ABSTRACT
Once a figment in the minds of science fiction writers, nanomaterials are becoming an increasing reality and fixture in our everyday lives. The field of materials science has blossomed, with the New York Times crooning that invisibility cloaks like those from the Harry Potter series are closer to reality than might be imagined (Fountain 2010). Over 600 products using nanomaterials, including electronic components, cosmetics, and sunscreens, are currently available worldwide, and 30,000 nanomaterials are currently being researched and developed (Linkov and Steevens 2008).
