Green nanotechnology
Encyclopedia
Green nanotechnology refers to the use of nanotechnology
to enhance the environmental-sustainability of processes currently producing negative externalities. It also refers to the use of the products of nanotechnology to enhance sustainability. It is about doing things right in the first place—about making green nano-products and using nano-products in support of sustainability.
health risks associated with the manufacture and use of nanotechnology
products, and to encourage replacement of existing products with new nano-products that are more environmentally friendly throughout their lifecycle."
and products without harming the environment or human health, and producing nano-products that provide solutions to environmental problems. It uses existing principles of Green Chemistry
and Green Engineering to make nanomaterials and nano-products without toxic ingredients, at low temperatures using less energy and renewable inputs wherever possible, and using lifecycle thinking in all design and engineering stages.
In addition to making nanomaterials and products with less impact to the environment, Green Nanotechnology also means using nanotechnology to make current manufacturing processes for non-nano materials and products more environmentally friendly. For example, nanoscale membranes
can help separate desired chemical reaction products from waste materials. Nanoscale catalysts
can make chemical reactions more efficient and less wasteful. Sensor
s at the nanoscale
can form a part of process control systems
, working with nano-enabled information systems. Using alternative energy
systems, made possible by nanotechnology, is another way to "green" manufacturing processes.
The second goal of Green Nanotechnology involves developing products that benefit the environment either directly or indirectly. Nanomaterials or products directly can clean hazardous waste
sites, desalinate water
, treat pollutants, or sense and monitor environmental pollutants. Indirectly, lightweight nanocomposite
s for automobiles and other means of transportation could save fuel and reduce materials used for production; nanotechnology-enabled fuel cell
s and light-emitting diode
s (LEDs) could reduce pollution from energy generation and help conserve fossil fuels; self-cleaning nanoscale surface coatings could reduce or eliminate many cleaning chemicals; and enhanced battery life could lead to less material use and less waste. Green Nanotechnology takes a broad systems view of nanomaterials and products, ensuring that unforeseen consequences are minimized and that impacts are anticipated throughout the full life cycle.
. The price per watt of solar energy is currently lower than one dollar.
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
to enhance the environmental-sustainability of processes currently producing negative externalities. It also refers to the use of the products of nanotechnology to enhance sustainability. It is about doing things right in the first place—about making green nano-products and using nano-products in support of sustainability.
Definition
Green nanotechnology is the development of clean technologies, "to minimize potential environmental and humanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
health risks associated with the manufacture and use of nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
products, and to encourage replacement of existing products with new nano-products that are more environmentally friendly throughout their lifecycle."
Goals
Green Nanotechnology has two goals: producing nanomaterialsNanomaterials
Nanomaterials is a field that takes a materials science-based approach to nanotechnology. It studies materials with morphological features on the nanoscale, and especially those that have special properties stemming from their nanoscale dimensions...
and products without harming the environment or human health, and producing nano-products that provide solutions to environmental problems. It uses existing principles of Green Chemistry
Green Chemistry
Green Chemistry is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering any aspect of green chemistry. It is published monthly by the Royal Society of Chemistry and was established in 1999 by James Clark . Articles have to be conceptually accessible to a wide audience...
and Green Engineering to make nanomaterials and nano-products without toxic ingredients, at low temperatures using less energy and renewable inputs wherever possible, and using lifecycle thinking in all design and engineering stages.
In addition to making nanomaterials and products with less impact to the environment, Green Nanotechnology also means using nanotechnology to make current manufacturing processes for non-nano materials and products more environmentally friendly. For example, nanoscale membranes
Artificial membrane
An artificial membrane, or synthetic membrane, is a synthetically created membrane which is usually intended for separation purposes in laboratory or in industry. Synthetic membranes have been successfully used for small and large-scale industrial processes since the middle of twentieth century. A...
can help separate desired chemical reaction products from waste materials. Nanoscale catalysts
Catalysis
Catalysis is the change in rate of a chemical reaction due to the participation of a substance called a catalyst. Unlike other reagents that participate in the chemical reaction, a catalyst is not consumed by the reaction itself. A catalyst may participate in multiple chemical transformations....
can make chemical reactions more efficient and less wasteful. Sensor
Sensor
A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated...
s at the nanoscale
Nanoscopic scale
The nanoscopic scale usually refers to structures with a length scale applicable to nanotechnology, usually cited as 1-100 nanometers. The nanoscopic scale is a lower bound to the mesoscopic scale for most solids....
can form a part of process control systems
Process control
Process control is a statistics and engineering discipline that deals with architectures, mechanisms and algorithms for maintaining the output of a specific process within a desired range...
, working with nano-enabled information systems. Using alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
systems, made possible by nanotechnology, is another way to "green" manufacturing processes.
The second goal of Green Nanotechnology involves developing products that benefit the environment either directly or indirectly. Nanomaterials or products directly can clean hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. According to the U.S. environmental laws hazardous wastes fall into two major categories: characteristic wastes and listed wastes.Characteristic hazardous wastes are materials that are known...
sites, desalinate water
Desalination
Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water...
, treat pollutants, or sense and monitor environmental pollutants. Indirectly, lightweight nanocomposite
Nanocomposite
A nanocomposite is as a multiphase solid material where one of the phases has one, two or three dimensions of less than 100 nanometers , or structures having nano-scale repeat distances between the different phases that make up the material...
s for automobiles and other means of transportation could save fuel and reduce materials used for production; nanotechnology-enabled fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
s and light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
s (LEDs) could reduce pollution from energy generation and help conserve fossil fuels; self-cleaning nanoscale surface coatings could reduce or eliminate many cleaning chemicals; and enhanced battery life could lead to less material use and less waste. Green Nanotechnology takes a broad systems view of nanomaterials and products, ensuring that unforeseen consequences are minimized and that impacts are anticipated throughout the full life cycle.
Current research
One major project that is being worked on is the development of nanotechnology in solar cells. Solar cells are more efficient as they get tinier and solar energy is a renewable resourceRenewable resource
A renewable resource is a natural resource with the ability of being replaced through biological or other natural processes and replenished with the passage of time...
. The price per watt of solar energy is currently lower than one dollar.
Articles
- Evaluation of 'green' nanotechnology requires a full life cycle assessment
- Nano Flakes May Revolutionize Solar Cells
External links
- Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative
- Clean Tech Law & Business
- Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies
- Nanotechnology Lab
- National Nanotechnology Initiative
- The Berkeley Nanosciences and Nanoengineering Institute
- Nanotechnology: Green Manufacturing
- Nanotechnology Now
- “Can nanotechnology be green?”