Saturday, April 26, 2008

Nanoparticles

I don't really understand these "nanoparticles" being touted as additives to products. Are they just...molecules added to increase the functionality of the product? In that case, would iodine be an "nanoparticle" added to salt? Is fluoride a "nanoparticle" added to drinking water?

I guess I tend to think of nanoparticles more in a Drexlerian sense.

Or are people just trying to make money off the word "nano?"

2 comments:

JustaDog said...

Iodine is an element, salt is a compound.

Fluoride is a very toxic element many local governments force people to ingest, not a "nanoparticle".

MT said...

No, atoms aren't nanoparticles. Nano is bigger--a micelle or a molecule of hemoglobin could be one. I reckon you need 50 to 100 to atoms call it nano. Anyway I consider "nano" an all but vapid glamor word that's best avoided, except while one is actively deriding it.