March 9, 2012
Title: Nanotechnology and its applications from medicine to construction
Abstract: The foundations of nanotechnology have emerged over many decades of research in many different fields. In 1959, the great physicist Richard Feynman suggested that it should be possible to build machines small enough to manufacture objects with atomic precision. His talk, ""There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom,"" is widely considered to be the foreshadowing of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is the design, characterization, production, and application of structures, devices, and systems by controlling shape and size on the nano scale. Nanoscience is the study of phenomena and manipulation of materials at atomic, molecular, and macromolecular scales, where properties differ significantly from those at a larger scale. Much interest is also focused on quantum dots, which are semiconductor nanoparticles that can be tuned to emit or absorb particular colours of light for use in solar energy or fluorescent biological labels. Applications of nanotechnology are promising in the longer term. These can be expected to enable drug delivery, detect tumor cells, make hip-joint from biocompatible materials, lead to stronger and longer-lasting implants and sensors that can be used to monitor aspects of human health; and improved artificial cochleae and retinas. Nanotechnology is also enabling the development of smaller, cheaper sensors, which will have a wide range of applications from monitoring environmental pollution, the freshness and quality of foods, or the stresses in a building or a vehicle. It can also be used to produced sun creams, computer disk drives to improve storage (2007 Nobel prize in physics), Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) for displays, photovoltaic film that converts light into electricity, fabrics coated to resist stains and control temperature, intelligent clothing to measures pulse and respiration, light but very strong bucky-tubeframe, nano-particle paint to prevent corrosi! on, thermo-chromic glass to regulate light, magnetic layers for compact data memory, carbon nanotube fuel cells to power electronics and vehicles, and developing stronger construction materials. Nanotechnology will lead to tiny robotic submarines navigating our bloodstream is ubiquitous. Nanotechnology can play a significant role to prevent AIDS. The various applications of nanotechnology from medicine to construction as well as the synthesis, structure and thermophysical properties of various nanomaterials with related examples will be discussed.
Biography: Dr. S. C. Mojumdar obtained his B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree in Chemical, Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering, respectively. Since then he worked in diverse research environments such antibiotics, antioxidants, glasses, ceramics, cements, environmental sciences, hydrometallurgy, bio-films and many other bio and nanomaterials. He extended his research activities from medicine through construction to nanotechnology using many thermoanalytical techniques such as TG, DTG, DTA, DSC, DMA, TMA, optical transmittance (light beam) thermal analysis, EGA, calorimetry, conduction calorimetry, isothermal pressure transducer analysis, heating microscopy, thermal conductivity etc. He has already published over 300 articles in the field of medicine, chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, thermal analysis and many other fields. He is a long time referee for numerous journals and also an editorial board member of many international science journals such as Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, Journal of Environmental Protection, Global Journal of Analytical Chemistry and the International Journal of Chemistry. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Chartered Chemist News (Newsletter of the Association of the Chemical Profession of Ontario). He has delivered over 40 invited and plenary lectures and training seminars throughout the globe and has been selected an examiner for many PhD and MSc theses. He is a Member/Executive Committee Member of 15 professional organizations including the Canadian Thermal Analysis Society (CTAS). He has also a great experience in popularizing thermal analysis and convincing students, faculties and scientists to use thermal analysis for their research who has never used thermoanalytical techniques before.
