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Nanotechnology Basics
Working at the atomic, molecular, and supramolecular levels
Length scale of approximately 1-100 nm range
Goal: To create and use materials, devices, and systems with fundamentally new properties and functions because of their small structure
Small Scale
Nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter Each Nanometer is only 3-5 atoms wide
“Bottom-Up” Approach
Concept introduced by Eric Drexler Process of building things atom by atom
to decrease waste and increase reactivity
1. Nanogloss.com
1
Nanofactories
• To build a nanofactory, you need to start with a working fabricator, a nanoscale device that can combine individual molecules into useful shapes. – A fabricator could build a very small nanofactory, which
could build another one twice as big, and so on. Within a period of weeks, you have a personal desktop model.
• Products made by a nanofactory will be assembled from nanoblocks, which will be fabricated within the nanofactory. Some believe that the product that comes out of the nanofactory will be a mostly-solid block or brick that will unfold like a pop-up book or inflate like an air mattress.
• Computer aided design (CAD) programs will make it possible to create state-of-the-art products simply by specifying a pattern of predesigned nanoblocks.
Edit this and add more infohttp://www.crnano.org/bootstrap.htm
Nanofactory Moviehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEYN18d7gHg
Nanofactory Products
Anything from super-powerful laptop computers to high powered batteries to extraordinarily strong machines, etc.
Vision of a future desktop nanofactory
Uses of Nanotechnology
• Uses of Nanotechnology can be found everywhere
• Solar power, batteries, weapons, tool design and manufacture… just about anywhere you look, nanotechnology could play a future role
• Because there are so many uses, they must be narrowed here. This presentation will focus on nanotechnology use in batteries, solar energy, and hydrogen production
Nanotechnology in Solar Energy
• Basics of photovoltaic cells
a. Encapsulate b. Contact Grid c. Antireflective Coating d. N-type Silicon e. P-type Silicon
specmat.com
specmat.com
Howstuffworks.com
Nanotech Improvement of Solar Energy
The primary problem with current solar energy systems is their relative inefficiency The most advanced solar cells can only
make use of 10 to 30 percent of the available solar energy hitting the solar cells
technologynewsdaily.com
Dye Sensitive Solar Cells With Nanotube Coatings
• Researchers at Penn State University are focusing on the use of titania nanotubes and natural dye in an attempt to make more cost-effective solar energy
www.physorg.com
Issues with Dye Sensitive Nanotube Cells Thickness of titanium layer – too thin
Thickness of spacers – too thick
Titanium Layer
Spacers
www.physorg.com http://www.technologyreview.com/Nanotech/18259/
Greater Efficiency of Nanotech Nanocrystals
More electrons – 3 to 1 More energy prduced
Regular Solar Nanocrystals
Better Light Collecting Capability Nanoscale Antennae
DNA “scaffold” Increase photon absorption
Issue Energy lost in transportation
Possible Solution DNA controlled antennae placement
See http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/4856 for further info
Current Progress in Solar Nanotech• 6% efficiency in plastic solar cells
– Benefits of plastic cells• Flexible• Wrapable• Home use
• Possible uses– Roofing– Automobiles– Soldiers
Nanotech in Batteries
www.altairnano.com
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/lithium-ion-battery1.htm
Batteries, the Basics
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/lithium-ion-battery1.htm
Batteries, the Basics Cont’d
Toshiba Quick Charge Battery Normal lithium ion batteries “bottleneck”
during recharge if done too quickly Can cause serious effects, even explosions
This battery is said to recharge to 80% in one minute and 100% in under 10
For industrial and automotive uses
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/hardware/41889.html
Nano PossibilitiesAltair Technology NanoSafe Battery
• Longer Battery Life– Potentially up to 20+ years
• Faster Recharge– Potential to recharge in minutes
• Higher and Lower Operating Temperatures– From -50°C/-60°F to +75°C/165°F
• Higher Power Output– Potentially 4 times greater than current
lithium ion rechargeable battery capability
www.altairnano.com
Revolutionary Battery Electrodes• For use in the automotive or other industries that are
looking for a reasonably priced, high power battery• More power and a high rate of discharge -key
requirements – Hybrid batteries or other applications that require quick
bursts of power– Electrode production system allows for the use of low
cost raw materials and eliminates the need for undesirable additives such as binders and solvents that can slow a battery's rate of power output
• It could enable exploration into other areas, such as fuel cells, super capacitors and even electronic wires, all of which will benefit from the high discharge rates and other performance and cost advantages of this nanotechnology
http://www.voyle.net/Nano%20Battery/Nano%20Battery%202005-0004.htm
Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen is currently produced in a number of different ways
Problems with two current means of hydrogen production Electrolysis
Using Electricity – Powered primarily by burning fossil fuels
Steam Reforming Creates unacceptable amounts of carbon
monoxide
Hydrogen Production
Researchers at Penn State are using titania nanotubes in solar cells to create hyrdogen
Put water in – separate the parts
http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=1806
Another Current Hydrogen Issue
For cars, 4 kilograms compressed hydrogen = approx. 300 miles Would need a 50 gallon drum in the car
Very volatile Storage ability must roughly double to
reach engineering viability Material processing must also be cheaper
https://public.ornl.gov/conf/nanosummit2004/talks/4_Jorgensen.ppt
Nanotech Safe Hydrogen Storage
Still in exploration and early stages of research
May be able to store hydrogen in safe, light packages which allow for greater heat flow
Researchers trying to determine which nano-materials would be best
Possible Problems with Nanotechnology Disruption of economic structure
Products at the nano level may be cheap to create and may require very little human labor
Devaluing material and human resources Security Issues
Extremely small fully functional devices may become a security concern for the war on terrorism
Possible nanotech arms race
http://www.crnano.org/dangers.htm#economy
Further Concerns
Possible instability of certain nanostructures Researchers at Vanderbilt University have
raised concerns over soccer ball shaped “buckeyballs” when dissolved in water
Buckyball Danger?
Researchers claim they may have revealed a potentially serious problem: “Buckyballs have a potentially adverse effect on the structure, stability and biological functions of DNA molecules.” Could this happen in our bodies?
http://www.voyle.net/Nano%20Debate%202005/Nano%20Debate%202005-0040.htm
Greatest Challenges to Nanotech Materials are hard to handle and difficult
to keep stable Understanding nano material
characteristics A single particle silicon will no longer act
like bulk silicon Depends on size, shape, and environment
of the particle
Conclusion
Nanotechnology has to potential to revolutionize the US energy system. From fuel cells, to cell phone batteries, to space equipment, and everywhere in between nanotechnology can be utilized
But, there is still a lot of research to be done and many hurdles to cross to make this technology
commercially practicable
