ABSTRACT
Nanomaterials, and, in particular, nanoreinforcements for polymer composites have in recent years been the subject of intense research, development, and commercialization. A remarkable 1959 talk by Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman at the meeting of the American Physical Society at Caltech is recognized by many scientific historians as a salient event in the history of nanotechnology.1 In his talk, Feynman foresaw the development of nanomaterials, nanolithography, nanoscale digital storage, molecular electronics, and nanomanufacturing methods. Among other things, Feynman famously offered two prizes, for a thousand dollars apiece, in which he asked for a working motor smaller than 1/64 of a cubic inch; or to anyone who could reduce text to the size such that only an electron microscope could read it (i.e., nanolithography). Both prizes were awarded within a few years.
