More Real-World Applicationsof Nanotechnology: Energy

Mark Tuominen, Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing, UMass, December 1, 2007

www.citizenre.com

www.honda.com

www.teslamotors.com

SOLAR CELLS

FUEL CELL CARS

ELECTRIC CARS

Prior application examples:Nanoelectronics

10 GB2001

20 GB2002

40 GB2004

80 GB2006

160 GB2007

Example: Advancement of the iPod

Hard driveMagnetic data storage

Uses nanotechnology!

Shrinking Magnets to the Nanoscale

Increases the amount of data stored on a fixed amount of “real estate” !

Now ~ 100 billion bits/in2, future target more than 1 trillion bits/in2

25 DVDs on a disk the size of a quarter, orall Library of Congress books on a 1 sq ft tile!

Computer

Microprocessor"Heart of the computer"

Does the "thinking"

Shrinking Transistors to the NanoscaleMoore's "Law": Number of Transistors per Microprocessor Chip

intel.com

Can similar advancements be made in energy technology?

History of Energy Consumption in the U.S.

www.eia.doe.gov

quads

year

U.S. Total Energy Flow, 2003in quadrillion Btu (QBtu)

www.eia.doe.gov

1 BTU ~ 1055 Joule

The U.S. consumes about 100 QBtu annually.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1980 1990 2000 2005 2010 2020 2030

Net imports

Consumption

Production

ProjectionsHistory

Total US Energy Production and Consumption, 1980-2030

quadrillion Btu

The Earth’s Power SystemTheSun

Benefit: Sun is an unlimited source of electronic energy.

Solar Cells

Konarka

Electric Solar CellsMade from single-crystal silicon wafers (conventionally)

cross-sectional view

n-type silicon

p-type silicon

+

-

Sunlight

Voltage “load”

+

-

Current

The load can be a lamp, an electric motor, a CD player, a toaster, etc

wires

Inside a Solar Cell

light

neutralSi

atom

+ -electronhole

• The separated charge has higher potential energy than the neutral atom.• The electron (and hole) are now free to move independent of one another.

Electric Solar Cellsp-n junction interface

cross-sectional view

n-type silicon

p-type silicon

+

-

Sunlight

Voltage “load”

CurrentThe electric power produced is proportional to the area of the solar cell

- - - -- - - - + + + ++ + + + 0.5 Volt

Nanostructured Solar Cells

+

-

Sunlight

Voltage “load”

CurrentMore interface area - More power!

ONE ROUTE: SELF ASSEMBLY

Block “A” Block “B”

10% A 30% A 50% A 70% A 90% A

~10 nm

Ordered Phases

PMMA PS

Scale set by molecular size

Diblock Copolymers

Hydrogen Fuel Cell• Lightest fuel• Can make H2 from water

Goals• Improve proton membrane• Use less catalyst• CHEAPER!

Nano-Battery

Nanotechnology R&D is interdisciplinary and impacts many application

• Physics• Chemistry• Biology• Materials Science• Polymer Science• Electrical Engineering• Chemical Engineering• Mechanical Engineering• Medicine• And others

• Electronics• Materials• Health/Biotech• Chemical• Environmental• Energy• Aerospace• Automotive• Security• Forest products• And others

My Advice to Students:• Pursue your interests• Ask questions• Be clever• Do!

Thanks for visiting UMass and learning about nanotechnology!

Re: Your future