What`s the big deal about nanotechnology?

What’s the big deal about
nanotechnology?
Featuring Research from the Vanderbilt Institute
of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
Presentation by Professor Sharon Weiss
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University
Sharon M. Weiss
Topics of Discussion
• Just how small is “nano”?
• How does nanotechnology affect me now?
• How might nanotechnology impact my life in
the future?
– Roads and bridges
– Light bulbs, solar energy, batteries
– Health
• How can I learn more about nanotechnology?
Sharon M. Weiss
AT&T “Bat” Building
(188,000 mm)
Basketball Player
A.J. Ogilvy
Quarter
Head of a Pin
(2,100 mm)
(24 mm)
(2 mm)
millimeters
100,000
10,000
1,000
100
10
1
nanometers
Width of Human Hair
Red Blood Cell
Virus
DNA
(80,000 nm)
(8,000 nm)
(50 nanometers)
(2.5 nanometers)
Sharon M. Weiss
Topics of Discussion
• Just how small is “nano”?
• How does nanotechnology affect me now?
• How might nanotechnology impact my life in
the future?
– Roads and bridges
– Light bulbs, solar energy, batteries
– Health
• How can I learn more about nanotechnology?
Sharon M. Weiss
Products Using Nanotechnology
Many sunscreens
contain zinc oxide
or titanium dioxide
nanoparticles that
reflect UV light
Babolat VS Nanotube Drive
incorporates carbon nanotubes
for extra stiffness,
lighter weight,
bigger sweet spot
Nano-Tex
Nanostructures on cotton
fibers repel stains, block
UV rays, and prevent
wrinkles (Nike, Eddie
Bauer, Old Navy)
BMC Pro Machine SLC01
Easton carbon nanotube
technology used for
2.33 pound bike frame
Wilson Double-Core balls
incorporate clay polymer
nanocomposites to double the
lifetime of the tennis ball
Sharon M. Weiss
Topics of Discussion
• Just how small is “nano”?
• How does nanotechnology affect me now?
• How might nanotechnology impact my life in
the future?
– Roads and bridges
– Light bulbs, solar energy, batteries
– Health
• How can I learn more about nanotechnology?
Sharon M. Weiss
Infrastructure improvements
•
Concrete is everywhere:
roads, sidewalks, houses,
bridges, buildings, pipes
•
Concrete degrades over time
Imagine the possibilities…
Conductive concrete that
could melt ice and snow
Pictures taken by Prof. Sanchez
around the Vanderbilt campus
Robust concrete that
could last for centuries
Sharon M. Weiss
Carbon Nanofibers Improve Concrete
• Carbon nanotubes are ~100 times stronger than steel
• Carbon nanotubes can conduct electricity
500 nm
Rebar is one of main
causes of concrete
structural degradation
“Nano-rebar” made of
carbon nanotubes and
nanofibers can increase
durability of concrete
Prof. Florence Sanchez
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Vanderbilt University
Sharon M. Weiss
Energy Efficiency, Generation, & Storage
• Energy efficiency
– Enable appliances, light sources, televisions
to use less electricity
• Energy generation
– Develop new methods to create energy without
relying on coal and fossil fuels
– Solar, wind, water, nuclear, biomass
• Energy storage
– Develop methods to store excess energy
for use at a later time
– Longer lifetime and lighter weight batteries
Sharon M. Weiss
Light Emitting Diodes
• LEDs use less energy and last longer than other lights
• Colored LEDs currently used in many applications,
including display signs and traffic lights
• White LEDs are an emerging technology
– Cost 2x more than incandescent lamps, 10x more than fluorescents
Signs on Times Square use millions of LEDs
Sharon M. Weiss
Colloidal Nanocrystal LEDs
• Use simple bench top chemistry
instead of expensive equipment
• Emission color changes with
nanocrystal size
1.5
~ 1.7 - 5.2 nm
?
Sharon M. Weiss
Colloidal Nanocrystal LEDs
Concept
Vandy Device
UV LED + Nanocrystals
Commercial Device
(Blue LED + Yellow Phosphor)
1.5 nm
Prof. Sandy Rosenthal, Chemistry
Prof. Sharon Weiss, Electrical Engineering
Vanderbilt University
Sharon M. Weiss
Solar Energy Generation
The sun delivers more energy to the earth in one hour
than is consumed by all people on the planet in one year
How can we capture and use this energy?
Engineered solution
Silicon solar cells
max efficiency < 30%
Nature’s solution
Photosynthesis
Sharon M. Weiss
Photosynthesis
Nature’s 90 Trillion Watt Solar Energy Conversion System
• Photosystem I is a 10 nm protein complex in green plants
• >97% efficiency (based on captured photons of light)
Sharon M. Weiss
Engineering Using Plant Proteins
to Create Solar Energy
A solar cell
based on PSI:
Light causes
current to flow
from PSI around
a circuit to be
used as electrical
power.
Prof. Kane Jennings
Chemical & Biomolecular
Engineering
Vanderbilt University
Prof. David Cliffel
Chemistry
Vanderbilt University
Sharon M. Weiss
PSI Plant Protein Calculator
Potentiostat
Ag/AgCl
reference
PSI-modified
working
electrode
Mediator
solution
ITO coated
glass
counter
electrode
Pocket
calculator
Sharon M. Weiss
The Future of Energy Storage?
2011: Chevy Volt – electric car
• Runs solely on electric power for
40 miles with a full battery charge
• Costs 2¢ per mile to drive on
electricity, and uses less electricity
annually than a refrigerator
Imagine the possibilities…
•
Reduce weight of Volt battery packs for
same energy storage capacity by ¼ in
next decade
•
Laptop batteries that are lighter weight
and last longer
Lithium ion battery pack
• 6 feet long, 375 pounds
• Charges in 8 hours
(120V)
Sharon M. Weiss
Nanotechnology for Improved Batteries
Goal: Supercapacitor
= Negatively Charged
Nanoparticles (— NP)
Stores more energy in smaller space
and weighs less than batteries today
0
I
1
= Positively Charged
Nanoparticles (+ NP)
Positive NP
Freestanding carbon
nanotube film
Prof. Jay Dickerson
Physics & Astronomy
Vanderbilt University
Polymer Layer
Electrode (Au)
Polymer Layer
Electrode (Au)
Sharon M. Weiss
Nanotechnology in Health Care
Unexpected change in
DNA sequence may
indicate disease
00
,
0
-1
1
(
n
o
i
t
c
Infe
m)
n
0
Infectious viruses
and bacteria can
make you sick
GOAL: Improved Health Care
Faster identification and more
effective localized treatment of
infections and diseases
(human height ~1.7 billion nanometers)
Sharon M. Weiss
“Nano”-Therapeutics
Drug delivery
Bio-Specificity
Drug discovery
CdSe Core
ZnS Shell
Polymer Coating
Fluorescent imaging
Disease detection
Y
Y
Y
Prof. David Cliffel, Chemistry
Prof. Todd Giorgio,
Biomedical Engineering
Vanderbilt University
1 hour after infection
Y
MAb or
Proteolytic
Enzyme
Y
Y
Dextran/Drug
Y
Y
Iron Oxide
Nanocrystals
Prof. Sandy Rosenthal, Chemistry
Prof. David Wright, Chemistry
Vanderbilt University
Sharon M. Weiss
“Nano”-Diagnostics
DNA sequencing can identify
people’s genetic code and determine
whether they are likely to develop a
specific disease in the future
T
A
Particle Detection, Sizing,
Surface Charge Density
G
C
C
When DNA base passes through nano-hole
or nano-channel, a distinct ionic current is
produced that identifies the particular base
Ionic Current
G
Δi
τ
Time
Prof. Deyu Li
Mechanical Engineering
Vanderbilt University
Sharon M. Weiss
“Nano”-Diagnostics
Enable more sensitive, accurate, and faster detection of infections
10
,0 0
0x
~ 10 mm
• Imagine being able to place a porous
silicon sensor on top of a wound and
know within seconds if it is infected
• Imagine exposing your fresh vegetables,
nuts, or meats to a porous silicon sensor
and knowing instantaneously whether
the food is contaminated
~ 0.0005 mm
Prof. Sharon Weiss
Electrical Engineering
Vanderbilt University
Sharon M. Weiss
Topics of Discussion
• Just how small is “nano”?
• How does nanotechnology affect me now?
• How might nanotechnology impact my life in
the future?
– Roads and bridges
– Light bulbs, solar energy, batteries
– Health
• How can I learn more about nanotechnology?
Sharon M. Weiss
For More Information…
• General nanotechnology information
– http://www.nano.gov
– http://www.nanotech-now.com
– http://www.howstuffworks.com
• Vanderbilt University research
– http://www.vanderbilt.edu/vinse
Sharon M. Weiss
Acknowledgements
• VINSE Researchers
– David Cliffel, Jay Dickerson, Todd Giorgio, Kane Jennings,
Deyu Li, Sandy Rosenthal, Florence Sanchez, David Wright
• Nashville Adventure Science Center
– Sharon Mendonsa (Educational Team Leader)
• Vanderbilt Students
– Vanderbilt-Fisk Student Chapter of the Materials Research
Society (Jon Gosnell, President)
– Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science (VSVS)
• Nanoscale Informal Science Education (NISE) Network
• National Science Foundation, Army Research Office
(Weiss research funding)
Sharon M. Weiss