Using nanotechnology to generate Electricity 

This week’s reading is about Nanotechnology and self-assembly. For this week, I propose using nanotechnology in creating more electricity. I think there could be a way to put nano particles in the asphalt concrete roads we drive on every day. Researchers have tried using sheets of nanotubes wrapped around hot pipes or such, to generate electricity from heat. I think utilizing such method, the asphalt concrete roads that are everywhere around the world, exposed to the sunlight most of the time, will be able to generate a sufficient amount of electricity. Electricity that could be later used in powering road lamps, and maybe even households. Another way nano particles mixed in the ground could generate electricity is from friction. The combined friction and heat can make the roads we drive and walk on a useful source for electricity.

Researchers at Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) found out using carbon nanotubes in the materials for making wind turbine blade can be a great advantage. Adding the carbon nanotubes to a typical turbine blade will be able to increase the material thermal conductivity by more than 80%. Due to this new material of nanotube-filled epoxy, stronger and lighter weight blades are made possible. The resulting blades increase the amount of electricity generated by each windmill. This is an example of how nanotubes can increase electricity. 

Another example of nanotechnology generating electricity is from using outside heat. The Integrated Nanotechnology Lab at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology explored the idea of thermoelectric materials at nanoscale with the window glasses to generate electricity based on temperature difference between outside (hot) and inside (cold). For example, Kingdom Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, (image below) a 99 floors skyscraper with about 85,000 square meters of glass coverage, can provide 2.8 megawatts of power using the method described. 

 

The following is their prototype of four thermoelectric pillars. 












Citation: 

Boysen, Earl. "Nanotechnology and Energy." Nanotechnology and Energy. UnderstandingNano, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2016.

Inayat, Salman. "Nanotechnology Windows Generate Electricity from outside Heat." Nanotechnology Windows Generate Electricity from outside Heat. N.p., 22 Nov. 2012. Web. 06 Feb. 2016.

Wang, Zhong Lin. "How Self-Powered Nanotech Machines Work." Scientific American. N.p., 09 Nov. 2008. Web. 06 Feb. 2016.

"Wind Turbine Blade Carbon Nanotubes / Polymer Nano Composites Developed." Wind Turbine Blade Carbon Nanotubes / Polymer Nano Composites Developed. N.p., 10 July 2014. Web. 07 Feb. 2016.

"Nanotechnology Now." IMPROVING THE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT. N.p., 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 07 Feb. 2016.