Subtopic Nanotechnologies and new materials

The majority of the concepts of nanotechnology, which is considered as an enabling technology or platform technology, will only have an effect once they are implemented in other fields of technology. The work of this subtopic focuses on the opportunities and unintended impacts of the application of nanotechnology in power engineering (especially in storage and traffic technology) and in the field of medical science. Another research topic is the evaluation of health and environmental risks of specifically produced nanomaterials, with special emphases on problems of evaluation of scientific evidence and risk control under uncertainty. In addition, questions of (international) research policy concerning neurosciences and nanotechnology as well as public perception of and communication on nanotechnology are being investigated.