Lanka enters Nanotechnology world

by M.P. Muttiah

Sri Lanka will set up a National Nanotechnology Institute shortly, to help identify and initiate nanotechnology based-research and technology transfer processes to develop industries in Sri Lanka. It would foster an entrepreneurial culture within the Nanoscience Park and the Nanotechnology Institute and attract best Sri Lanka technologists and scientists both in the country and abroad, to work at a single location.

Sri Lanka is poorer in this field because it has failed to industrialise due to neglect of research and development for technology generation.

The developed countries have to invest afresh in newly emerging technologies if they are to remain competitive.

Nanotechnology is an emerging interdisciplinary technology that has begun to boom in many areas within the last ten years. These include Material Science, Medicine, Electronics, Optics, Mechanics, Plastics, Energy and Aerospace Technology.

One nanometre is one billionth of a metre, that is about 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Nanotechnology aims to manipulate substances at this level. Thus atoms, molecules and nano-size particles are manipulated in a precise and well-controlled manner to build materials with fundamentally new make up and novel and superior properties.

With the aid of the Nanotechnology Institute, discoveries would be made rapidly. Thus, the project would identify and initiate nanotechnology-based industries in Sri Lanka. This would expand the current industrial sector to create world class products for the export economy. Priority will be given to attracting private sector industries to work closely with the Nanotechnology Institute to enhance market competitiveness and develop new products.

Sri Lanka already has over 15 experts in Nanotechnology in the country. Sri Lankan scientists and technologists in large numbers are working in the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and other countries have already indicated their readiness to support and participate in the establishment of the Institute.

As stated in the Mahinda Chintana, "at least 1% of the Gross National Product will be set aside for innovation in the field of science and technology. A system will be set in place to ensure that these innovations are at the disposal of the consumers as well as the business community." Considering that 1% of the GNP will amount to Rs. 26 billion, the annual requirement for this project will be just 4% of this amount.

Rs. 640 million for 2007, Rs. 1680 million for 2008, Rs. 1750 million for 2009, Rs. 800 million for 2010 and Rs. 750 million for 2011 will be set aside for this Institute and the Nanoscience Park. The industry expects self-sustenance after five years.

The construction work of these two institutions will commence early next year.