Applications of Nanomaterials

APPLICATIONS OF NANOMATERIALS

Nano‒technology finds significant impact on all most all the industries and all areas of society. Since nano‒materials possess unique beneficial chemical, physical and mechanical properties, they can be used for a wide variety of applications.

1. Applications of Nanomaterials in Medicine

1. Nano drugs

Nano materials are used as nano drugs for the cancer and TB therapy,

2. Laboratories on a chip

Nano technology is used in the production of laboratories on a chip.

3. Nano‒medibots

Nano particles function as nano‒medibots that release anti‒cancer drug and treat cancer.

4. Gold‒coated nanoshells

It converts light into heat, enabling the destruction of tumours.

5. Gold nano particles as sensors

Gold nano particles undergo colour change during the transition of nano particles.

6. Protein analysis

Protein analysis can also be done using nanomaterials.

7. Gold nanoshells for blood immuno assay

Gold nano shells are used for blood immuno assay.

8. Gold nano shells in imaging

Optical properties of the gold nano shells are utilized for both imaging and therapy.

9. Targeted drug delivery using gold nano particles

It involves slow and selective release of drugs to the targeted organs.

10. Repairing work

Nano technology is used to partially repair neurological damage.

2. Applications of Nanomaterials in Agriculture

1. Nanomaterials prepared by eco‒friendly and green method with plant extracts (Nano formulations) could increase agriculture potential for improving fertilization process, plant growth regulators.

2. They also minimize the amount of harmful chemicals that pollute the environment.

3. Nanosensors are used in crop protection for the identification of diseases and residues of agrochemicals.

4. Nanodevises are used for the genetic engineering of plants.

5. Nanomaterials are used in plant disease diagnostics.

6. It is also used in postharvest management.abong

7. Precision farming techniques might be used to further improve the crop yields but not damage soil and water.

8. Some nanomaterials are used as antimicrobial agents in food packing especially silver nanoparticles are in great interest.

9. Nano particle ‒ based pesticides and herbicides are being explored for the application of antimicrobial agents to protect crops from various diseases.

3. Applications of Nanomaterials in Energy

Nanomaterials are used in several applications to improve the efficiency of energy generation (or) develop new methods to generate energy.

1. Power generation

Sun light, concentrated on nanoparticles, can produce steam with high energy efficiency, which can even be used in running power plants.

2. Generating hydrogen from sea water

The use of a nanostructured thin film of nickel selenide as a catalyst for the electrolysis of hydrogen from see water.

3. Producing high efficiency light bulbs

Nano‒engineered polymer matrix is used for the production of high efficiency light bulbs.

4. Increasing the electricity generated by wind mills

Stronger and lower weight blades, made from increases the nanotubes‒filled epoxy, in wind mills increase the amount of electricity.

5. Generating electricity from waste heat

Sheets of nanotubes have been used to build thermocells that generates electricity, when the sides of the cell are at different temperature

6. Storing hydrogen for fuel cell powered cars

Graphene layers are used in fuel tank, resulting in a higher amount of hydrogen storage and therefore lighter weight fuel tank.

7. Reducing power loss in electric transmission wires

The wires containing carbon nanotubes lowers resistance than the wires currently used in the electric transmission grid.

8. Reducing the cost of solar cell

Nanotech solar cells are manufactured at significantly lower cost than the conventional solar cells.

9. Nano battery and fuel cell

Nanomaterials, used in batteries and fuel cell, increases their efficiency.

4. Applications of Nanomaterials in Electronics

1. Quantum wires are found to have high electrical conductivity.

2. The integrated memory circuits have been found to be effective devices.is

3. A transistor, called NOMFET, (Nanoparticle Organic Memory Field Effect Transistor) is created by combining gold nanoparticles with organic molecules.

4. Nano wires are used to build transistors without p‒n junctions.

5. Nano radios are the other important devices, using carbon nanotubes.

6. MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semi conductor Field Effect Transistor), performs both as switches and as amplifiers.

5. Applications of Nanomaterials in Catalysis

Nanoparticle catalysts are highly effective because of the following two reasons

(i) huge surface area

(ii) enhanced reactivity.

1. Water purification

Nanosilver catalyst is highly efficient in controlling microbes in water.

2. Bio‒diesel production

Solid base nanocatalyst KF/CaO can be used for biodiesel production with yield more than 96%.

3. Fuel cell application

Carbon supported electro‒catalysts play an important role in fuel cell.

4. In drug delivery

Carbon nanomaterials find more applications in biological fields.

CNTs may be suitable for bio‒applications in bio recognition and drug delivery systems.

5. Gold nanoparticles

It is an important catalyst in co‒oxidation, epoxidation of propylene, hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons.

6. Other Nanomaterials

(i) Nanopowder silica oncatalyste (or) on platinum nanoparticles exhibit very strong catalytic activity for hydrolysation reactions.

(ii) Titania‒based nanocatalysts are being increasingly used in photocatalysis.

(iii) Nanocrystalline MgO particles act as an effective catalyst for dehydrogeneration.