Nanotechnology: The future of fire safety

This study reviews fire protection developments and explores the applicability of nanotechnology for mitigating emerging issues. There are many types of fire retardant materials that can mitigate damage and compartmentalize fire, but nanotechnology has been shown to be more effective in providing adequate protection against destructive fires. This study further examines nanotechnology and how it can be used to minimize fire damages to property and personnel. Nanotechnology is based on miniaturized particles in the order of 10(-9) in size, which makes it very useful because the materials can be manipulated for beneficial use beyond the capacity of regular materials. This in turn creates a stronger light-weight material that can be used in many fields. In this instance, nanotechnology can be used for fire protection. This study additionally reviews some of the disadvantages with the use of nanotechnology. Presently, there has been minimal research identifying the chronic effects from nanotechnology exposure, preliminary studies of nanoparticles show that there are side effects that mimics the overexposure of asbestos. When nanotechnology penetrates the skin and lung tissues of workers that are exposed to it, it can cause spores to grow in the lungs and can be lethal if overexposed. Nanotechnology has a few concerns but if it is tested and applied properly, it can become the future in not only fire safety but healthcare and manufacturing.