One very recent new technology for engineering that comes from nanotechnology is high efficiency solar panels. These solar panels can capture 90% of the light they absorb and turn it into the heat that is needed to create power. This is a much better use of this light than current solar panels can provide, and with a much higher efficiency solar panel engineers can generate more power with less area available to put the panels. This means that buildings could be designed with solar panels like these on top and be able to generate enough power to possible run the entire building. Also, the panels can be used very easily to help generate power for entire cities because they can replace the coal, oil, and gas that is used in current power plants. These plants just need a source of heat to turn water into steam so they can use the steam to push the turbine and make electricity. And these solar panels can be used to make this heat without fossil fuels, so cities can upgrade their power plants and get more sustainable power without having to replace their entire grids and systems.
Another nanotechnology discovery that has helped engineering is ultrahigh performance concrete. This is a mixture of concrete that uses carbon nanofibers to become stronger and lighter than any other type of concrete available. So engineers are using it on places like bridges, where the weight of a concrete deck for cars to travel over is a big part of the weight that the supports have to carry. If a new concrete is both stronger and lighter, then this lets engineers use less material and make the bridges cheaper to make. It also lets them make bridges taller and longer than they ever could before, because this new material can completely open up new ways of designing and building bridges.
A final nanotechnology that has a lot of promise for the future is carbon nanotubes. These are very small little cylinders of carbon atoms that are the strongest material ever discovered in history. If engineers can figure out how to make a lot of them cheaply, they could be used for all sorts of impossible sounding things like building a space elevator. But right now they can only be made in tiny amounts and are too expensive to be used realistically.
Nice Post! It is interesting to read about the science technology development in the engineering field. Also, I like that you have include different discoveries of technology in your post. I have never heard the term of nanotechnology before, but after reading the blog, I got some idea. I like all the discoveries that you have mentioned but the one impressed me the most is that nanotechnology is high efficient for the solar panels.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting that you mentioned high efficiency solar panels using nanotechnology. I think it is great to put those panels into actual use. I am currently researching on the environmental policy of Africa, and they basically do not have one, especially in Sub-Saharan region. The reason, is of course that they do not care about environment and they simply decide to exploit as much natural resources as possible to maximize revenue for their economy. We know that Africa lack of basic infrastructure for further economic development. So I think these panels can serve both the purpose of building economic infrastructure and save the environment.
ReplyDeleteAll my engineer friends have been talking about nano technology recently, and I keep seeing it pop up in popular science blogs and magazines. Thank you for encouraging me to actually learn what they are! I have taken great interest in solar panels after a trip to Tanzania, and being able to see the effect they have on rural areas, and spreading opportunity to some of the most remote areas on planet Earth. I am thrilled to learn that scientists are diligently working on creating the most efficient possible technologies to lessen the impact of human life on the ecosystem. I had never heard of ultra-high performance concrete before, but am quite interested in the concept, and wonder why the technology had never been so widely publicized before now.
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