A brief review of nanotechnology

Abstract

It has been almost 50 years since the concept of nanotechnology was proposed, and it has had a significant impact on our society over the years. In this article, the development of nanotechnology will be briefly summarized. Besides, two main fabrication methods are going to be introduced, including top-down methods and bottom-up methods. Additionally, three typical nanomaterials, including graphene, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes, are shown, as well as the corresponding preparation methods. What’s more, applications of nanotechnology in environmental protection, food, and agriculture are briefly discussed. It is believed that after decades of effort, nanotechnology will be further developed and have a more profound impact on the development of society. However, there are some problems that need to be fixed, such as the mass production of nanomaterials, the pollution problems and health problems that may occur in the application, etc.