Nanobionic Spinach Plants Can Detect Explosives

NANOTECHNOLOGY TOPICS

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ

к практическим занятиям по дисциплине

«Английский язык» для студентов I курса

направления подготовки 11.03.04 «Электроника и наноэлектроника»

дневной формы обучения

Севастополь

УДК 629.123+656.61.052

NANOTECHNOLOGY TOPICS:методические указания к практическим занятиям по дисциплине «Английский язык» для студентов I курса направления подготовки 11.03.04 «Электроника и наноэлектроника». / Сост. Сост. А.Г. Михайлова – Севастополь: Изд-во Сев ГУ, 2016. – 19 с.

Содержат материалы, предназначенные для проведения практических занятий. Предназначено для студентов 1 курса направления подготовки 11.03.04 «Электроника и наноэлектроника».

Целью данных методических указаний является:

· обучение различным видам речевой деятельности (говорения и чтения);

· привитие навыков понимания литературы по специальности;

· повторение грамматического материала;

· введение и обработка новой лексики по специальности;

· развитие коммуникативных навыков.

Автор методических указаний использует методику декодирования текстов для изучающего чтения, аудирования, ознакомительного и просмотрового чтения.

Методические указания утверждены на заседании кафедры «Романская и германская филология» (протокол № 3 от 28.10.2016 г.).

Допущено учебно-методическим центром и научно-методическим Советом Сев ГУ в качестве методических указаний.

Рецензент: Михайлова Е.В., к.ф.н., доцент кафедры «Теории и практики перевода» Севастопольского государственного университета.

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ВВЕДЕНИЕ

Успешное овладение иностранными языками в настоящее время – это необходимая предпосылка для получения интересной работы в стране и за рубежом, укрепления дружбы с представителями различных стран для продолжения обучения в международных внешних учебных заведениях и профессионального роста в избранной области специализации. Все это заставило наполнить новым содержанием цели обучения иностранному языку и потребовало расширения его функций как учебного предмета с учетом лучшего мирового опыта обучения языкам международного общения и социокультурных особенностей его изучения.

Данные методические указания предназначены для студентов направления подготовки 11.03.04 «Электроника и наноэлектроника» 1-го курса дневной формы обучения. В основе методических указаний лежит идея взаимосвязи изучения лексики по специальности и одновременного развития всех коммуникативных навыков: чтения, говорения, аудирования.

Цель данных методических указаний состоит в том, чтобы привить навыки чтения и понимания литературы по специальности и сформировать навыки речевой деятельности на английском языке по темам, предусмотренным программой, а также обучение основам профессионального общения в устной форме, накопление словарного запаса, выработка аргументации и ведения дискуссий на профессиональные темы.

Состоит из 4-х разделов и тестового задания. В методических указаниях использованы материалы технической литературы на английском языке. Каждый урок включает в се6я: текст на английском языке; послетекстовые упражнения.

Чтение и устная речь (аудирование и говорение) являются как целью, так и средством обучения. Предусматривается обучение четырем видам чтения:

· 1. Изучающее. Цель его – точное понимание всей информации. Изучающее чтение предполагает работу со словарем.

· 2. Ознакомительное. Цель его – ознакомиться с конкретным содержанием статьи, книги, выяснить, не только какие вопросы затрагиваются, но и каким образом они решаются.

· 3. Просмотровое. Цель его – получить самое общее представление о содержании статьи (книги), о ее теме и о круге вопросов, которые там затрагиваются.

· 4. Поисковое. Цель его – умение найти конкретную информацию (определение, правило, цифровые данные), о которой заранее известно, что она находится в данной статье, газете, книге. Обучение всем видам чтения проводится на соответствующих упражнениях.

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ

ВВЕДЕНИЕ…………………………………………………………………3

1. Lesson 1. Nanotechnology …………………………………………….….…...5

2. Lesson 2. Nanobionic Spinach Plants Can Detect Explosive…………………..8

3. Lesson 3. New Storage Device Is Very Small, at 12 Atoms……………….....10

4. Lesson 4.The Next Big Tiny Thing: Nanotechnology Runs into NewCriticism…………………………………………………………………………..13

Tests……………………………………………………………………..………...16

Библиографический список…………………………………………………....19

LESSON 1.

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale. This covers both current work and concepts that are more advanced. In its original sense, “nanotechnology” refers to the projected ability to construct items from the bottom up, using techniques and tools being developed today to make complete, high performance products.

Picture 1. With 15,342 atoms, this parallel-shaft speed reducer gear is one of the largest nanomechanical devices ever modeled in atomic detail

Nanotechnology is an applied science, growing by the creation of nanoconstructs and the presence of nanoparticles. This derived from nanoscience that is the science of the usage of materials in the nanometer scale. Nanoscience and nanotechnology have already become the key for research and development.

When K. Eric Drexler popularized the word 'nanotechnology' in the 1980's, he was talking about building machines on the scale of molecules, a few nanometers wide –motors, robot arms, and even whole computers, far smaller than a cell. Mundane technology was developing the ability to build simple structures on a molecular scale. As nanotechnology became an accepted concept, the meaning of the word shifted to encompass the simpler kinds of nanometer-scale technology.

Much of the work being done today that carries the name 'nanotechnology' is not nanotechnology in the original meaning of the word. Nanotechnology, in its traditional sense, means building things from the bottom up, with atomic precision. This theoretical capability was envisioned as early as 1959 by the renowned physicist Richard Feynman.

Based on Feynman's vision of miniature factories using nanomachines to build complex products, advanced nanotechnology (sometimes referred to as molecular manufacturing) will make use of positionally-controlled mechanochemistry guided by molecular machine systems.

The term “Nano” is strickly to size and not chemical composition in terms of nanoparticles. According to recent toxicological studies nanoparticles are particles less than 100 nm in at least one dimension, classified as natural, anthropogenic or engineered in origin. Because of the small size these particles are toxic, as a result of their greater surface area. Their toxicity of remains widely unknown and still poses concerns, due to the peculiar characteristics of materials in the nano-size. The most common nanoparticles present in the environment are combustion derived nanoparticles from an anthropogenic Nanoparticles are incorporated in many products from pharmaceuticals to catalysts. As an example, in 2002 an indium tin oxide nanopowder manufacturing facility was launched by Samsung, used in the production of flat panel displays based on liquid crystals. Therefore the silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes now have the widest range of applications. The expansion of the nanotechnology resulted in further classification of nanoparticles in size, shape, charge, chemistry, coating and solubility. Some examples of nanoconstructs are carbon nanotubes, fullerene, carbon derivative, quantum dots, and manufactured nanoparticles.

Mihail (Mike) Roco of the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative has described four generations of nanotechnology development (see picture 2 below). The current era, as Roco depicts it, is that of passive nanostructures, materials designed to perform one task. The second phase, which we are just entering, introduces active nanostructures for multitasking; for example, actuators, drug delivery devices, and sensors. The third generation began emerging in 2010 and featured nanosystems with thousands of interacting components. The first integrated nanosystems, functioning (according to Roco) much like a mammalian cell with hierarchical systems within systems, are expected to be developed.

Picture 2. Four generations of nanotechnology development

Some experts may still insist that nanotechnology can refer to measurement or visualization at the scale of 1-100 nanometers, but a consensus seems to be forming around the idea (put forward by the NNI's Mike Roco) that control and restructuring of matter at the nanoscale is a necessary element. CRN's definition is a bit more precise than that, but as work progresses through the four generations of nanotechnology leading up to molecular nanosystems, which will include molecular manufacturing, we think it will become increasingly obvious that "engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale" is what nanotech is really all about.

Words and word combination:

Nanoscience – нанонаука

Nanoparticle – наночастицa

Nanometer – миллимикрон; нанометр

To popularize – популяризировать, распространять

Toxicity – ядовитость, токсичность

Combustion – горение, сгорание; воспламенение; (хим.) oкисление (органических веществ)

Mechanochemistry – механохимия (наука о преобразовании химической энергии в механическую)

Anthropogenic – антропогенный, вызванный деятельностью человека

Nanopowder – нанопорошок

Mundane – мирской, земной, светский

Increasingly – всё более, всё в большей степени или мере

Exercise 1. Questions to the text.

1. What is nanotechnology?

2. What is nanoscience?

3. When did the word “nanotechnology” popularize?

4. Does ”nanotechnology”, in its traditional sense, mean building things from the bottom up, with atomic precision?

5. What are the most common nanoparticles presented in the environment?

6. What are four generations of nanotechnology development?

Exercise 2. Make up 4 types of questions to the sentences:

1. “Nanotechnology” refers to the projected ability to construct items from the bottom up.

2. Nanotechnology is an applied science.

3. Mundane technology was developing the ability to build simple structures on a molecular scale.

4. The first integrated nanosystems, functioning are expected to be developed.

Exercise 3. Discuss the following topics. Interactive work.

1) Molecular nanosystems

2) What nanotech is really all about.

Exercise 4. Invisibility cloaks, bulletproof suits and cancer cures, we enter the minuscule world of nanotechnology with these 10 awesome facts. Discuss it. Watch the video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7BjkXF2bxU

What is Nanotechnology? What applications can it be used for? Watch the video and discuss these questions with your groupmates. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOqEk440JZ8

LESSON 2.

Nanobionic Spinach Plants Can Detect Explosives

After sensing dangerous chemicals, the carbon-nanotube-enhanced plants send an alert. Spinach is no longer just a superfood: By embedding leaves with carbon nanotubes, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) engineers have transformed spinach plants into sensors that can detect explosives and wirelessly relay that information to a handheld device similar to a smartphone (Picture 3).

Picture 3. Engineers have transformed spinach plants into sensors.

This is one of the first demonstrations of engineering electronic systems into plants, an approach that the researchers call “plant nanobionics.” The goal of plant nanobionics is to introduce nanoparticles into the plant to give it non-native functions.

In this case, the plants were designed to detect chemical compounds known as nitroaromatics, which are often used in landmines and other explosives. When one of these chemicals is present in the groundwater sampled naturally by the plant, carbon nanotubes embedded in the plant leaves emit a fluorescent signal that can be read with an infrared camera. The camera can be attached to a small computer similar to a smartphone, which then sends an email to the user.

This is a novel demonstration of how we have overcome the plant/human communication barrier. Scientists believe that plant power could also be harnessed to warn of pollutants and environmental conditions such as drought.

In the first demonstration of plant nanobionics scientists used nanoparticles to enhance plants’ photosynthesis ability and to turn them into sensors for nitric oxide, a pollutant produced by combustion. Plants are ideally suited for monitoring the environment because they already take in a lot of information from their surroundings.

Plants are very good analytical chemists. They have an extensive root network in the soil, are constantly sampling groundwater, and have a way to self-power the transport of that water up into the leaves.

In the new study, the researchers embedded sensors for nitroaromatic compounds into the leaves of spinach plants. Using a technique called vascular infusion, which involves applying a solution of nanoparticles to the underside of the leaf, they placed the sensors into a leaf layer known as the mesophyll, which is where most photosynthesis takes place.

They also embedded carbon nanotubes that emit a constant fluorescent signal that serves as a reference. This allows the researchers to compare the two fluorescent signals, making it easier to determine if the explosive sensor has detected anything. If there are any explosive molecules in the groundwater, it takes about 10 minutes for the plant to draw them up into the leaves, where they encounter the detector.

To read the signal, the researchers shine a laser onto the leaf, prompting the nanotubes in the leaf to emit near-infrared fluorescent light. This can be detected with a small infrared camera connected to a Raspberry Pi, a $35 credit-card-sized computer similar to the computer inside a smartphone. The signal could also be detected with a smartphone by removing the infrared filter that most camera phones have, the researchers say. This setup could be replaced by a cell phone and the right kind of the camera. It’s just the infrared filter that would stop you from using your cell phone. Using this setup, the researchers can pick up a signal from about 1 meter away from the plant, and they are now working on increasing that distance.

This approach holds great potential for engineering not only sensors but many other kinds of bionic plants that might receive radio signals or change color. When you have manmade materials infiltrated into a living organism, you can have plants do things that plants don’t ordinarily do. Once you start to think of living organisms like plants as biomaterials that can be combined with electronic materials.