How is Nano technology helpful in environmental protection and energy security?

The most significant use of nano- technology in environmental protection could be its use in the production of environment friendly energy. An example for an environmental friendly form of energy is the use of fuel cells powered by hydrogen which is ideally produced by renewable energies.

Probably, the most prominent nanostructure material in fuel cells is the catalyst consisting of carbon supported noble metal particle with diameters of 1-5 nm. Suitable materials for hydrogen storage contain a large number of small nanosized pores.

Therefore, many nanostructure materials are under investigation. Nanotechnology can contribute further in the reduction of combustion engine pollutants by nonporous filters, which can clean the exhaust mechanically, by catalytic converters based on nanoscale noble metal particles or by catalytic coatings on cylinder walls and by using catalytic nanoparticles as additive for fuel.

Further use of nanotechnology can be on wastewater treatment, air purification and energy storage devices.

The most advanced nano technology projects related to energy are: storages, conversion, manufacturing, improvements by reducing material and process rates, energy savings by better thermal insulation and enhanced renewable energy sources.

A reduction of energy consumption can be reached by the use of more efficient lighting and combustion systems, and by use of lighter and stronger materials in the transportation sector. Currently, used light bulbs only convert approximately 5% of the electrical energy into the light. Nanotechnology approaches like light-emitting diodes (LEDs), or quantum caged atoms could lead to a strong reduction of energy consumption of illumination.

Today’s best solar cells have layers of several different semiconductors stacked together to absorb light at different energies but they still only manage to use 40% of the sun’s energy. Commercially available solar cells have much lower efficiency of 15-20%. But the use of nanotechnology could help to improve the efficiency of light conversion by using nanostructures with continuum of band gaps.

The degree of efficiency of the internal combustion engine is about 30-40% at the moment. Nanotechnology could improve combustion by designing, specific catalysts with maximized surface area. In 2005, scientists at the University of Toronto developed a spray on nanoparticle substance that, when applied to a surface, instantly transforms it into a solar collector.