Science and Development Network
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Definitions
A list of terms related to nanotechnology.
N
Nanometer
One billionth of a meter, 1/1,000,000,000 meter.
Nanostructure
Structures smaller than 1,000 nanometers, the diameter of an average biological cell.
Nanotechnology
A field of research and development involving building structures on the scale of atoms and molecules.
Nanotube
Tube-like molecular structure generally made of carbon atoms assembled in hexagons. A magnified nanotube would resemble a rolled piece of chicken wire. Click here for an illustration. Discovered by Sumio Iijima in 1991, carbon nanotubes are 100 times stronger than steel, can stand temperatures up to 6,500 degrees Fahrenheit and are only a few nanometres in width.
