Silica, Fiber Optics, Composites, Cyborgs, and Nanotechnology

Silica (SiO₂)

From natural opal and quartz to beach sand.

Uses:

• Traditional: Glass, porcelain
• Current: Silicon, optical fibers
• Elementary silicon is used to manufacture microchips for electronic devices

Features:

Semiconductor, can be an insulator or a conductor of electricity depending on the conditions.

Fiber Optics

A very fine thread of transparent material (glass, plastic, etc.) through which light pulses are sent that represent data to be transmitted. The light source can be a laser or LED.

They are used in telecommunications, allowing a large amount of information to be sent quickly.

Composites

Composites are formed by two or more chemically different components, which are not mixed at the microscopic level. They maintain individuality, but at the macroscopic level, the materials are homogeneous.

• One component (the most abundant) provides a homogeneous matrix.
• The other component (or components) is integrated into the matrix as reinforcement.

Examples and Properties of Composites

Examples:

• Carbon Fiber
• Fiberglass sports equipment: swimming pools, boats, vehicles
• Other composites: aircraft, satellites

Properties:

• Lightweight
• Impact-resistant
• Fire-resistant

Disadvantage: Expensive

Cyborgs

Cyber = Cybernetic

Org = Organization

• Bodies that have incorporated mechanical and electronic devices to improve their abilities or their adaptation to an environment.
• Biocompatible materials are used (sterile, non-toxic, and non-corrosive) capable of moving artificial limbs, chips that enhance listening skills, etc.

Risks Associated with Material Production

1. Risks to the environment:

   • Deforestation: reflection on consequences
   • Environmental impact caused by mining operations: visual impact, habitat destruction, pollution, and waste production
   • Consumption of large amounts of energy
   • Risks associated with transportation: oil slicks, etc.

2. Social conflicts: The struggle for control of resources creates conflicts, such as oil, water, minerals, etc.

3. Risks to health

4. Exhaustion of materials

Nanotechnology

Definition:

The technology that allows atoms and molecules to be grouped to manufacture materials so that they reach different properties from the initial ones.

Example:

Graphite (pencil lead) and diamond are composed of carbon atoms. Their properties are very different because the atoms are grouped differently.

Nanotechnology Concept:

Study, design, and creation of materials by manipulating matter at a nanometric scale: 10^-9 meters.

Nano-objects comprise between several tens to several hundreds of nanometers.

It is based on the fact that the properties of matter at the nanoscale are distinct from those on a macroscopic scale.