Monthly Challenges

Participate in each monthly challenge to learn new skills and expand your knowledge. Explore the current challenge below, share your accomplishments on social media with the monthly hashtag, and check back soon for next month's challenge.

#ChemTour: Nanotechnology

Get a little closer to chemistry each month with the 2022 #ChemTour. This month is all about nanotechnology!

Nanotechnology and nanoscience look at particles and structures on the order of 1 – 100 nm, where chemical properties of materials can be vastly different from single molecule or bulk materials. Consider, for example, how the bright colors of gold nanoparticles differ from the shiny yellow of a gold ring or how the strength and conductivity of carbon nanotubes differs from brittle diamonds.

From drug delivery to pregnancy tests to prosthetics, some of the biggest advances take place at the smallest level. Recent studies have used nanoparticles to identify cancers, create colorful spray-on solar panels, and wearable batteries. Nanostructures, like zeolites and metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs), have precise architecture that can isolate water molecules and separate ethane from propane. You can even make nano-racecars!

Share your favorite nano advance or check out these resources to learn more:

Get to know #nano

• National Nanotechnology Initiative
  Find activities, research, conferences and more from the US federal agency coordinating work in nanotechnology.
• Infographics
  Learn more about the role of nanoparticles in diseasing testing, sunscreen, and more!
• Introduction to nanotechnology
  New to nanotech? National Geographic provides a great overview in this article
• Nanotechnology
  Check out articles for all ages on the field of nanochemistry
• Instruments and analytical methods
  Get to know some of the tools most frequently used to study nanomaterials, compiled by Montana State University
• Nanotechnology research
  Get a snapshot of recent research with this compilation from ACS Axial

Nano communities

Get to know people who love nanochemistry as much as you do!

• Colloid & Surface Chemistry (COLL)
  Promotes discovery, scholarship, and innovation in colloid, surface, interface, and nanomaterials chemistry as pursued by a global and multidisciplinary scientific community
• Physical Chemistry (PHYS)
  Promotes the research and intellectual exchange in physical chemistry, both experimental and theoretical, through which we understand chemistry. The Division spans the fields of spectroscopy, nanomaterials, biophysics, dynamics, electronic structure, microscopy, quantum dynamics, materials design, energy, astrochemistry and thermodynamics.

Careers

Interested in career in nanochemistry? Check out these Careers & the Chemical Sciences and C&EN Talented 12 profiles:

• Co-founder and CTO, Nanotech Energy, Inc., Maher El-Kady
  
• Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Alexandra Velian
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Valparaiso University, Kathryn Leach, PhD

Journals

Want to catch up on the latest nanotechnology research? These journals are go-to sources:

• ACS Applied Nano Materials
  
• ACS Nano
• ACS Nanoscience Au
• Nano Letters
• Nature Nanotechnology