10.1 CharaCterizing Forms
and FunCtions
This chapter looks at many kinds of nanomaterials or nanotechnologies as they are commonly identified by product type, such as
nanopaints, or by their function, such as antimicrobial. Many individuals and firms seek to characterize their research or products for
either scientific or marketing purposes in a focused way and naturally make use of everyday descriptions that capture their essence.
Indeed, they are often highly useful descriptors that bring alive
the exciting intent of a product, such as a self-healing nanopaint,
as well as being descriptive of general product form and application arena. These characterizations are thus usually related to
highly specific nanoproduct types and applications and much less
so to underlying physical or chemical phenomena. As we will see,
however, there is considerable overlapping as well as simple confusion in the kinds of terminology used here. Do we really mean
nanopaint, for example, or something like polymeric paints containing
nanoparticles? Presumably the latter is a more correct description
of what is actually meant—we certainly don’t mean “tiny paint”—
but the language is surely more cumbersome. In this chapter, we
describe research and products by the commonplace, if not always
precise, language that is typically used.
We draw a distinction between common types of nanomaterial properties and functional behaviors that might be the intention
or application of a particular type of nanoproduct and the actual
form of the nanoproduct itself. In the first instance, we have both
property characteristics (e.g., mechanical, optical) and functional
descriptors (e.g., self-cleaning or antimicrobial). In the second
instance of product form, we have descriptors such as nanocoatings,
403
Nanomaterial Product Forms
and Functions
Chapter 10
Nanomaterials, Nanotechnologies and Design
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.
and FunCtions
This chapter looks at many kinds of nanomaterials or nanotechnologies as they are commonly identified by product type, such as
nanopaints, or by their function, such as antimicrobial. Many individuals and firms seek to characterize their research or products for
either scientific or marketing purposes in a focused way and naturally make use of everyday descriptions that capture their essence.
Indeed, they are often highly useful descriptors that bring alive
the exciting intent of a product, such as a self-healing nanopaint,
as well as being descriptive of general product form and application arena. These characterizations are thus usually related to
highly specific nanoproduct types and applications and much less
so to underlying physical or chemical phenomena. As we will see,
however, there is considerable overlapping as well as simple confusion in the kinds of terminology used here. Do we really mean
nanopaint, for example, or something like polymeric paints containing
nanoparticles? Presumably the latter is a more correct description
of what is actually meant—we certainly don’t mean “tiny paint”—
but the language is surely more cumbersome. In this chapter, we
describe research and products by the commonplace, if not always
precise, language that is typically used.
We draw a distinction between common types of nanomaterial properties and functional behaviors that might be the intention
or application of a particular type of nanoproduct and the actual
form of the nanoproduct itself. In the first instance, we have both
property characteristics (e.g., mechanical, optical) and functional
descriptors (e.g., self-cleaning or antimicrobial). In the second
instance of product form, we have descriptors such as nanocoatings,
403
Nanomaterial Product Forms
and Functions
Chapter 10
Nanomaterials, Nanotechnologies and Design
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.