Castro, Jonathon / Daniels, Willie / Davis, Brian / Dugan, David /Dees, Jeffery
DeVry HUMN 432
Nanotechnology within Energy Markets: Progress in Efficiency
Professor Stephen Carter

We will be creating a presentation that will explain how important nanotechnology has exploded with new developments within Energy sectors. We will go into detail, explain, and educate our audience with history in nanotechnology, its importance within many different markets but its unprecedented progress in creating clean, efficient energy to the future. We will be stating all the main stream objections, the notion that nanotechnology is not the key and we can support other technologies, we should not support with government funding, and even the small but valid arguments with dealing with ethical objections. We are going to fully touch base on every point of interjection so that you as a viewer of our presentation will have more than enough information to make an informed decision and create your stance on nanotechnology and how it has affected Energy in the 21th century.
We will be creating a presentation that will explain how important nanotechnology has exploded with new developments within Energy sectors. We will go into detail, explain, and educate our audience with history in nanotechnology, its importance within many different markets but its unprecedented progress in creating clean, efficient energy to the future. We will be stating all the main stream objections, the notion that nanotechnology is not the key and we can support other technologies, we should not support with government funding, and even the small but valid arguments with dealing with ethical objections. We are going to fully touch base on every point of interjection so that you as a viewer of our presentation will have more than enough information to make an informed decision and create your stance on nanotechnology and how it has affected Energy in the 21th century.
Nanotechnology is the study and understanding of science at the Nano scale. The Nano scale is small, so small it begins at 1nanometer and ends at 100 nanometers. To give you a perspective of small a nanometer is, a nanometer is, 0.000000001 meters. The dimension of a pin is 2mm, a dust mite is 200 micrometers, and an ecoli virus is 200 nm across and 1 nm is 1/200 the size of the virus. The dimensions of nanotechnology are between 1 and 100 nanometers, where innovations start. Encompassing Nano scale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale. The different matter such as gases, liquids, and solids can exhibit unusual physical, chemical, and biological properties at the Nano scale.
Nanotechnology offers the opportunity to develop new process, not just for the production of new products but the creation for new industries; all based on a cost effective production process and cost efficient business models, creating a serious boom in innovative and sustainable growth, for business and global economies. Nanotechnology is a broad term typically used to describe materials and phenomena at Nano scale, i.e., on the scale of 1 billionth to several tens of billionths of a meter. However, it specifically implies not only the miniaturization but also the precise manipulation of atoms and molecules to design and control the properties of the nanomaterial/Nano systems. These properties are completely different than those possessed by the bulk materials, producing custom-made devices with capabilities not found in bulk materials or in nature, or even to replicate some natural processes that have not been currently achieved through synthetic materials.
Focusing on the energy domain, nanotechnology has the potential to significantly reduce the impact of energy production, storage and use. Even if we are still far away from a truly sustainable energy system, the scientific community is looking at a further development of energy nanotechnologies. In fact, one of the 10 top-level themes of the VII Framework Program of the European Union is energy. Accordingly, the research will be focused on accelerating the development of cost-effective technologies for a more sustainable energy economy. As an example, the qualitative evolution of energy state for home and car applications by 21st century. According to the ‘‘Roadmap Report Concerning the Use of Nanomaterial’s in the Energy Sector’’ from the 6th Framework Program, the most promising application fields for the energy conversion domain will be mainly focused on solar energy (mostly photovoltaic technology for local supply), hydrogen conversion and thermoelectric devices. This review provides an overview of the contribution of nanotechnology to the solar and the hydrogen economies and to sustainable ways to store energy as a step forward a more sustainable use of energy.
This section deals with the use of nanotechnology in all the energy-related processes that involve the use of solar radiation as an energy source. Solar energy is free and rather available in many parts around the word. In just 1 year, the sun can provide the earth with 15,000 times more energy than the atomic and fuel energy actually needed during the year. This energy source can be used in different ways: photovoltaic (PV) technology – which directly converts light into electrical current, solar–thermal systems – used in solar collectors, artificial photosynthesis – which produces either carbohydrates or hydrogen via water splitting, the so-called ‘passive solar’ technologies, where building design maximizes solar lighting and heating, and even biomass technology – where plants use the solar radiation to drive chemical transformations and create complex carbohydrates, which are used to produce electricity, steam or biofuels.
Even if solar energy is free and abundant, still, photovoltaic technology represents only around 0.04% of the fuel share of world’s total primary energy supply. Continuous advances in PV has produced that its price has fallen down to a tenth in the last 20 years (from 2.00 $/kWh in 1980 to 0.20–0.30 $/kWh in 2003) according to the Department of Energy. Independent studies suggest that the costs will continue to fall and that it is plausible to envisage costs of around 0.06 $/kWh by 2020. PV solar cells are devices which produce electricity from the sun radiation by means of the photoelectric effect, i.e., the photons from light are converted into electrical current. Currently, PV market is based on silicon wafer-based solar cells (thick cells of around 150–300 nm made of crystalline silicon). This technology, classified as the first-generation of photovoltaic cells, accounts for more than 86% of the global solar cell market. The second generation of photovoltaic materials is based on the introduction of thin film layers (1–2 nm) of semiconductor materials. More specifically, they use thin epitaxial deposits of semiconductors on lattice-matched wafers. These cells comprise around 90% of the market space but only a small segment of the global PV market. Unfortunately, although a lower manufacturing cost is achieved, it also involves low conversion efficiencies. The inclusion of Nano scale components in PV cells is a way to reduce some limitations. First, the ability to control the energy band gap provides flexibility and inter-changeability. Second, nanostructured materials enhance the effective optical path and significantly decrease the probability of charge recombination.
The use of Nano crystal quantum dots, which are nanoparticles usually made of direct band gap semiconductors, lead to thin film solar cells based on a silicon or conductive transparent oxide (CTO), like indium-tin-oxide (ITO), substrate with a coating of Nano crystals. Quantum dots are efficient light emitters because they emit multiple electrons per solar photon, with different absorption and emission spectra depending on the particle size, thus notably raising the theoretical efficiency limit by adapting to the incoming light spectrum.
In this section we will look into Hydrogen storage, hydrogen fuel cell technology and how nanotechnology will affect the progression in efficiencies, in the future. Most available hydrogen storage systems are quite inefficient. For example, pressure vessels for its storage as pressurized gas are bulky and heavy, hydrogen storage as liquid fuel requires very low temperatures, the gravimetric storage density is low, etc. Consequently, a great part of the energy produced is lost due to these shortcomings, according to the Department of Energy of the United State of America. For these reasons, a great effort is being carried out on increasing the capacity of existing hydrogen storage systems as well as to develop in parallel good hydrogen transport devices. Currently, hydrogen adsorption or chemisorption is considered to be one of the most efficient ways to store this light gas.
Chemisorption is a sub-class of adsorption, driven by a chemical reaction occurring at the exposed surface. A new chemical species is generated at the adsorbent surface (e.g. corrosion, metallic oxidation). The strong interaction between the adsorbate and the substrate surface creates new types of ionic and covalent bonds, depending on the reactive chemical species involved. Chemisorption techniques have the drawback of binding hydrogen too tightly, and, in addition, the storage system must operate above ambient temperatures (>400 K) for discharge, while recharge is highly exothermic. Since then, these materials have been widely studied in the past decades. Its main drawback is their wide pore size distribution and their inadequate pore size, which allows only small efficiency storage as most of the pores present higher sizes than those corresponding to hydrogen atoms or molecules. That was a consequence of the synthesis procedure, i.e., thermochemical processing. In both cases, hydrogen adsorption kinetics can be improved by reducing the size of the adsorbing material to the Nano size range. Pours materials exhibit controlled pore size, shape and architecture and large surface areas, in many cases, high hydrogen adsorption capacities can be obtained by using nanomaterial that meet the requirements of high surface area, optimized pore size and shape, high storage capacity, controlled desorption and safety.
Different technologies have already been developed for hydrogen conversion. For example, hydrogen can be used both in engines and in fuel cells. Engines can burn hydrogen in the same manner as gasoline or natural gas, while fuel cells are electrochemical devices that transform the chemical energy of hydrogen into electricity. Since electrochemical reactions are more controlled and efficient than combustion at generating energy, fuel cells are among the most attractive and promising green technologies. In a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen without combustion in an electrochemical reaction, a process called reverse of electrolysis.
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. Fuel cells are different from batteries in that they require a constant source of fuel and oxygen to run, but they can produce electricity continually for as long as these inputs are supplied.
The first commercial use of fuel cells was in NASA space programs to generate power for probes, satellites and space capsules. Since then, fuel cells have been used in many other applications. Fuel cells are used for primary and backup power for commercial, industrial and residential buildings and in remote or inaccessible areas. They are used to power fuel cell vehicles, including automobiles, buses, forklifts, airplanes, boats, motorcycles and submarines.
There are many types of fuel cells, but they all consist of an anode (negative), a cathode (positive) and an electrolyte that allows charges to move between the two sides of the fuel cell. Electrons are drawn from the anode to the cathode through an external circuit, producing direct current electricity. As the main difference among fuel cell types is the electrolyte, fuel cells are classified by the type of electrolyte they use. Fuel cells come in a variety of sizes. Individual fuel cells produce very small amounts of electricity, about 0.7 volts, so cells are "stacked" and placed in series or parallel circuits, to increase the voltage and output to supply a specific device (Submarine, Vehicle, Home, etc.) Fuel cells also produce water, and heat as a bi-product to the chemical reaction. Currently the energy efficiency of a fuel cell is estimated between 40-60%, or up to 85% efficient if the heat produced by the device is captured for use with a secondary system.
All of this technology innovation, efficient production, breakthroughs in research, and lowering the cost of doing business have all been very appealing to big business and governments funding these major projects, but some scholars are starting to raise important questions. Objections brought up by the scientific community have been completely over shadowed though, by progress and innovation of Nanotechnology across all different sectors of business, that Nanotech has dabbled in. Scholars have argued the fact; the technological boom in Nanotechnology has progressed so rapidly, the general population has not had enough time to soak in the news of NT (Nanotech) and its future. Some say this could potentially create a panic, fear and a sense of rejection, without proper study of its ethical and social implications, as written in “Mind the Gap: Science and ethics in nanotechnology”. The scientific community is simply stating a large growth in the innovation of new technology without proper education to the masses could startle the public resulting in the rejection of this pioneering tech. While there are significant research funds available, at least in the US, these funds are not being used. It is as if research about public opinion, implications of taxation with new business, creating a foundation of ethical boundaries, and projections to business markets are not the topic of discussion. Politicians and governmental agencies are silent, absent of questions to the pioneers of this booming science. “In 2001, the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative allocated $16–28 million to societal implications, but spent less than half that amount.” As quoted from ‘Mind the Gap’. The National Science Foundation, responsible for spending $8 million dollars, did not fund a single social science project focused on societal implications of Nanotechnology in 2002, which some would say a breakthrough point in history and governmental funding in the field. This is especially disconcerting when valuable tax dollars, paid for by the citizens of the United States, are not advised with funding into a technology that could possibly be harmful. The European Community, Canada, and Australia have all recognized the importance of ethical discussion but so far none have pulled the trigger.
In conclusion, like most powerful tools, nanotechnology can be a double-edged sword. It can be used for good or for evil, and may have consequences unintended by those who deploy it. Attempting to legislate against knowledge is, in general, neither helpful nor effective. Therefore, as with other technologies in the past and present, our role must be to understand what we have made, and try our best to ensure that it is used wisely. The main challenges and triumphs for the application of nanomaterial’s in the energy sector are in the improvement of the efficiency, reliability, safety and the reduction of cost associated with future products in solar technology. The most promising application fields for the energy conversion domain will be: photovoltaic first, hydrogen conversion or fuel cells second and thermoelectricity coming in at a far third. The solar cells will be the cornerstone for local and federal levels of energy supply. Energy companies and government subsidies are already starting to promote purchase of photovoltaic without the recent upgrades of nanotechnology integrated, imagine the widespread use, once the process is perfected in the near future. The most promising cost reduction at the solar cells will be expected by the dye solar cells and the organic polymer solar cells. Important breakthroughs can be reached with the nanotechnology. Lastly, the societal differences will be washed away once the idea of unlimited free energy becomes a part of normal life. The idea of reducing cost to a phenomenal low, increasing the quality of life, decreasing the cost of food and potentially wiping out hunger, will create stability. The threat of war based on speculations of energy costs increasing, creating a threat to national security, will virtually be non-existent. The possibilities are endless.

Works Cited

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