Nanotechnology: From solar paint to instant-charging batteries

It is said that great things often come in small packages. The technological innovations and devices that could have the greatest impact on the human world are so small that millions of them combined would only be as big as a pinhead, according to experts from the IEEE, the world's largest alliance of science and technology experts. Game-changing advanced nanotechnology, also known as "tiny science," is changing the research methods of researchers working to solve the world's greatest challenges.

Have you ever thought that maybe embedded solar cell paint can turn your house into a large solar panel; that "quantum dots" against cancer can defeat cancer cells one by one without damaging healthy tissue; and that mobile phone batteries can be charged in just seconds instead of hours.

In the field of nanotechnology engineering, materials are processed or devices are developed with at least one dimension smaller than 100 nanometers, which is about one thousandth the width of an average human hair. Most current electronic technologies already use nanotechnology, but these new applications take it to the extreme. By manipulating the atomic and molecular levels (also known as the quantum realm), specific mechanical, thermal and contact-responsive properties of materials can be changed.

Jo-Won Lee, chief professor of the Department of Convergence Nanoscience at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea, and IEEE member, pointed out: "For these nanotechnologies to become mainstream applications, the challenge comes from how we can actually apply them economically and efficiently." He said that traditional manufacturing usually does not reach the nanometer level, but an improved method has been born, called "self-assembly", which is essentially the self-construction of nanodevices, which is very similar to the way molecules build larger systems.

IEEE and its members play an important role in the practical application of nanotechnology. For example, the IEEE Nanotechnology Committee is promoting and coordinating various work in this field, including nanotechnology theory, design and development, and its application in science, engineering and industry.

One of the highlights of the committee's work this year is the 2011 IEEENANO Conference held in Portland, Oregon, USA from August 15 to 19, 2011. International scientists and practitioners from more than 20 IEEE societies will gather together to collaborate on the development of new areas of nanotechnology applications and exchange ideas on the application of nanotechnology in their respective fields and related fields.

Dr. Alexander Balandin, Chairman of the Materials Science and Engineering Program at the University of California, Riverside, USA, winner of the 2011 IEEE Nanotechnology Pioneer Award, and senior member of the IEEE, gave an interesting example: "We are conducting research on how to better control the interaction between electrons and photons to produce more efficient and lower-cost photovoltaic solar cells. This will not only benefit existing solar energy applications, but in the future these nanomaterials can also be used as commercial solar coatings and sprayed on the surfaces of homes and buildings, thus completely changing the energy source of the existing power grid."

There have also been significant advances in the medical field. For example, scientists are working on nanosensors that can be injected into the skin, which can more effectively monitor the health of patients, such as those with diabetes. In cancer treatment, most targeted therapies currently have a mixed effect, because many chemotherapies can eradicate cancer cells but are also poisonous to the human body. By using chemically tuned nanocrystals, which are called "quantum dots," doctors can selectively attack cancer cells and avoid harming healthy cells.

IEEE experts also believe that the gradual improvement in battery performance in recent years will be more prominent after the application of nanotechnology. João Zuffo, IEEE Life Member and founder of Laboratório de Sistemas Integráveis ​​Laboratory at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, pointed out: "In the future, it is entirely possible to charge a mobile phone or laptop in a few seconds instead of an hour. Similarly, the unique properties of nanomaterials, such as graphite, may improve the battery storage capacity of electric vehicles because the surface-to-volume ratio of this material is very high, which will become a more economical and sustainable alternative compared to the use of fossil fuels."