Are daily necessities under the banner of "nano" an IQ tax?
Nano atomization sterilizer, nano pillow, nano non-stick pan...
◎Intern reporter Pei Chenwei
Recently, a reporter discovered on an e-commerce platform that the sales of "nano-based" products such as nano atomization sterilizers, nano pillows, and nano non-stick pans have surged.
Some merchants claim that these products use nanotechnology in the manufacturing process and have characteristics that similar products do not have.
So, what is nanotechnology?
In daily life, which products use nanotechnology?
In this regard, the Science and Technology Daily reporter interviewed Zhang Jiatao, Dean and Professor of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Beijing Institute of Technology.
1 nanometer is equivalent to the length of 10 hydrogen atoms lined up
Like meters, decimeters, centimeters, and other units of length, nanometers are also a unit of length, only smaller.
1 nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter, which is roughly equivalent to the length of 10 hydrogen atoms arranged together.
Why are scientists obsessed with exploring such small scales?
Zhang Jiatao told reporters that this is because many substances will have many novel physical, chemical, biological properties or medical functions in the nanoscale range.
Gold, for example, has a melting point of about 1064 degrees Celsius, but on the scale of 1 to 2 nanometers, it melts at room temperature.
In addition, some metal oxides are usually non-magnetic, but exhibit magnetic properties below 20 nanometers.
"This is called the nanoscale effect. As the scale changes, the properties of the substance will also change." Zhang Jiatao added that it is generally believed that materials with a size smaller than 100 nanometers in three-dimensional space can be called nanomaterials.
The techniques and methods related to the preparation, processing and application of nanomaterials are collectively referred to as nanotechnology.
A Rational View on Nanotechnology and Related Commodities
So, do the nano pillows, nano non-stick pans and other products we see in our daily life really use nanotechnology?
In daily life, the most common nano product that people see may be the nano non-stick pan, which utilizes the surface effect of nano materials.
Surface effect is one of the four major effects of nanomaterials.
It means that when the size of solid matter is reduced to the nanometer level, the ratio of the number of surface atoms of nanoparticles to the total number of atoms increases sharply as the size of nanoparticles decreases, which in turn leads to changes in the physical and chemical properties of the substance.
Using this property, scientists can create superhydrophobic and superoleophobic materials that can be used in non-stick pan manufacturing.
With the acceleration of the pace of life and the increase of people's work pressure, cervical pain has become a major symptom that plagues modern people.
Some merchants took the opportunity to launch nano pillows, claiming to process natural ores containing a variety of rare trace elements to the nanometer level and weave them together with other fabrics to make pillows. Using this product can relieve discomfort such as insufficient blood supply to the brain.
But is that really the case?
"From a technical point of view, this is feasible." Zhang Jiatao said, "But whether it will play the role claimed in the advertisement depends on various factors such as the quantity and quality of nanomaterials in it."
Zhang Jiatao concluded that nanotechnology should not be mystified.
The nano-size effect is an inherent property of some materials after they reach a certain small scale, and it is not a "metaphysics".
"Consumers should rationally look at nanotechnology and these products that claim to use nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is function-oriented, and its purpose is to benefit the country and the people. Therefore, it is king that the products are easy to use." Zhang Jiatao said.
Nanotechnology has entered the homes of ordinary people
The nanotechnology that sounds "tall" has actually already appeared in our lives.
Zhang Jiatao introduced that many sustained-release capsules have applied nanotechnology.
The drugs in these capsules are wrapped in nanomaterials, which can be released slowly after entering the human body to achieve better therapeutic effects.
Some shirts, ties, washing machines, etc. have also applied nanotechnology, such as coating nano-coatings on their surfaces to achieve antibacterial and self-cleaning effects.
In addition, nanotechnology is also widely used in the field of electronic technology.
For example, now that the weight of smartphones remains the same or even reduced, the storage capacity and battery life have been improved, which is due to nanotechnology.
"Nanotechnology, which seems to be 'superior', has actually entered the homes of ordinary people, bringing great convenience to the lives of ordinary people." Zhang Jiatao concluded.