part of one’s wellbeing. Availability, efficiency and cost effectiveness of health care measures has been a prime concern in all countries. In the recent decades, the average life span has gone up, but new challenges to human health have emerged. They are in the form of diseases, in the form of nutritional problems. Some have environmental roots and yet others are the causes of modern lifestyle. These problems are putting stress on the society in both ways: on the one hand to see that people live long, and on the other, to ensure the wellbeing of those who are living long. Deteriorating mental health is yet another pressure on the modern world. At the same time, medical science has made tremendous progress in the recent decades. Precision and efficacy in treatments have improved. However, there is still a huge potential for improvement on this front. Most important is to make the medical treatment accessible to all and inexpensive. Another challenge is better and early diagnosis and treatment with minimal side effects. nano science and nano technology have brought fresh hopes on this account. Convergences of nanotechnology with biotechnology will not only produce high tech products at low cost but will also prolong life via preventing illness and improved health. One of those examples is nano tech enabled ‘cell repair machines’. These molecular machines make the potential for life extension visible. These nano devices will be able to repair cells so long as the basic structure of the cells is intact. Also, they will be able to replace cells which have been destroyed. Either way, they will restore health. By restoring all the ‘un-welcome’ cells and tissues of the body to a younger form, these nano tech repair machines will restore younger health. However, even before we really rely on the capacity of nano technology about its promises regarding longevity and anti-aging, the innovations brought by it in faster development of drugs, rapid diagnostics and targeted drug delivery are remarkable. The instruments and equipments being produced with the help of nano technology are remarkably precise and work in an unpredictably targeted manner. They are, at the same time, inexpensive. Current applications of nano technology in medicine include nano-particles to deliver drugs and other stuff to explicit cells in the human organ. There are more efficient diagnostic devices like the nano size TEMs that are very useful for high-specification filtration in many laboratory applications including those for blood testing and analysis. They are useful in

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several applications in which normal materials generally fail. They also make the validation and regulatory control processes much easier. Nano technology in Health care: A case study of India

India, with one sixth population of the world, offers a huge market and an even bigger challenge for health care experts. Particularly, the place of SAiNSCE’s headquarters is the Indian hub of pharmaceutical industry. Almost 40% of the pharma products produced in India are produced from this single State of India-Gujarat. Also, over the years, this place has emerged as the centre for medical treatment not only in India but also for patients from the European and other foreign countries. State of the art hospitals with world class infrastructure facilities including diagnostic, testing and treatment abilities have come up.

Major challenges Solutions offered by nano technology • A Surgery causes

wounds which take long time to heal

• Cancer therapy is damaging to many other important parts

• The trial and error method of drugs have side effects.

• Organ transplantation may result into crippling the entire immune system.

• Many health problems cannot be cured at all

The present practice to deliver a chemical in the body is to dump it into either the bloodstream or the stomach, and let it spread all through the body. For some chemicals like insulin, it is acceptable. But for others, such as chemotherapy drugs and some antibiotics, it is best to keep them as local as possible. Strategic nano techniques can help the humanity: can put drug delivery devices right where they are needed. Nano medicines and nano tech machines have created the possibility of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease with the use of smart drugs and equipments that target specific organs or cells.

Reducing the side effects or damages to non target cells

nano technology has the potential of engineering particles to be used for detecting and treating the diseases or injuries within the targeted cells, thereby minimizing the damage to healthy cells in the body.

Avoiding unnecessary damage to other cells while treating a particular cell

nano medicine holds good promise in this regard. This involves the use of manufactured nano-robots to make repairs at the level of specific cells.

Avoiding infection during surgery or in wounds

nano crystalline silver is already being used as a antimicrobial agent in the treatment of wounds.

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Targeted diagnostics, treatment and drug delivery

Very useful devices using nano technology and other nano products are under development which include:

• Qdots: which can identify the exact location of cells (e.g. cancer) in a body.

• Nanoparticles: that deliver drugs directly to cells to minimize damage to healthy cells.

• Nanoshells: for focusing the heat from infrared light to destroy cancer cells with minimal damage to surrounding healthy cells.

• Nanotubes: They are used to repair broken bones; to provide a structure for new bone material to grow.

• Cell repair machines: They will almost be of the size of bacteria and viruses. They will be able to travel through and enter the tissues like white blood cells and viruses. They will also be able to open and close the cell membranes with the care and precision of a surgeon.

• Similarly, selective destruction of diseased cell will also be possible by applications of nano science: identify them and destroy.

Easy and cheap diagnostics • Portable diagnostic nanokits are being developed like the ones available for sugar and pregnancy test, no need to go to a lab or wait for hours for the report

Future applications in nano medicine

• In eliminating bacterial infections in a patient: it can be done within minutes through nanotechnology enabled medicines, instead of treating with antibiotics over a period of few weeks.

• To perform surgery at the cellular level: this will help removing individual diseased cells and even repairing defective portions of individual cells.

• With drugs and surgery, the physicians presently cause the tissues to repair themselves. Whereas nano enabled molecular machines will affect more direct repairs, thus bringing a total revolution in medical science.

• Substantial increase in the human lifespan: by strategically repairing cellular level conditions

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that cause the body to age by use of nanotechnology.

• The programmed nanomachines will treat even unknown diseases. They identify any foreign element and destroy it to ensure good state of health.

The principles of biology indicate that it is possible to build molecular machines: which will be construction of atoms designed to perform intricate functions at the atomic scale. However, the progression of technology is a phased process. As in case of other technological revolutions, the principles of nano technology and the potentials and consequences of molecular machines is clear by now. What is left is to prepare and fill the details. Researchers and scientists are keen to bridge that gap. They will do so sooner than anticipated. SAiNSCE is committed to take this process of advancement in medical science ahead, particularly through the nanotechnology. We are constantly exploring and co-ordinating with various nano tech research organizations, pharmaceutical and medical equipments companies for commercialization of some of the nano tech investigation and drugs delivery devices. We are already marketing some of the niche nano tech products in the medical sector. We are the sole distributor for India in the following products.

TEMs

From the company: it4ip s.a.

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Nanotechnology in Textiles Easy to make, Smart to trade, smarter to wear

SAiNSCE looks forward to functional fashion

It was a change of time and mindset which brought covers on the human body. But it was an innovation of technology which brought textiles in the human life. Textiles today affect so many parts of human lives- right from direct uses like clothing to house furnishings, vehicle and office set up, bandages and dressings to several other areas where they have an indirect use. The functional as well as aesthetic values of textiles are both equally important for the consumer and hence offer tremendous potential for improvement and innovations. The growing global fashion trends pose real challenges for the players in the sector for finding something new continuously. The amount of money spent by an average household on textiles and apparels being substantial, having a cutting edge in this area makes a great business sense for each player involved. Unlike other areas, the challenges of textile sector are more related to the increase of comfort, newer dimensions and value addition rather than addressing the basic needs. The preference for natural fibers over the artificial ones is increasing. Clothing made of natural fibers are more prone to problems like color fading, wrinkling challenge, difficulty in removal of stains. Moreover, life becoming faster than ever, these issues are no longer non – issues. Nanotechnology has answers for each of these problematic issues. More interesting is the fact that advent of nanotech has opened up a whole new vista of value-addition possibilities in the textile sector. A lot of imaginations are now turning into doable activities bordering the reality with the help of nanotech- cloth that would repair the holes itself, clothing that do not require washing, that won’t catch fire, that would protect the wearer from bacteria and ultraviolet rays and many more. The present research in nano science and the endeavors through applications of nano technology and the emerging trends give a strong hope that in future Nano tech applications are leading us to clothes that become part of our life like a TV set or a refrigerator. For example we will have clothes that would use the body heat for electronic operations; textiles that will have the revolutionary ability to sense, act, store, emit, and move! And all this as permanent accessories to our body and personality. Nanotechnology in Textiles: A Case Study of India India is a major exporter of cotton textiles and also man made fibers. Nano technology applications for smart textiles are therefore very pertinent for the Indian market. Gujarat, the region where SAiNSCE is based, is also a major exporter of denim as well as manufacturer

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of synthetic clothing. The traditional handloom cloth also have a niche market among the Indian diaspora as well as foreigners. This core strength blended with various nanotechnology enabled features offers immense market potential. SAiNSCE has identified niche markets and specialty products for which it is doing the complete value chain networking. Nanotechnology making wonderful wear

• Materials that take away sweat and make the clothing free of body odour has been

developed using nanotech • Adding metal nano particles enables anti odour functioning in the cloth • The conventional stain free coatings make the cloth stiff and fuzzy and are washed

away over a period of time. Nanotech applications enable making such material that develop chemical bond with the fibers and the cloth remains smooth as other cloth; the liquid falling on cloth just rolls off leaving the cloth stain free.

• Adding metal and semiconductor nano particles give the cloth glittering long lasting colors and wrinkle resistance besides high end features like protection against UV rays and anti microbial function.

• Nanofibres render strength and durability which delays the wear and tear substantially

• "Smart" Nano materials that could do some of the things living things do, such as heal breaks and wounds, or change color or shape for protection in response to what's going on around them.

• Right now you can buy jackets with disc players and controls sewn in but they are quite bulky and messy. Nanotech would give a new dimension to this segment of wearable electronics with production of a new generation of garments with distributed sensors and electronic function. They will go far beyond just very small electronic devices or wearable, flexible computers.

• Not only will these nano tech devices be embedded in textile substrates but a nano electronics device or system could ultimately become the fabric itself.

• Nanotech application would lead to textiles with bio monitoring commands that will heat or cool its wearer and change color as per the surroundings

• Nanotech based smart clothes would remotely monitor home-bound patients capturing vital data and then beaming it wirelessly to a doctor, a hospital, a family member or wherever it needs to go.

• And the best part is that the above e-textiles and smart nano textile would allow leveraging an existing low-cost textile manufacturing infrastructure.

• Textiles made by attaching nano layers to natural fibers can control what passes through the layer. These layers can be customized for different chemicals such that hazardous gases and chemicals can be blocked while still allowing air and moisture to pass through.

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• Novel nanoscale fibers can be placed inside a garment or paper document to serve as a “fingerprint” that proves the product is genuine. The fibers can essentially serve as molecular bar codes

• Garments treated with metallic nanoparticles prevent colds and flu • Electro-statically charged nanoparticles and nano silver protects the wearer from

smog and air pollution.

Nanotechnology and Nano Materials Nano materials bringing the next industrial revolution

SAiNSCE is a part of the changing world

The first industrial revolution revolved around discovery of new means of production & transportation. It also led to new patterns of transaction and consumption. At that time, many things looked like fiction but became a reality sooner than anticipated. In the same way, the difference between the present day science fiction and a future reality is getting thinner day by day. Things and processes which were hitherto in the fiction stage are becoming a reality. Nano science and Nano technology are the key drivers of this change. The matter is losing its traditional definition of a substance in the solid, liquid or gaseous stage. At the size of nano meter: one billionth of a meter, the materials are in a new dimension of the matter. Some call it ‘surface’ state and in this state they display surprisingly different mechanical, electrical, chemical and other properties. Their interface with other substances through strategic technological interventions can create amazingly new products: lighter yet sturdier, thinner yet stronger. What is commonly known as Nano-material includes ceramic nano-particles for catalysts, coatings as well as structural composites, and metal nano-particles for catalysts and sensors; nano-porous materials for optics, insulation and electronics; and carbon nanotubes for a number of applications.

Many of these nano materials are already in market. Yet other nano materials are in the process of development. They have the capacity to strategically influence, among others, the industry of construction materials, the ceramic industry in turn influencing various industries including the defense, the automobile and aerospace. In addition, the whole electronics industry is set to see a new shape because the electronic and non-electronic components both are going to be different in the nano technology world. Materials developed through applications of Nanoscience in general will be more efficient and effective not only in terms of conductivity, strength or weight but will also be cleaner and will be useful in mitigating the hazards of wastes. That is why, perhaps, some economists have already changed the definition of the primary sector of the economy.

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Instead of agriculture and allied activities, they say it is ‘extraction of raw materials’. Earlier the definition said that an economy has to pass from the agriculture to a secondary economy. Now, it is said that for transition to a developed economy firstly the economy has to exploit its strategic competitive advantages in the primary sector (exploitation of the natural advantages & products) which will in turn propel its transition to a manufacturing (secondary) and services (tertiary) sector led economy. Thus extraction and development of the nano particles from the natural wealth of a country is going to be strategically crucial in its development process. Applications of nanosciene leading to a gamut of nano materials, therefore, assume all the more importance

Nanotechnology & Materials Market: The case study of India Indian market, like many others in the developing world, is characterized by high consumption, high waste and resultant problems, and low technology. The requirements of development do necessitate consumption in the domestic and industrial sectors, but for want of right technologies and products, there is all pervasive inefficiency in the production and treatment cycle. Applications of Nano technology can find answers to many of these problems.

Major Challenges Solutions offered by the nano technology Normally material extraction and management is a polluting exercise

Nano materials being smaller in size, their extraction could be a non polluting exercise.

They are heavier and bulky even if the weight is not a requirement of the product

We can make nano materials as precise and compact as required through strategic applications of Nano science.

There is a lot of waste and hence waste management is a big issue

Waste management will be easier not only because the materials will be nano, but also because the technology itself will bring out materials that solve the problem.

There is lot of transmission loss in transmission of electricity

One reason for this is that the materials used for transmission, for example, copper are not good conductors. Nano tech Carbon fibers will have very good conductivity/semi-conductivity.

There is loss of fuel consumption in several applications like auto and aerospace

With carbon nano materials, the weight of these devices will be much lesser and hence fuel consumption will be reduced.

Stain and corrosion in most materials

Nano materials offer the best in that regard.

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Major possibilities through nanotechnology applications

Nano technology in Electronics:

Lap top computer screen: thickness and weight of a piece of paper. Computer chips which can store the information equivalent to all present computers of the world.

Nano technology in Automobile, electrical & aerospace:

Carbon materials like fullerenes, metal oxides and nano tubes and fibers display very high mechanical, and electro-thermal conduction abilities. At the same time weight is far less, strength is far greater. Nano tech applications in production of carbon fiber, and the machine parts with wear-resistant, erosion- resistant, and corrosion-resistant.

Important Nano tech materials and their applications:

Metal oxides such as Alumina, Zirconia, Ceria, Zinc oxide- Car catalysts, antibacterial functions, structural ceramics, Sunscreens, fuel cells, transparent UV absorbers. Carbon- Thermal and Electrical conductors. Alumino silicate (imogolite)- Ceramics filter, Catalyst support, and humidity controlling building materials. Calcium phosphates (hydroxyapatite)-Implants such as eyes, knees, and hips.

Nano Materials in Construction

Beyond Bricks and Mortar through nanotechnology applications

SAiNSCE uses nanotech to build the future

Construction industry is as old as the civilized living of the mankind. It has undergone tremendous change in the past two centuries. What affected it most was the industrial revolution and its resultant outcome in terms of steel, cement and other building materials. The twentieth century saw further refinement in the same with even more sophisticated techniques and devices. Now, it has to move in the next phase where inputs are less and lighter, they are smooth and sturdier; they are cost effective, cleaner and sustainable. It has to move towards more sophistication with the help of emerging technologies like the nano technology

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Nano science & Nano technology is going to drastically change the construction industry in the years to come. Nanotechnology has a range of possibilities in making the construction industry come up to the expectations of the current times. Nanotechnology offers longer life to the building materials and at the same time, at lower maintenance cost and efforts. In fact, with nano materials in use, maintenance will be a non- issue for a very long time. In most cases, the use of nanotech enabled materials will make it possible for the users to maintain the buildings. What is needed is the commitment of the research and scientific community for developing appropriate nanotech applications and nanomaterials for construction industry. A closer partnership among the nano tech industry & construction engineering on the one hand and among the builders and consumers on the other. Use of nano materials can improve fluidity, strength and durability of the concrete. Nano materials also have the potential to be used to improve the reinforcement qualities like anti-corrosion. Nano enabled coating of construction materials is going to constitute the largest application of nano technology in construction. Nano products like architectural paints, water sealers and deck treatments; treatments applied during fabrication, such as scratch-resistant coatings on vinyl or wood flooring, insulation coatings etc offer immense market opportunities for nano-materials. Nanotech products and applications, among other benefits, may enhance the performance with regard to blocking of the ultra violet rays, transparency of the structures, photo reactivity, and resistance to stain and odor. Moreover, nanotechnology based coatings can enable creating self-cleaning surfaces. Many of these are already being embedded into window glasses and plumbing fixtures. Nanomaterials and nanotech based applications will thus take the construction industry much beyond bricks and mortar. Nanotechnology in Construction Industry: A Case Study of India India is a vast landscape. It has inhabitations with various levels of development. A house constructed is a common man’s dream, a factory constructed is an entrepreneur’s dream, and an infrastructure constructed is everyone’s desire. The industrial, infrastructure and real estate sectors in India in general have been developing fast in the recent times. While the new investments in industrial sector in India give a boost to construction activities, they also spur urbanization and infrastructure development leading to further growth in construction activity. The Indian construction industry today is in search of solutions which a nano technology enabled techniques can offer. This leads to the fact that nano construction materials have a great potential in the markets of India.

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Prominent issues How nano materials can resolve Maintenance of glass structures

anti- fogging and self-cleaning glasses, low maintenance windows

Rusting & scratch long lasting scratch resistant floors using nanotechnology Corrosion/ rusting in structures

super strong structural components made with nano technology

Low life of paints: fading etc

longer lasting house paint using nanotechnology

healthy and safe indoor climates using nano technology self cleaning skyscrapers using nanotechnology antimicrobial steel surfaces using nano technology better industrial building maintenance Less energy consuming buildings using nano technology long lasting roads and bridges using nanotechnology self-sterilizing kitchen counters using nanotechnology

Numerous problems solved at one stroke by integrating nano science!

humidity controlling materials using nano technology

Nano technology in Chemicals Nanotechnology: Changing the Chemistry for Ever

SAiNSCE a catalyst in this mega change Modern life and particularly the industry depend upon various man made processes and products. Chemical processes in particular and their interfaces with other disciplines like bio technology and physics result into numerous products which have become essential for present society and economy. Nano technology affects all these processes not only in terms of its potential in bringing out newer products or substituting certain products but actually in much more fundamental ways. It is becoming clear that nano technology has the prospects of showing new effects based on the physical properties of the matter rather than their chemical properties. It is imperative therefore and important to comprehend the social, educational, environmental and economic benefits of chemical nanotechnology. At the same time, it is also necessary to know its implications in the health, safety and environmental areas. This means that the same substance/material can be used nano technologically for developing totally new products and processes which serve the same or different purpose. This will have wide effects on chemical engineering and material management in the years to come. Therefore, presently, there is lot of focus world wide on chemical nanotechnology and it is bringing the chemists closer to the experts in other disciplines including physics and biochemistry, as also the material scientists, engineers and industrialists.

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Application of nano technology is particularly important for the production and use of new nano-structured materials as well as production and use of nano particles including metals, oxides and other inorganic structures. The manufacture of carbon and inorganic nano tubes and fullerenes and their use in technological processes is another important aspect of nano chemical engineering. The making and using of novel quantum dots and new biologically relevant nanostructures is a big revolution through use of nanoscience. Nano structured coatings and surfaces open up a whole new area of surface treatments like coatings, paints, and texturing surface and self cleaning surfaces. It is felt that with these strategic innovations, there will be reduction in adhesion in paintings leading to lesser requirement of not only the anti-fouling agents but considerable reduction in consumption of paint itself. Chemical nano technology in India: a case study

Indian scenario is characterized by low level of chemical exploitation and efficiency. This is mainly because of the lack of technology and the forward linkages. Of late, activities in the Industrial sector has picked up generating fresh demands for various chemicals. The headquarters of SAiNSCE, the Gujarat State of India , however, represents a different and more robust scene in terms of chemical industry. It is the Indian hub of chemical, petro-chemical, plastics and pharmaceutical industry. Thus, SAiNSCE is in a position to immediately leverage its understanding and strength in the Nano chemicals for the market which is huge and expanding. This experience and network will ,of course, be useful for the greater Indian framework and even out of India.

Major & critical issues in Chemical sector

What nano technology can do

Chemical vapors Chemical vapor sensors: nanotechnologyenabled sensors can detect even small amounts of chemical vapors. Detecting elements like carbon nanotubes, zinc oxide nano wires or palladium nano particles can be strategically used in nanotechnology-based sensors. This will help us monitoring the quality of air very easily.

How to detect low ntrations through strategic ations of nano science

Since the size of the above nano devices is small, even a few gas molecules are sufficient to change the electrical properties of the sensing elements. This allows strategic detection of even very low concentration of chemical vapors. These nano tech enabled sensors can be installed

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at any establishment to check the level of chemical vapors.

Management of hazardous cals through nanotech ations

nano technology driven innovations will definitely have the potential of reducing risks relating to several hazardous substances and chemical processes. Chemical substitution is a vast area opened by the applications of nano science. An important example is the substitution of anti-fouling nano coatings, used in the ship industry.

Major applications of nano ce under development

Sensors which use: • ‘zinc oxide nano-wire detection

elements’ capable of detecting a variety of chemical vapors.

• ‘carbon nanotube detection

elements’ capable of detecting a variety of chemical vapors.

• ‘pallidium nanoparticle detection

elements’ to mainly detect hydrogen gas

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What SAiNSCE is doing and what does it envision

The passion of Team SAiNSCE is to see to it that nano ideas are converted into commercially and socially viable solutions which make the earth a better place to live- be it through bringing efficiency in the agri and food sector, nanotechnology applications for clean and affordable water, effective cleaner energy solutions, smarter clothes, better buildings, better chemical processes and coatings,…………….so on and so forth.

Among our initial nano tech steps, SAiNSCE has started: SAiNSCE has started marketing and distribution of nanotech products in India. The aim is to gradually expand to the Asian markets. While its vision is to cater to the global markets, its focus is on the Indian market as it is a huge market, it offers enormous opportunities and challenges. It aims at pioneering the R & D in India to develop nanotech products that would enhance the wellbeing of people. In nut shell, at present, we are doing the following:

• Collaborating with researchers and companies producing useful nano technology

driven tools, products and devices

• Doing more applied research in Nano technology and study as to how to customize these processes and products to primarily suit the Indian requirements.

• Taking these nano technology products in the market and to demonstrate their real time ability.

• Getting back to the companies with user feedback about the nano technology, its cost and other operational issues.

• Marketing of nanotechnology products

The region of our headquarters, the Gujarat State of India, is the industrial face of India. It contributes almost 40% of industrial production, 20% of exports and 30% of market capitalization of the country. Not only this, the pace of growth in industrial investments is very high making it an ideal market for a number of products in the industrial sector..

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Further, this region has a long coast line where most of the Industrial development is now taking place. This also fosters the growth of urbanization in this area giving rise to a demand for various products. There are a number of projects coming up in the infrastructure and real estate sectors, again creating a huge demand for a range of products. These factors in toto make Gujarat and India an ideal target market for products like anti corrosion coatings, insulation, various nanomaterials, nano ceramics, water desalination for industrial use and so on.

SAiNSCE is operating from a place, the State of Gujarat, which is the hub of chemical & petrochemical industries in India and has a thriving pharma industry. It is also an important centre for auto parts and engineering products, which will further expand due to the Nano Car project. Gujarat is also poised to be the hub of health infrastructure. All these give a tremendous potential for various nanotechnology enabled devices and materials. India offers a very good potential for renewable energy. The region from where SAiNSCE operates i.e. the State of Gujarat in particular, is geographically favorable for solar and wind installations because of a long coastline and high solar radiation. The region also has plans to develop itself as a hub of this non-conventional energy. Thus SAiNSCE strategically placed to venture into the sector of renewable energy. Better life and cleaner environment being our motto, SAiNSCE is networking with the stakeholders for commercialization of nanotech applications for production, transmission and conservation of clean energy. It is also aggressively working for creating awareness among the stakeholders towards this issue through various forums. We believe that cleaner energy through applications of nanoscience will benefit the society both of today and the future and will of course create business opportunities for the ventures involved in this sector. SAiNSCE has already started tying up marketing of solar nano tech devices in the Indian market. Very shortly, it plans to take up manufacture of nano enabled energy devices particularly in the solar field. Also, through our initiatives in water and other sectors, we are committed to offer a qualitative service in the environmental field. Nano textiles is a field where sky is the limit. It is also a field where commercial applications of nanotechnology are easier. In fact, many are already on board, lending confidence in nano technology. SAiNSCE, keeping abreast of the latest in the field of nano science applications and nanotechnology, futuristic fashion trends and functional requirements, has identified niche markets and specialty products for which it is doing the complete value chain networking. SAiNSCE is also tying up with a number of companies to market nano tech devices and products which can be used in the textiles sector to achieve what the modern textiles should look like. SAiNSCE is also tying up for developing nano enabled garments to suit the market and fashion industry. Indian market itself has diverse fashion trends and functional requirements owing to various weather conditions and a conjunction of traditional and modern choices. SAiNSCE will eventually narrow down on a

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range of niche nano enabled textiles products, mainly with a focus on giving better products to the society like increasing durability in terms of all parameters, anti infection clothing, low cost attractive fashion clothing and many more. SAiNSCE is based in Gujarat, India which is a cotton growing region. It will focus on nano enabled cotton garments. It also plans to produce and market super specialty products like nano enabled organic cotton garments designed for the Indian Diaspora. SAiNSCE will strive to use nanotechnology for producing low cost value added good quality clothing for the people

SAiNSCE is in the process of developing certain nano tech products in collaboration of a huge industrial base in various industries here in Gujarat, India. We are also working on a few proposals to act as the R & D platform for nano products of other companies so as the get the economies of scale. We started developing our own R & D base which, in addition to our own use, we will offer for use by others and on the basis of outsourcing as well. In the near future, SAINSCE will zero down on certain nano technology devices in various fields and in due course of time. We plan to develop our own manufacturing/assembly lines using nanotechnology applications in due course of time. We will start manufacturing and marketing some of these products for which we are currently in the process of strategic tie up with appropriate nanotechnology companies.