Nanochemistry meets philosophy of science

In this interview-based essay, Millstone, a nanochemist and renowned voice in the nanosynthesis community, and Bursten, a philosopher of science, reflect on contemporary issues concerning classification in nanoscience. Millstone and Bursten sustained an active on-site collaboration from 2011 to 2015, during which time they applied methods of conceptual analysis to untangle classification issues that affected Millstone's laboratory work. When the collaboration began, Millstone held as an ideal the notion of developing a classification system for nanomaterials analogous to the Periodic Table of Elements, and through their collaboration, she has come to reconsider the desirability and feasibility of such an ideal. Bursten interviews Millstone about this and a variety of allied topics. They discuss previous work the two have completed together, including an overview of the four-part characterization scheme for nanomaterials that Millstone employs and which Bursten has analyzed, as well as future directions they hope to explore as Millstone's new research directions in nanosynthesis generate novel classificatory challenges.