Nanotechnology Safety

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Nanotechnology - Safety

• Partnership for Nanotechnology Education
• NSF Sponsored Workshop
• 26-28 April 2009
• USC Davidson Conference Center
• Walt Trybula, Ph.D., IEEE Fellow, SPIE Fellow
• Director, Nanomaterials Application Center, Texas
  State University
• Director, Trybula Foundation, Inc.

Centers for NANO-SAFETY Institute of NANO-SAFETY
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Projected Advantages
1 - Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) for
displays 2 - Photovoltaic film that converts
light into electricity 3 - Scratch-proof coated
windows that clean themselves with UV 4 -
Fabrics coated to resist stains and control
temperature 5 - Intelligent clothing measures
pulse and respiration 6 - Bucky-tubeframe is
light but very strong 7 - Hipjoint made from
biocompatible materials 8 - Nano-particle paint
to prevent corrosion 9 - Thermo-chromic glass to
regulate light 10 - Magnetic layers for
compact data memory 11 - Carbon nanotube fuel
cells to power electronics and vehicles 12 -
Nano-engineered cochlear implant
Compiled by Jo Twist, BBC News On-Line, July 28,
2004
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The Key Point

• Education on NANO-SAFETY requires
• Communication of Knowledge
• Which requires accurate Information
• Which requires understanding of Principles
• Which requires focused Research
• Which requires . . . . . the list continues

The POINT is that we need to address the
underlying knowledge acquisition in a systematic
manner to understand nanotechnology implications!
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Reports that Alarm

• 1DuPont published a report in 2004 that indicated
  nano-coal dust is harmful to human lungs. I
  thought coal miners learned hundreds of years ago
  that any type of coal dust is harmful. Why just
  nano?
• 1A report in 2008 showed that carbon nanotubes,
  if created in a special configuration with a very
  high dose, can cause a reaction similar to
  asbestos (Mesothelioma). As a side note, people
  have died due to consuming too much drinking
  water! Overdoses may provide good publicity but
  can skew perception.
• These type of publications are misleading at best
  and harmful to scientific efforts are worst.
• There needs to be accurate information available.

1http//www.tryb.org/a_white_paper_on_nano-safety.
pdf
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Feel Good Ordinances

• 1The City of Berkeley, California passed an
  ordinance in December 2006 requiring information
  be provided on all nanomaterial that will be
  brought into the city.
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) do not exist
  for the majority of nanomaterials. So what to
  people do?
• CNTs have been classified as graphite (a form of
  carbon). Diamonds and coal dust are also forms
  of carbon.
• Aluminum is highly energetic (explosive) below 20
  nanometers when exposed to oxygen. But the MSDS
  on aluminum does not indicate that fact.
• If laws are passed requiring information that is
  not known, people will provide the information
  available, which may not be accurate.
• We need to be able to address these issues, but
  there is not a systematic approach in place.

1http//www.seektress.com/berkeley.htm
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Material Properties???
Melting point of Gold
Magnetic Materials 13 atoms
Silver properties reported May 30, 2006 in
NanoTechWeb. Platinum experiments reported by
University of Stuttgart.
Known Properties

• Why are there difference from bulk?
• Part of the reason is the percentage of surface
  atoms.

Safety?
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What Must be Done

• Education
• Provide sources of accurate information.
• Provide guidance for the public.
• Educate Businesses.
• Create Knowledge Based Workforce
• Scientist, Engineers, Technicians.
• Assess future liabilities.
• Much, much more.
• Collaboration
• This issue is too large for one school, even one
  country to address by itself. Worldwide
  collaboration is an absolute necessity.

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Our Current Efforts

• TSUSNTF addressing NANO-SAFETY insertion into
  engineering courses.
• Texas State University System meeting on May 1st
  to establish Centers for NANO-SAFETY.
• Texas State submitted proposals on NANO-SAFETY.
• Collaborations with various schools including
  Rice University (CBEN and ICON), others including
  community colleges, and NSF NANO-LINK Center.
• Looking for more collaboration
• Site operational http//www.NANO-SAFETY.info
• NANO-SAFETY white paper available.
• Site support through the Trybula Foundation, Inc.
• http//www.tryb.org

Coming soon Institute of NANO-SAFETY