7 Amazing Ways Nanotechnology Products Affect Your Life
As machinery and manufacturing technology has improved, the world has opened itself up to a whole new world of technology. Rather than thinking bigger, governments and businesses and thinking on a tiny scale: nanotechnology is one of the 21st century’s most rapidly emerging technologies.
Nanotechnology products aren’t just a concern of the future, they are already all over the market. In fact, the global market for nanotechnology products was estimated at over $64 billion by 2020.
If you are interested in discovering some of the amazing ways that nanotechnology is already helping people, please continue reading.
What Are Nanotechnology Products?
Before we go into detail describing some of the most innovative ways that nanotechnology is being used in everyday products, we should first go into a bit more detail about just what nanotechnology is.
Strictly speaking, nanotechnology products can be described as any technology, science or engineering that is completed on the microscopic scale of between 1 and 100 nanometers.
For scale, there are one billion nanometers in a meter, highlighting just how technically difficult it is to manufacture products on this scale.
1. Textile Microfibers
“Fast fashion” – where clothes are manufactured in third world countries under poor factory conditions to keep up with the rapidly changing trends in the market, has become increasingly common during the past two decades.
This has caused a headache for clothing manufacturers in more developed countries, as they cannot compete on price.
Nanotechnology has helped them to even up the score. By using nanotechnology, developed nations have been able to produce highly functional and advanced clothing that offers a unique selling point.
Lightweight weatherproof clothing is a perfect example. By using nanotechnology, these jackets can be made to be completely waterproof, but still breathable for the comfort of the wearer.
2. Water-soluble CBD
The emergence of CBD oil-based products has been one of the stories of the past five years. It seems like almost overnight CBD (Cannabidiol) has shifted from being a little understood niche product linked to cannabis, to a broadly accepted treatment to conditions ranging from depression to fatigue.
The latest iteration available is water soluble CBD products. These seek to address one of the issues with ingesting CBD in its oil-based form.
Oil and water often struggle to mix efficiently. This can limit the absorption of oil-based CBD products because our bodies are primarily water based.
The use of nanotechnology has now allowed engineers to produce a water-based CBD. This should allow more of the important and helpful molecules in CBD to enter the body, where they can help with illnesses and ailments.
3. Lithium Batteries
Whether you have a Prius or ride an electric bike to get to work, you have been helped along the way by nanotechnology.
The lithium batteries that now power many of these vehicles have been enhanced by electrodes made with nanotechnology.
This reduces the time required to charge the batteries.
4. Beer Bottling Technology
Not many of you will have clicked on this article expecting to see this on the list. But no doubt anyone who has attended a live sporting event over the past few years will have benefitted from nanotechnology.
Beers have been served ice cold in glass bottles for decades now. Unfortunately, this isn’t ideal for the sometimes frenzied atmosphere experienced at soccer matches, ballparks and in stadia around the country.
The problem is that it’s not as simple as popping the beer into paper cups or standard plastic containers. This led to brewers like Millers to use clay nanotechnology. These enhanced plastic containers prevent the beer from oxidizing by keeping out the carbon dioxide safe inside.
So raise a glass to nanotechnology the next time you go to see the Knicks!
5. Sunscreen
Although it is rarely commented upon, skin cancer is actually the most common cancer in the United States. Over 5 million patients were treated for the disease on average per year.
The statistics above highlight why sunscreen is so important to protecting your health in the long-term. Now, nanotechnology is being used to help fight skin damage as well.
Many sunscreens now use nanoparticles which stop damaging UV rays from harming the skin. Amazingly, these products don’t leave a white residue on the user’s skin like traditional sunscreen products.
This means there really is no excuse not to protect yourself when you head to the beach next. Having an active healthy lifestyle and using the right products can really protect you.
6. Skin Products
Hair and cosmetic products were one of the first areas to benefit from nanotechnology. By delivering essential oils and vitamins to the hair and skin, cosmetics allow us to look younger and fresher.
Nanotechnology means that this can be taken a step further. Vitamins can make their way even further into the skin, to deliver more benefits.
If your hair is often dry and brittle, or you struggle to keep your skin moisturized, nanotechnology may be a perfect option for you.
7. Fishing Rods
Although the sport is almost as old as time itself, fishing has become a highly technical pursuit in recent years. First aluminum and then carbon fiber rods made it easier to get that catch.
Now, nanotechnology is being used in the best fishing rods to make them even better. By adding silica nanoparticles to the spaces within the carbon fiber structures of the fishing rods, rods can be made even stronger without adding any weight.
That should help the next time that you’re out on the water.
Nanotechnology Is Already Changing the World
The future is already here. Nanotechnology products have emerged onto the market in fields ranging from clothing to fishing and cosmetics.
These products are only going to improve, delivering benefits to more and more people around the world. The rapid way that they have been adopted by so many industries highlights their potential for good.
Do you think that you’ve used a product which has nanotechnology already? Feel free to comment below with any that you have used, or fields that you think could benefit from one of the most exciting emerging technologies of the 21st century.