Sangin Kim, Jaejin Lee, Hanjo Lim*

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World Trends of Responsible Nanotechnology
Researches

• Sangin Kim, Jaejin Lee, Hanjo Lim
• Department of Electrical Computer Engineering,
  Ajou University,
• Suwon 443-749, Korea.

4th Iran Nano Festival, Tehran / Iran, Oct. 5th,
2011
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Contents
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Characteristics of Nano-scale Sci. Tech.

• NST Sci. Technol. exploring and utilizing
  drastic property
• change of materials in nanoscale
  (less than 100nm).

• large area materials.
• low-dimensional systems.
• structural change ? property change.

• Enabling, Disruptive, Ultimate manufacture
  technology.

• General purpose material technol. , One of the
  NBIC systems.

• Passive/Active nanostructures ? system of
  nanosystems ?
• converging technologies from nanoscale.

• Materials in use define the age of culture and
  civilization.

• Next era NT era

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Characteristics of Nano-scale Sci. Technology
Nano-mechanical devices
Quantum Physics
Materials Science
Nanoelectronics
Carbon nanotubes
Organic elecronics
Nano-composites
Nano-tribology
Nanotechnology for functional devices ICT
Inorganic self-assembly
Nanomaterials bulk, coating soft materials
Tool coatings
Quantum dot LEDs and LDs
Photo-voltaic
Suspension and inks
Aerospace
Electronics,
Cosmetics
Information
Magneto-resistive devices
Bio-molecular data processing
Colourants
Textile
Nano-structured catalysts
Material
Micro-nano implants
pharmaceutical
Supply
Food beverage
Nano-filtration
Chemical
Drug delivery
Bio-synthesis of functinal molocules
Environmental
DNA Array
Nanotechnology for chemistry environment
Bio-sensors
Batteries
Bionanotechnology
Biochip
Energy storage
Biological self-assembly
Bio-catalysis
Supra-molecular self-assembly
Supramolecular Chemistry
Molecular Biology
J. Ryan, GSF 04.7
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Generations of Products and Productive Processes
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Timeline for beginning of industrial prototyping
and nanotechnology commercialization (2000-2020)
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Research Ethics (REs) and Needs of REs in NT
Researches

• Ethics in general

• Law constrain human actions, objective
  discipline.
• Morality regarding internal, subjective to a
  person.
• Ethics combine objectivity of law and
  subjectivity of morality.
• Ethical attitude is difficult to control by
  law, but very important for
• the credibility of an expert and the progress
  of a scientific society.

• Research Integrity in hard science (e.g., Physics)

• Same results from identical experiments (Needs
  of Lab. Notes)
• Very few Basic Laws (4 fundamental forces)
• Exact logics ? predictability

• Scientific research needs Exactness, Objectivity
  and Predictability.

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Ethical Issues in Research Activities (History
and Present)

• Life ethics Considerations on human body and
  animal test.

• Nuernberg code (1949), Helsinki declaration
  (1964), Belmont Report (1979)

• Ethical issues on the problem of dishonesty

• William Summerin (1974), Herrmann Brach (1990),
  J. Hendrik Schoen (2002)

• Implementations at funding agencies

• USA started in 1985 ? OSI ('89), UK MRC
  ('97), Germany DFG ('97),
• Korea Edu. Ethics at Med. Sch. ('80), Not
  active until 2005 (hum. stem cell).

• Present status of Researcher Ethics

• Expands depending on the confronted situation.
• Diverse aspects in researches ? difficult to
  list up all the items.
• Code of conduct ethics for the experts ?
  difficult to be applied by the law.

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LimLee
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Research Ethics (REs) and Needs of REs in NT
Researches

• Principles to be included in the Research Ethics

• Exactness, objectiveness reproducibility of
  the results (science).
• Research results should be positive for the
  human being.
• Research activity should meet general concept of
  ethics.
• - Ex) Seven ethical principles of scientist
  (BAAS, Sept. 2007).

• Actual situation Rather complicated. (Ex
  plagiarism)

• Plagiarizing /paper duplicating stealing or
  cheating the creativity of peers.
• - Simply rejected in the hard science
  communities.
• - Changing eng. variables and cumulative res.
  import. in process engineering.
• - Concepts of plagiarism in engineering fields
  are slightly different.
• NT products Process depend. properties. ?
  Importance of Res. Ethics.

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LimLee
Ethics in Nano-scale Sci. Techcnol. RD
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• Social reaction on new technology and NT
  visibility

NT Entering to the real industry. Lack of
informations on side effects.

• Lessons from GMO

• Insufficient dialogue btw researchers and public
  in the early stage of RD.
• Dominant supplier (e.g., Monsanto) major
  consumption by poor people
• (Asia and Africa).
• Concerns Possibility of long-term side effects.

• Responsible Res. in NST is very important at
  present status.

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LimLee
Risks in Nano-scale Science and Technology
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• Risks of NTs

• Not enough proof of no-danger (ex toxicity of
  nanoparticles).
• Risk of risk communication (ex public
  perception on NP toxicity).
• Nano divide like the digital divide.
• Military abuse and/or Privacy concerns.

• Uncertain toxicological effects of nanoparticles

• Depend on size, shape, surface area, chemical
  compositions.
• - CNT Carbon nanohorn, Accumulation of
  Ag NPs at kidney.
• - Disagreement between data for the same NPs
  (flaws).
• Depend on diff. stages of manuf. and/or
  life-cycle of the products.
• - Extensive study on EHS issue is crucial for
  a further progress of NT.
• - EHS study Expensive. Res. Funds on EHS
  study from the companies (?).

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LimLee
Ethical, Legal Soc. Impl. Issues in NT Res.
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• Factors needed for the responsible researches

• Metrology and stadardization are essential for
  technol. business develops.
• - Errors or false explanations. on the phys.
  prop. subject to surf. and interfaces.
• NST should be based on a hard science
  characteristics.
• Exposing infos/data is important for the public
  understanding (EHS).
• Communication with public not to mislead the
  public (positive or negative).
• - NT Fledgling revolutionary technology ?
  Broad influence on our life.
• Social agreement is crucial for its broad
  diffus. to the public as IT does currently.
• - Problem Easy to be unconditionally
  enthusiastic or exaggeratedly loathsome.
• - Conflicts btw improvements of individual
  life quality and social welfare.
• Should keep a fair position in providing
  positive and negative infos.

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Ethical, Legal Soc. Impl. Issues in NT Res.
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- How the NT products would be used? -
What products or technologies would come from
NTs? - What kind of restrictions should be
imposed on the NT researchers? - How can we
overcome the side effects of NT products?

• Suggestions

• ELSI evaluatation including EHS study (ex
  TiO2, CNT) increase of budget.
• - large scale interdisciplinary and systematic
  cooperation (problem identification/
• case studies/ethic-legal analysis/consensus
  developments/public consultation/ etc.
• International cooperation and International
  (or sub-intl) standards.
• - EHS OECD WPMN, Policy/Societal
  Implications OECD WPN
• - Standardization ISO TC 229, Ethics UNESCO
• Formation of experts for the EHS study and ELSI
  issues.

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LimLee
Some Important World Trends
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• Existence of significant barriers in NT
  commercialization
• UNESCO COMEST Activities
• - Several Publications on NT
  Ethics from 2006, Trying CoC
• USA - Recognize importance of NT-related EHS
  ELSI issues
• - Increase NNI budget from 67.9
  M(08) to 116.9 M(11)

clear principles to identify plausible risks of
NT products. and implement strategic planning on
EHS issues. information resources on EHS issues.
To Develop
To Foster administr. changes and communications
mechanisms.

• E U Most active in 3 major regions for
  respons. researches.

(source 2010 NNI Report to US President
Congress)

- 2008 Issue of EC-CoC Def.
Responsibity(?), 7 principles
7 principles Meaning, Sustainability,
Precaution, Inclusiveness,
Excellence, Innovation, and Accountability.
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Some Important World Trends
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ex 1) Sustainability NS NT research
activities should be safe,
ethical and contribute to sustainable development
serving the sustainability
objectives of the Community as well as
contributing to the United Nations Millennium
Develop- ment Goal. They should not
harm or create a biological, physical
or moral threat to people, animals, plants or the
environment, at present or in the
future.
ex 2) Innovation Governance of NS NT research
activities should encourage maximum
creativity, flexibility and plan- ning
ability for innovation and growth.
EC-CoC Not Mandatory, Voluntary Incentives,
Credits
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Some Important World Trends
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- 2011 Issue of EC-CoC MasterPlan and
CodeMeter.
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Some Important World Trends
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- 2011 Issue of EC-CoC MasterPlan and
CodeMeter.
Possible scenarios to extend the scope of the
EU-CoC.

• Japan No specific declaration from Japan NT
  Societies
• China NT goods certification. Code of Conduct
  (?)
• Korea Active discussions on Response. NT Res.,
  Outcome 4 Laws.

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SUMMARY
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• NT enabling, disruptive and ultimate manufacture
  technology.
• some uncertainty in EHS effects Not
  well solved yet.

• Ethical attitudes are important for a new
  technol. like NT
• Exactness, objectiveness, predicatability,
  and general
• concepts of ethics.

• ELSI Issues are important for the sustainable
  future of NST
• - Ethical attitude of NST researchers.
• - Voluntary and appropriate communication
  with public.
• - Wait the society prepare concrete
  countermeasure on negative effects.

• Interdisciplinary researches, international
  cooperations and budget crucial

• Some major economies trying to provide CoC.