NANOMATERIALS-

1) Nanomaterials are chemical substances or materials that are manufactured and used at a very small scale (down to
10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair). Nanomaterials are developed to exhibit novel
characteristics (such as increased strength, chemical reactivity or conductivity) compared to the same material
without nanoscale features.
2) Hundreds of products containing nanomaterials are already in use. Examples are batteries, coatings, anti-bacterial
clothing, etc. Nano innovation will be seen in many sectors including public health, employment and occupational
safety and health, information society, industry, innovation, environment, energy, transport, security and space.
3) Nanomaterials have the potential to improve the quality of life. However, the new materials may also pose risks to
the environment and raise health and safety concerns.
4) These risks, and to what extent they can be tackled by the existing risk assessment measures in the EU, have been
the subject of several opinions of the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks
(SCENIHR).
5) The overall conclusion so far is that, even though nanomaterials are not per se dangerous, there still is scientific
uncertainty about the safety of nanomaterials in many aspects and therefore the safety assessment of the
substances must be done on a case-by-case basis.
Properties of Nano materials:
The main parameters of interest with respect to nanoparticle safety are:
Physical properties:
1) Size, shape, specific surface area, aspect ratio
2) Agglomeration/aggregation state
3) Size distribution
4) Surface morphology/topography
5) Structure, including crystallinity and defect structure
6) Solubility
Chemical properties:
1) Structural formula/molecular structure
2) Composition of nanomaterial (including degree of purity, known impurities or additives)
3) Phase identity
4) Surface chemistry (composition, charge, tension, reactive sites, physical structure, photo catalytic properties, zeta
potential)
5) Hydrophilicity / lipophilicity

Applications of CNTs:
1) Carrier for Drug delivery: Carbon nanohorns (CNHs) are the spherical aggregates of CNTs with irregular horn like
shape. Research studies have proved CNTs and CNHs as a potential carrier for drug delivery system.
2) Functionalised carbon nanotubes are reported for targeting of Amphotericin B to cells.
3) Cisplatin incorporated oxidized SWNHs have showed slow release of Cisplatin in aqueous environment. The
released Cisplatin had been effective in terminating the growth of human lung cancer cells, while the SWNHs
alone did not show anticancer activity.
4) Anticancer drug Polyphosphazene platinum given with nanotubes had enhanced permeability, distribution and
retention in the brain due to controlled lipophilicity of nanotubes.
5) Antibiotic, Doxorubicin given with nanotubes is reported for enhanced intracellular penetration.
6) The gelatin CNT mixture (hydro-gel) has been used as potential carrier system for biomedicals.
7) CNT-based carrier system can offer a successful oral alternative administration of Erythropoietin (EPO), which has
not been possible so far because of the denaturation of EPO by the gastric environment conditions and enzymes.
 8) They can be used as lubricants or glidants in tablet manufacturing due to nanosize and sliding nature of graphite
layers bound with van derwaals forces.

SWCNT (Single Wall Carbon Nanotube):

1) Single-wall nanotubes (SWNT) are tubes of graphite that are normally capped at the ends. They have a single
cylindrical wall. The structure of a SWNT can be visualized as a layer of graphite, called graphene, which is rolled
into a seamless cylinder.
2) Most SWNT typically have a diameter of close to 1 mm. The tube length, however, can be many thousands of times
longer.
3) SWNT are more pliable yet harder to make than MWNT. They can be twisted, flattened, and bent into small circles
or around sharp bends without breaking.
4) SWNT have unique electronic and mechanical properties which can be used in numerous applications, such as
field-emission displays, nanocomposite materials, nanosensors, and logic elements. These materials are on the
leading-edge of electronic fabrication, and are expected to play a major role in the next generation of miniaturized
electronics.
MWCNT (Multi Wall Carbon Nanotube):
1) Multi-wall nanotubes can appear either in the form of a coaxial assembly of SWNT similar to a coaxial cable, or as
a single sheet of graphite rolled into the shape of a scroll.
2) The diameters of MWNT are typically in the range of 5 nm to 50 nm. The interlayer distance in MWNT is close to
the distance between graphene layers in graphite.
3) MWNT are easier to produce in high volume quantities than SWNT. However, the structure of MWNT is less well
understood because of its greater complexity and variety. Regions of structural imperfection may diminish its
desirable material properties.
4) The challenge in producing SWNT on a large scale as compared to MWNT is reflected in the prices of SWNT,
which currently remain higher than MWNT.
Examples of injection moulded products:
1) The plastic injection molding industry has evolved over the years from producing combs and buttons to producing a
vast array of products for many industries including automotive, medical, aerospace, consumer products, toys,
plumbing, packaging, and construction.
2) Injection molding is used to create many things such as wire spools, packaging, bottle caps, automotive dashboards,
pocket combs, some musical instruments (and parts of them), one-piece chairs and small tables, storage
containers, mechanical parts (including gears), and most other plastic products available today.
3) Injection molding is the most common modern method of part manufacturing; it is ideal for producing high volumes
of the same object.