Scaling Down for a Bright Future
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A Landscape of Nanoscience and Technology Development SCALING DOWN FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE Produced by Springer Nature and supported by National Center for Nanoscience and Technology [ Foreword ] Scaling down for a bright future: A landscape THE HUGE REALM OF of nanoscience and technology development, a report produced by Springer Nature, and supported by National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, provides a comprehensive picture of THE NANOSCOPIC global nanoscience development in recent years. It combines big data analysis and infographics with expert opinions and interpretations from ood things come in small membranes for water purification. will conduct a cross-country the perspectives of high-quality research papers, packages. Nowhere is Nanotechnology has quietly become comparison of nanotechnology patents, key disciplines, technologies and G this adage more true than part of our daily lives, in ways few research competitiveness including sustainable development. in the fields of nanoscience and ever consider – as components China, the United States, the United Based on bibliometric and citation analysis, this nanotechnology. With features a in sunscreens, wrinkle-resistant Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, report incorporates the insights of global peers at billionth of a metre, smaller than the clothes, and even golf clubs. Indeed, Germany, France and Australia. the forefront of nanoscience research. As the report width of a human hair, the science the global nanotechnology market In Section 4, we use Springer reveals, nanoscience and technology is developing and technology of the small has had is predicted to exceed USD 125 Nature’s Nano database, a rapidly around the world, making a huge difference. a big impact on fields as diverse as billion by 20241. comprehensive collection of It is leading the way for physics, chemistry, materials medicine and quantum computing. Meanwhile, nanoscience nanomaterial data, patents, and life sciences among other basic research fields. The word ‘nanotechnology’ is rapidly developing as an and literature references, to With ever-expanding applications, nanoscience is was first used by Norio Taniguchi interdisciplinary field, with growing probe popular nanostructures becoming an increasingly stronger pillar of industrial in 1974. The concepts behind research output, encouraged by and emerging applications. technologies. it, however, can be traced back strong governmental support. For We will supplement the Chunli Bai Just like other endeavors, nanotechnology, in even further. Richard Feynman instance, the United States launched analysis with interviews from President of the bringing rapid development, is also likely to raise new described a field that focuses on its National Nanotechnology Chinese and international Chinese Academy of Sciences problems of environment, health and safety. These manipulating and controlling Initiative as early as 2001, which experts in nanosynthesis, uncertainties and potential risks must be observed things on a small scale in his often has received continued investment nanocharacterization, and investigated. However, nanotechnology cited 1959 lecture, ‘There’s plenty totalling almost USD 27 billion since nanomedicine and development differs in that it pays close attention of room at the bottom.’ Farther its inception2. Similarly, China nanodiagnostics, energy to potentially negative consequences from the very back, medieval artisans relied on also recognized the importance applications of nanomaterials, beginning rather than rely on ‘develop first, clean up nanoscale materials to decorate of developing nanoscience and nanotechnology and the SMALL STEPS TO later’ approaches. This means nanoscience is likely stained glassed windows, as did the technology early on and funded environment, and nanodevices. to become the first field that carries out systematic Roman craftsmen that made the several major research projects in The experts will help to identify MAJOR CHANGE research on its possible adverse effects before large- Lycurgus Cup in the 4th century the field. recent developments in these scale application takes place. AD. Yet for its history, the breakout This report will present a snapshot specific research fields, the The future of nanoscience and technology moment for the field arguably came of the current state of nanoscience challenges that must be overcome, anoscience is a cutting-edge research field hinges on its contributions to global sustainable in 1981 with the development of the and technology research, supported and how they hope the fields will at the core of chemistry, physics, biology development. There is a need to strengthen basic Scanning Tunnelling Microscope by bibliographic data and expert evolve in the future. Nand materials. It has had a profound impact research to lay a solid foundation for further (STM), which allowed scientists to interviews, with a particular focus We conclude with a summation on modern science as a key to the development of growth of the field; to boost its catalytic effects on visualize individual atoms. on China’s performance. of our findings, along with a multiple disciplines. It’s also pivotal to transformative industrial technologies to more adequately meet the Since then, scientists have In Section 2, we will present a discussion of the role nanoscience manufacturing technologies with growing pressing requirements of energy and environment, made nanoparticles, nanowires, bibliometric analysis of nanoscience and technology play in the global applications found in energy & environment, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and artificial nanotubes, nanosheets, and technology’s contribution sustainable development goals, biomedicine, information devices and green intelligence. nanostructured materials, to the basic sciences, using data economic development, and manufacturing. Over the past two decades, More extensive and effective cooperation at and complex topological from Dimensions, Digital Science’s environmental protection. n countries and scientific institutions across the the global level is needed to build and improve nanostructures—even nano sea- database of publications, grants and world have implemented nanoscience research the innovation chains and value chains in urchins. They have used these clinical trials, and Springer Nature’s and development plans, making way for the field’s nanotechnology. We hope that through concerted structures to make field-effect Nature Index, a database that tracks 1. See https://www.researchandmarkets. comprehensive and rapid growth. Due to China’s efforts of global nanoscience researchers, more transmitters, biosensors and primary research articles published com/reports/4520812/global- nanotechnology-market-by-component- early and continuous emphasis on nanoscience, breakthroughs will come, with a broad effect on solar cells. They have developed in high-quality science journals. and the country is becoming one of the powerhouses industrial technology innovation to ultimately nanoparticle-based cancer We will continue along those 2. See https://www.nano.gov/about-nni/ what/funding leading nanoscience development. benefit society.n GETTY IMAGES ©WESTEND61/ treatments, and nanostructured lines in Section 3, where we Scaling down for a bright future | 1 saw a 33% increase from the previous year. Since then, the increase rate levelled off, with a slight drop of nano-related publications in 2018. The observed surge in 2014 coincides with upsurges in graphene- and nanotube-related articles in Nature Index journals. The number of graphene-related articles in Nature Index journals soared from around 1,900 in 2012 to more than 3,500 in 2018, with the fastest growth of 25% in 2014(Figure 2). Articles on nanotubes saw a steady growth from 2012 to 2018, making the 22% uptick in 2014 very physical sciences and life in nano papers, with a 57% prominent. sciences2. In addition, primary increase from 2012 to 2018 and Also, in early 2014, a paper research articles in a selected a CAGR of 7.8%. It overtook reporting the fabrication group of material science chemical sciences in 2014, 2016 of transistors using black journals, along with selected and 2017. The growth curve IMPORTANCE OF phosphorous thin crystals research articles in Nature of material science papers in was published, gaining a Index, identified using field nanoscience echoes that of large number of citations and of research (FoR) codes, are nano-related physical science generating further investigations categorized as material science papers, which indicates a NANOTECHNOLOGY of two-dimensional materials, papers (refer to Appendix for connection between the two including two-dimensional more detailed description of fields. The growth of nano- phosphorene1. the method). related physical science papers Correspondingly, articles The field of physical sciences is largely shaped by that of TO BASIC SCIENCE discussing energy storage saw a has the largest number of material science papers, which 40% increase in 2014 from the nano-related articles among are a subset of the physical previous year, based on analysis the four broad fields (Figure 1), sciences. As outlined before, of the Nano database, as shown mostly because nearly all of the research on two-dimensional in Section 4. More specifically, material science articles and materials, such as graphene in the Nano database, articles many chemistry articles can and phosphorene, solar cells s a study of matter at Dimensions database were also in 2012 to slightly over 10,500