Nanotechnology: the next industrial revolution?
1 min read
Nanotechnology will have a far reaching impact on almost every industry in the coming years, a new report suggests.
The Lloyd's Register Foundation, a charity devoted to engineering research, says nanotechnology is the 'next industrial revolution' and heralds a 'new era' in which objects are manufactured at a molecular level.
As such, the organisation has announced its intention to invest £15million over the next ten years in a dedicated materials research centre in Cambridge.
The Foresight Review of Nanotechnology report, launched this week, is the first major piece of research to be published by the charity since its formation two years ago. It identifies five areas where nanotechnology could have an impact.
One of these is the miniaturisation of sensor technology, where embedded nano-sensors in structural materials such as concrete, or 'living' inside engines, provide feedback on corrosion or stresses, giving continuous read-outs in real time of structural and systems performance data.
The other four key areas the report focuses on are big data, engineered smart materials, energy storage and nanoparticles.
The full report can be downloaded from the link below.
