[extropy-chat] nano limit/hassle?

Jeff Davis jrd1415 at yahoo.com
Sun Sep 25 21:00:45 UTC 2005


>From the article:

The measurement tells nanotechnologists how small they
can make extremely tiny devices before a microscopic
force between atoms and surfaces, called
van der Waals interaction, becomes a concern.

"Our research provides the first direct experimental
evidence that a surface 25 nanometers away (25
billionths of a meter) causes a shift in the atom wave
crests," Perreault said. "It shows that the van der
Waals interaction may be a small scale force, but it's
a big deal for atoms." 

**Becomes a concern...**  and **big deal** are vague,
relative and borderline useless.  No,...over the
border. 

The nanomachine issue would be the strengths of the
various bonding forces RELATIVE TO the van der Waals
forces.  I don't have the numbers, but it is my
impression that other bonding forces are substantially
greater.  Consequently, van der Waals forces would
have significant effect only for an
unattached/free-floating atoms or small molecules --
hardly a nanomachine.

My guess is the U of A boys did some kind of van der
Waals research, and the press office wanted to give it
some pizzazz, so they went for nano pizzazz.

Best, Jeff Davis

   "Everything's hard till you know how to do it."
                           Ray Charles


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