2014-02-17
530
Read and translate the text.
Applications
Unit XI
1. Practice the following words:
Titanium [tai'teniəm], dioxide [dai'oksaid], membrane ['membrein].
2. Study the vocabulary list:
to estimate – оценивать
titanium – титан
dioxide – диоксид
sunscreen – солнцезащитный крем
gecko – геккон
disinfectants – дезинфицирующие средства
coating – покрытие
paints – краски
varnishes – лак, лакировка
cerium – церий
to fund – финансировать
As of August 21, 2008, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies estimates that over 800 manufacturer-identified nanotech products are publicly available, with new ones hitting the market at a pace of 3–4 per week. The project lists all of the products in a publicly accessible online.
Most applications are limited to the use of "first generation" passive nanomaterials which includes titanium dioxide in sunscreen, cosmetics and some food products; Carbon allotropes used to produce gecko tape; silver in food packaging, clothing, disinfectants and household appliances; zinc oxide in sunscreens and cosmetics, surface coatings, paints and outdoor furniture varnishes; and cerium oxide as a fuel catalyst.
The National Science Foundation (a major distributor for nanotechnology research in the United States) funded researcher David Berube to study the field of nanotechnology. His findings are published in the monograph Nano-Hype: The Truth Behind the Nanotechnology Buzz. This study concludes that much of what is sold as “nanotechnology” is in fact a recasting of straightforward materials science, which is leading to a “nanotech industry built solely on selling nanotubes, nanowires, and the like” which will “end up with a few suppliers selling low margin products in huge volumes." Further applications which require actual manipulation or arrangement of nanoscale components await further research. Though technologies branded with the term 'nano' are sometimes little related to and fall far short of the most ambitious and transformative technological goals of the sort in molecular manufacturing proposals, the term still connotes such ideas. According to Berube, there may be a danger that a "nano bubble" will form, or is forming already, from the use of the term by scientists and entrepreneurs to garner funding, regardless of interest in the transformative possibilities of more ambitious and far-sighted work.
Nano-membranes have been produced that are portable and easily-cleaned systems that purify, detoxify and desalinate water meaning that third-world countries could get clean water, solving many water related health issues.
4. Compare two columns of words and find Russian equivalents (from the right column) to the following English words (from the left one):
| 1. доступные нанопродукты | a) Nanotechnology application |
| 2. применение нанотехнологий | b) available nanoproducts |
| 3. изучать сферу нанотехнологий | c) molecular manufacturing |
| 4. переносимая и легкоочищаемая система | d) to study the field of nanotechnology |
| 5. Очищать воду для стран третьего мира | e) to be related to the most ambitious technological goals |
| 6. молекулярное производство | f) portable and easily-cleaned systems |
| 7. относиться к самым амбициозным технологическим целям | g) to purify water for third-world countries |
| 8. создавать наножевачку | h) to form "nano bubble" |
5. Complete the following sentences:
2) The"first generation" of passive nanomaterials includes ….
3) A major distributor for nanotechnology research in the United States is ….
4) David Berube’s study concludes that much of what is sold as “nanotechnology” is in fact ….
5) Nano-membranes are … systems for ….
6. Answer the questions:
1) What did the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies estimate in August 21, 2008?
2) What do "first generation" of passive nanomaterials include?
3) Why did a major distributor for nanotechnology fund David Berube?
4) What did David Berube published in his monograph? What does he concern about?
5) What are the purposes of nano-membranes?
