TABLE OF CONTENTS Three groups of technologies have ensured the scientific and technical advances in the first half of the XXI century: electronics and computer technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology. It is believed that the development of electronics and computer technology will reach the maximum activity in the years 2010 2015, and the contribution of biotechnology, which started in 1968 1973, will be largest in the period from 2025 to 2035, whereas nanotechnology will become the main driving force of scientific and technical advances in 2045 2055.
The essence of nanotechnology is the ability to work at the atomic, molecular and supramolecular levels, in the length scale of about 1 100 nm range, in order to create, manipulate and use materials, devices and systems that have novel properties and functions because of the small scale of their structures [1]. In some situations, the length scale under which the novel phenomena and properties develop may be less than 1 nm or larger than 100 nm. Control of matter on the nanoscale means tailoring the fundamental structure, properties, processes and functions exactly on the scale where the basic properties of solids are defined. Nanotechnology includes integration of nanoscale structures into larger material components, systems and architectures that could be used in most industries, healthcare systems and environment. At present, the development of nanotechnology and the production and application of nanomaterials have not yet reached a maximum.
Prior to 1990, there were no specialised scientific journals on nanomaterials and nanotechnology. At present, approximately 20 international scientific journals are concerned exclusively...
