Nanotechnology Research Could Advance Alternative Energy
In our relentless search for clean, renewable energy, scientists from around the globe are exploring every possibility. One area of research that is becoming increasingly popular is that of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology involves working with structures that are 100 nanometers or less in size and is proving to be useful in a variety of ways where green energy is involved. Many of these ideas and inventions are almost beyond belief.
This research is proving incredibly useful in the field of wind power. Windmill blades manufactured with an epoxy made from carbon nanotubes are stronger, lighter and produce more energy than traditional windmills. This is a great boon to the wind power industry as it can cut down on maintenance and repair costs as well as make energy production more efficient. Another invention, Nano-Vent-Skin, is a complex system that functions symbiotically much like human skin. This material combines solar energy and miniature wind turbines to create energy and to filter CO2 from the environment.
Solar energy may also get a useful boost from advances in nanotechnology. Paint-on solar cells made from a mixture of nanotubes, bucky balls, and polymers will make it possible to turn almost any surface into a solar power receptor. Self-repairing organic solar cells have also been designed that can make solar power cheaper and more dependable than it is with traditional solar panels.
Solar and wind power aren't the only areas in which nanotechnology may help the advancement of green energy. Would you like to be able to charge your cell phone or music player simply by dropping it in your pocket? A prototype fabric has been designed that is made of piezoelectric nanofibers. While wearing clothing made of this remarkable fabric, your every movement would generate electricity that could then be used to charge your favorite personal devices.
Another nanofiber fabric has been created that can generate electricity when the two sides of the fabric are not the same temperature. This fabric would be especially useful in places where there is a vast temperature difference, including car or factory exhaust pipes. When wrapped around the pipe, these sheets of nanotubes could produce electricity to power other processes. If you prefer an electric car with no exhaust, you can still benefit from nanoscience. Researchers have discovered that silicone nanowires used as anodes can create a battery that is ten times more power dense than li-ion batteries.
Although it is almost beyond belief that nanostructures are proving so useful in such a wide variety of ways, it appears that they may be the secret to solving many of green energy's current problems. There is little doubt that even more ways to use nanotechnology will be discovered or perfected in the coming years. Maybe one of science's smallest creations will prove to solve one of the world's largest problems…that of how to convert to clean, renewable energy.
