By adding certain compounds to a solution of nanomaterials, scientists and manufacturers can cause the materials to self-assemble into an ordered structure that can be used in the creation of nanotechnology. For this project you will need access to a lab, a gold nanorod solution, polyacrylic acid and a transmission electron microscope that can view the solution before and after the addition of the acid. When polyacrylic acid is added to a gold nanorod solution, it forms these self-assembled groups. This process is called creating an electrostatic interaction. Observe the nanorods before and after and explain why this change in grouping has occurred.
This project is for the person who wants to do a nanotechnology project but does not have the resources or the understanding. Create a short document based on the potential benefits and detriments of nanotechnology. Then create a survey to go along with the document, asking the survey taker how much regulation should be placed on nanotechnology versus how much experimentation. By giving this survey to members of the general public, you will be able to get a basic read of what the public believes should be done about the future of nanotechnology.
This project also does not require the use of a lab, but it simulates the use of nanotechnology using complicated computer programming. This project requires the knowledge of programming languages like C++ or the knowledge of assembly language programming. Download the programming ZIP files from the Science Buddies website. In this project you will attempt to program your nano-organisms to extract energy from industrial sludge, while avoiding radiation and the presence of nano-drones that are present in the virtual world. If you program your nano-organisms effectively, you can create more efficient nano-organisms than previous participants of this project. This project demonstrates how complicated nanotechnology may become in the future, with a focus on how to solve the impending energy crisis of the next few decades.
As nanotechnology becomes more pervasive, more research is being done on the subject. One option for a nanotechnology project is the compilation of several different research papers in an attempt to find a pattern of the technology. Using the nanotechnology research on the Nanotech Project site, you can search for different findings about this fledgling technology and compare and contrast the publications against one another. Use the resources at your school as well to find out as much as you can about nanotechnology. If there is a certain aspect of the use of nanotechnology that appeals to you, such as food, green nanotechnology or the regulatory issues, focus on that in particular.