Global nanotechnology industrialization begins to take shape

At a recent US nanotechnology strategy seminar held in Virginia, USA, a report entitled “Long-term Effects of Nanotechnology and Research Directions: 2000 to 2020” was published by the National Science Foundation. As a result, regulators began to approve With the large-scale use of nanotechnology-based products, investment in nanotechnology research and development has achieved economic benefits, but lack of financial support is still a bottleneck to the development of nanotechnology. The report calls for the industry to pay more attention to the industrialization of nano products and the return on social investment.

At the request of the National Science Foundation, the World Technology Assessment Center conducted a global survey to understand the progress of nanotechnology over the past 10 years and its future development. 200 top scientists from 35 countries participated in the survey. This work. At the seminar, Chad Mirkin, the chief expert of the expert group responsible for this investigation, said that in the past 10 years, "nano" has changed from the concept of "big speculation" to "real achievements in substantive science and engineering." . In nanotechnology research, nanobiosystems and nanomedicine will become "the most exciting and fastest-growing areas." The first nanotherapeutic and nanoactive diagnostic tools have been approved by regulatory authorities in the United States.

Nanotechnology is one of the most competitive research areas. According to the report, the market value of nanotechnology-based products globally has exceeded US$250 billion. Despite many people's commitments in this area, it is still difficult for researchers to obtain sufficient funds to carry out their work. Milkin said that risk investors are increasingly reluctant to take risks, and the government does not have sound mechanisms for effective investment.

Looking into the future, the report calls for people in the industry to pay more attention to material innovation, industrialization, job creation, and return on social investment. At the same time, it takes measures to ensure public safety and proposes to mainstream the impact of nanotechnology on the environment, health, and safety. system. Mirkin said: "At least from my point of view, there is no reason to fear miniaturization, but because all these are new chemical substances, we must obtain the approval of the regulatory agencies and formulate reasonable development plans."

At the seminar, David Bennett, a nanotechnology and science policy expert at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, also raised questions that are commonly found in the field of nanotechnology research: “Some of them were considered promising in the first place after careful consideration. The process route may take longer than expected, or it may be difficult to obtain a production permit at all; while other process technologies that were initially just researchers’ whims would bring drastic changes.”