ICSTI Statement on Nanotechnology - Forfás

3.1 Application Areas
Nanotechnology is about making existing materials/devices better
(called passive applications) and making materials/devices never
before possible (called active applications). The distinction
between these applications also indicates the likely rate of
adoption of the technology by industry and also the industry
segments that are likely to adopt them. Passive applications are
already in the market (GM, Toyota, tennis balls) and offer the
potential for established companies to develop or maintain their
competitive advantage by applying the technology to their
products or processes. Active applications have a longer time
horizon and will be the source of new start-up companies and will
form the basis for radical technological change in multinational
corporations.
It is difficult to forecast the market value for nanotechnology
applications. In the case of many active applications the market
does not yet exist (e.g. non-CMOS electronics). In the case of
passive applications it depends on the extent to which the
technology will penetrate specific markets and/or which of the
competing technologies will dominate. For example both
nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes are both excellent drug
delivery systems, but it as yet unclear, which will dominate the
market.
To simplify the identification of the end markets and potential
market size the following top-level application areas are
discussed.
Electronics
Pharmaceuticals
Medical devices and biotechnology products
Chemicals & Materials
Energy
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