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Nanotechnology in Austria
What is Nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology offers solution concepts to a wide variety of current problems, through the application of smaller, lighter, faster and more efficient materials, components and systems.
There is no universally-accepted definition of nanotechnology, owing to the wide variety of applications in the most diverse areas. In the basic sense, we can say that nanotechnology is a technology which is concerned with particles or structures with the following three fundamental attributes:
- the dimension of the matter on a molecular level is between 1 and 100 nanometers (nm)
- they are created in processors which control the physical and chemical characteristics of the molecular size of structures
- the individual particles can be combined to form larger structures.
The decisive factor is that the system components result in new functionality and properties to optimise existing products or develop new ones, purely through the use of nanoscaling. The fundamental and revolutionary aspect of nanotechnology lies in the possibility of influencing material properties through the size of the internal particles in a controlled manner.
The most important nanotechnology products and applications include:
- many pigments and other additives for varnishes and plastics
- modern processors
- surface coatings (e.g. tiles, bathtubs, worktops)
- the manufacture of dental filling materials
- the medical application of nanoparticles (e.g. for new types of diagnosis and therapy).
In the field of nanotechnology the most varied sciences are brought together, hence the label of nanotechnology as a convergent technology. The far-reaching and numerous areas of application ensure that nanotechnology is credited with huge potential.
Competence from Austria
There are currently around 100 Austrian companies applying their knowledge to the field of nanotechnology. There are more companies involved in areas where nanotechnology plays, or will play, a role. This includes the following areas:
- Microelectronics
- Optics
- Medical technology
- Sensor technology
- Materials science
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Automotive industry
- Textile industry
- Air and space travel
Nanotechnology companies can be found across the whole of Austria. Company start-ups and bases are currently geographically concentrated around the five most renowned project clusters.
These project clusters are part of the Austrian NANO Initiative, a national subsidy project set up in 2004. This initiative subsidizes Austrian research facilities with around EUR 11 million per year. During the initial application process, five out of eight submitted project clusters were selected. A total of around EUR 15 million was invested in these five nanoclusters and the companies who are involved in projects also contribute financially. One of the primary aims of the initiative was the networking of existing research initiatives, both inter-disciplinary and geographical. The five project clusters consist of a total of 11 universities, 12 companies and 2 competence centres.
The homepage of the NANO Initiative also hosts the so-called Nano Forum, a platform representing all strategic nano-partners (universities, research facilities, companies, associations etc.) and their interests.
Additionally in Austria there are extremely renowned research facilities at the Montan University Leobenwith study programmes in materials science and plastics, and at the Technical University TU Graz, which offers a degree in nanotechnology and nano analysis. At the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences there is the chance to study "MNT – Micro and Nanotechnology“. The centre for nanotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna is an exceptional research institute, which is known far beyond Austria's borders.
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