Nano Material

Blog

Topic: Nanomaterial

Group members: Neel Adke, Sanket Aher, Balasaheb Bagal, Bhushan Bajad, Yash Bande, 

 

Under the Guidance of

 Prof. Kulkarni Nishant Shashikant

Department of Mechanical Engineering

2021-22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Nanomaterial?

Nanomaterials can be defined as materials possessing, at minimum, one outside dimension is always 1-100nm. In simple word, the term Nanomaterial refers to the dimension of 10-9. And the European Commission states that the particle size is at least half of the particles in the number size distribution must measure 100nm or below.

(Fig 1)

Nanomaterials can occur naturally, be created as the by-products of combustion reactions, or be produced purposefully through engineering to perform a specialised function. These materials can have different physical and chemical properties to their bulk-form counterparts.

 

 

Properties of Nanomaterials:

 

A extreme change in the properties of nanomaterials can be observed when they are breakdown to the nanoscale level. As we go towards the nanoscale level from the molecular level, the electronic properties of materials get modified due to the quantum size effect. Change in the mechanical, thermal and catalytic properties of the materials can be seen with the increase in surface area to volume ratio at the nanoscale level.

 

Many of the insulator materials start behaving as conductors at their nanoscale dimensions. Similarly, as we reach the nanoscale dimensions many interesting quantum and surface phenomena can be observed.

 

When nanomaterials interact with water or other dispersion media they can rearrange their crystal structure. And at the nanoscale level, the interaction between particles is either due to the van der Waal forces or strong polar or covalent bonds. 

The size, composition and surface charge of the nanomaterials affect their aggregation states. The magnetic, physicochemical and psychokinetic properties of these materials get affected by surface coating. These materials produce ROS when their surface reacts with oxygen, ozone, and transition materials.

 

The surface properties of the nanomaterials and their interactions with other elements and environments can be modified with the use of polyelectrolytes.

 

 

Classification:

 

1. Carbon-Based Materials:

These are nanomaterials that are composed mostly of carbon, usually taking the form of hollow spheres, ellipsoids, or tubes. They have the potential to improve films and coatings, more robust and lighter materials, and in electronics.

 

 

2. Composites:

These are made from combining nanoparticles with other nanoparticles or nanomaterials. They can be added to products such as auto parts and packaging materials to enhance their mechanical, thermal, barrier, and flame-retardant properties.

 

 

3. Metal-Based Materials:

These nanomaterials include quantum dots, nanogold, nano silver, and metal oxides, such as titanium dioxide. They can act as good semiconductors.

 

4. Dendrimers:

These are nanosized polymers usually used in specific chemical functions. They are also vital in catalysis.

 

What are the uses of Nanomaterials?

Due to the ability to generate the materials in a particular way to play a specific role, the use of nanomaterials spans across various industries, from healthcare and cosmetics to environmental preservation and air purification.

The healthcare field, for example, utilises nanomaterials in a variety of ways, with one major use being drug delivery. One example of this process is whereby nanoparticles are being developed to assist the transportation of chemotherapy drugs directly to cancerous growths, as well as to deliver drugs to areas of arteries that are damaged in order to fight cardiovascular disease. Carbon nanotubes are also being developed in order to be used in processes such as the addition of antibodies to the nanotubes to create bacteria sensors.

 

In aerospace, carbon nanotubes can be used in the morphing of aircraft wings. The nanotubes are used in a composite form to bend in response to the application of an electric voltage.

Application in different sector:

The use of nanomaterials is prevalent in a wide range of industries and consumer products.

Nanomaterials in the Automotive Industry:

Nanotechnology is seen as one of the core technologies for the future automotive industry to sustain competitiveness. Important topics in the automotive industry are the reduction of fuel consumption, environmental impact, safety, driver information, comfort and alternatives to toxic and/or expensive materials.

 

Nanomaterials in the automotive sectors offer advantages such as light weight, reduction in friction and emissions by the engine, reduced wear and corrosion resistance, UV resistance, and advanced electronics and sensors.

Automobile tires contain materials such as carbon black and Nano oxides (silica, alumina) fillers, nanoclay, carbon nanofibers (CNF), and graphene as well as other additives (Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes and nanostructured Poly(alkylbenzene)-Poly(diene) (PAB-PDM). Nano-additives improve the lifetime of tires considerably as well as the rolling resistance, abrasion resistance, and wet traction.

 

A number of nanomaterials, such as nanostructured boric acid, tungsten nanospheres, copper nanoparticles, and graphene, have been used in car fluids. Adding nanoparticles to fluid lubricants can improve their mechanical properties and provide various economic benefits.

 

Nano-enabled textiles provide innovative and advance solutions for transpiration absorbing, dirt repellent, antimicrobial and antistatic properties and wear resistance as well as noise reduction.

 

Phosphorus for High-Definition TV:

Everyone going to the electronics store for a television wants the best value one with HD. HD is a vital part of people’s lives, giving better viewing experience in sports and movies. Nanomaterials are to be thanked for the improving quality of HD televisions. Nanocrystalline and nanophosphors materials are used for enhancing the HD capability of displays. They also reduce the cost of such displays, bringing down the cost of high-end PC monitors and televisions.

 

Nanomaterial manufacturers in Florida are working tirelessly to improve life with nanomaterials. There is limitless potential with nanomaterials, and they will likely play a vital role in the evolution of the world.

 

Recent trend in automobile industry: 

 

· Lotus Coatings

· In Windshields

· Reduction in weight of Vehicles

· Better Batteries  

· Fuel Cells

· Catalytic Converter

·Reduction in Fuel Consumption etc

 

                                               Fig: Recent trend in automobile industry

 

Reduction in weight of Vehicles:

1.Nano Steel

                                                     Nano Steel

Crash safety and lightweight are the two major issues which are required to be addressed. A high strength yet light weight material for car body can be produced by using nanotechnologies. It has been reported that embedded nano particles of metallic carbon nitride can effectively increase the strength of steel. In long term loading tiers of up to 10,000 hours, it was observed that a share of 0.002 percent of finely dispersed carbon can increase the stability of the steel significantly. The small size of only five to ten nanometer of carbon nitride is responsible for the outstanding properties

   

2. Lotus coatings

                  

                                                         Nano Car Paint

Lotus coatings  are composed of hydrophobic nanoparticles of silsesquioxanes  containing adhesion  promoter groups and  low surface energy groups.  When these coatings are applied to the  vehicles they will cause the water to bead into small droplet and  roll  off  the  surface  without  getting  the surface  wet.  These  coatings  also  prevent the dust  from  adhering  to  the  surface  of  the vehicles  thus  preventing  the  surface  from corrosion. The paints made by this technology have a  self-healing property. Ships  and boats which receive such  coat on their bottoms  can not  only  move  faster,  but  also  fuel consumption  as  water  repellent  property reduces friction drastically

 

Catalytic Converters

 

                   

                                                Catalytic Converters

Catalytic  converters  made of  nanotechnology use the nanomaterials  to prevent the platinum from  aggregation  so  that  less  platinum  is required  for  each  converter.  The  key development is to coat platinum nanoparticles with  the  porous  silica  layer.  Because  of  its weak interaction  with the  platinum, the silica coating  provides an  energy barrier  that  holds the  platinum  in  place  even  at  very  high temperatures,  preventing  aggregation  and maintaining  catalytic  activity.  Experiments show  that  the  silica-coated platinum maintained its catalytic ability (about 750C) at much  higher  temperatures  than  uncoated platinum,  which  began  to  aggregate  at temperatures as low as 350C

  Organosilicon Electrolyte Batteries (OSEB)

                        

                                                              OES Batteries

The emerging need for clean energy, renewable energy generation, and electric mobility has led to the rapid development of new types of batteries. One of these technologies is the Organosilicon electrolytic battery (OSEB).  These batteries use a non-flammable organic electrolyte,  which is stable and has a long life. They are also easy to manufacture, maintain and recycle.

This new Organic Electrolyte/silicon-oxygen (OS) Battery, the project uses silicon nanoparticles as an electrode with an electrolyte made from organic material. This battery can significantly improve the performance and profitability of energy storage systems, particularly electric vehicles, where it can have a disruptive effect on drivers and consumers. 

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Nanomaterials

The electrical, magnetic, optical and mechanical properties of the nanomaterials have provided many fascinating applications. Research is still in progress to know about these properties. Properties of the nanomaterials differ from that of their bulk size model. Some of the advantages of the nanomaterials are as follows-

 

 

 Advantages

 

·        Nanomaterial semiconductor q-particles show quantum confinement effects, thereby giving them the luminescence property.

·        Compared to coarse-grained ceramics, nanophase ceramics are more ductile at elevated temperatures.

·        For solar cells, Nanocrystalline silicon films form a highly transparent contact.

·        Nanostructured titanium oxide porous films provide high transmission and high surface area enhancement.

 

Disadvantage

 

There are also some technological disadvantages found in the use of nanomaterials. Some of those disadvantages are as follows –

·        Instability of the nanomaterials.

·        Poor corrosion resistance.

·        High solubility.

·        When the nanomaterials with the high surface area come in direct contact with oxygen exothermic combustion takes place leading to an explosion.

·        Impurity

·        Nanomaterials are considered to be biologically harmful. These have high toxicity which can lead to irritations.

·        Carcinogenic

·        Difficult to synthesize

·        No safe disposal available

·        Hard to recycle