www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nanoMaterials Research Science and Engineering Center at UW – Madison

STAINED GLASS TO CANCER TREATMENT?

Nanotechnology: then and now!

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

SIMILAR….YET VERY DIFFERENT

Depiction of a forest glass shop from Sir John Mandeville's Travels, dated 1420 – 1450. British Library, London

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

SIMILAR….YET VERY DIFFERENT

Both show NANOTECHNOLOGISTS!!

Depiction of a forest glass shop from Sir John Mandeville's Travels, dated 1420 – 1450. British Library, London

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

WHAT IS NANOTECHNOLOGY?

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications.

Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale.

--National Nanotechnology Initiative (2003)

…But what does that mean?

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

WHAT IS NANOTECHNOLOGY?

…How small is extremely small?

1. The nanometer is extremely small.

2. At the nanometer scale, many materials behave differently.

3. We can harness this new behavior to make new technologies.

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

EXACTLY HOW SMALL IS NANO?

meter

1/100th of a meter(centimeter)

1/1000th of a meter (millimeter)

All these are still visible with your eyes.

1/10th of a meter

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

…..SMALLER THAN YOU CAN SEE!

One-millionth of meter (micrometer)

Nanoscale objects are 1,000 times SMALLER!!!

6-8 µm

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

…..SMALLER THAN YOU CAN SEE!

Viruses

3-50 nm

DNA2.5 nm

Atoms<1 nm

A nanometer is one-BILLIONTH of a meter!!

Buckyball~1 nm

Nanotube~1 nm

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

MEDIEVAL NANOTECHNOLOGISTS

Recipe for Stained glass:• Sand• Chemicals to lower the melting

point of sand• Sodium carbonate (soda

ash)• Calcium oxide (lime)

• Chemicals to create the color• Lots of heat!

• Mixture becomes molten at 1500 °F

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

THINGS ARE DIFFERENT…..

Size really does matter!

Bulk

Nano

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

THINGS ARE DIFFERENT…..

Size really does matter!

Bulk

Nano

Nanoparticles interact differently with light.

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nanoChang, Kenneth. “Tiny is Beautiful: Translating ‘Nano’ Into Practical.” New York Times 22 Feb 2005: Science.

CHANGING THE SIZE OF THE GOLD PARTICLES AFFECTS THEIR COLOR

Size=25 nmShape: sphericalColor: RED

Size=50 nmShape: sphericalColor: GREEN

Size=100 nmShape: sphericalColor: ORANGE

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nanoChang, Kenneth. “Tiny is Beautiful: Translating ‘Nano’ Into Practical.” New York Times 22 Feb 2005: Science.

CHANGING THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE SILVER PARTICLES AFFECTS THEIR COLOR

Size=100 nmShape: sphericalColor: YELLOW

Size=40 nmShape: sphericalColor: BLUE

Size=100 nmShape: triangularColor: RED

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

GOLD NANOPARTICLES TODAY

60-100 nm

How does it work?• Nanoshells absorb infrared light, which causes them to heat up.• Infrared light does not harm healthy tissue. • Nanoshells are coated with molecules that target cancer cells.• Increasing the temperature of the cancer cells by more than

54°F kills them

glass bead

N. Halas, J. West (Rice University); Hirsch , et al. PNAS. 100:13549 (2003)

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SILVER NANOPARTICLES TODAY

Silver nanoparticles are used to kill bacteria in:

Athletic apparelSocksRefrigeratorsPlastic containersWashing machines

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YOUR TURN!

You

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

YOUR TURN!

Two Activities:

1. Collaborative Stained glass panel(color in the pattern using the dropper as a paint brush)

2. Take home your own stained “glass” window(snip off some pieces of stained “glass” and laminate them in the card)

www.mrsec.wisc.edu/nano

Thank you!

This project was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ESI-0532536.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.