RDS to announce award for nanotech

NOMINATIONS HAVE opened for a new award that highlights research discoveries being made by scientists here and Irish scientists abroad working in the nanotechnology area.

Ireland is currently ranked eighth in the world in research citations related to nanotechnology, a reflection of a significant level of involvement. Nanotechnology is the study of objects a millionth of a metre or less in size.

The Prize Lecture for Nanoscience award will be announced today during Nanoweek by the RDS, which has organised it in partnership with Intel Ireland with the support of The Irish Times.

The prize will be awarded annually, alternating between a scientist based in Ireland and an Irish scientist based abroad. The 2011 award will be presented to a scientist based in Ireland.

Those eligible are scientists working in nanoscience and related fields such as advanced materials, electronics and biology. The winner will receive an RDS bronze medal and will be expected to give a public lecture.

“This field of research has the potential to revolutionise the future of industry in Ireland and add significant value to our existing strengths in these areas,” said RDS president Fonsie Mealy.

General manager of Intel Ireland Eamonn Sinnott, vice president of its technology manufacturing group, said Intel welcomed the award programme. “Nanoscience is not only a key enabling technology for the semiconductor industry but also will underpin many other types of industries in Ireland and across the globe, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and others,” he said.

The closing date for receipt of nominations is Tuesday, March 1st. The winner will be announced in April, with the presentation of the award at the public lecture at the RDS in May. Full details and online nomination form are available at rds.ie/nanoscience

Startup Boasts Better Lithium Batteries

A California company called Envia Systems is developing a battery that promises to store twice the energy of lithium-ion batteries—the kind typically used in electric cars.

 A new cathode design could result in batteries that can store double the amount possible with current electric car batteries.

Envia has received investment from General Motors, which could be one of the biggest buyers of lithium-ion batteries for cars in coming years thanks to a planned lineup of plug-in cars including the Chevy Volt. The automaker's venture capital arm, GM Ventures, announced a $7 million investment in the startup last month.

Envia says its batteries could lower the cost of plug-in vehicles by reducing the need for costly metals, and by cutting the number of cells needed to store a given amount of energy in a vehicle's battery pack. In current batteries, an imbalance exists between the two electrodes: the anodes are equipped to accept far more charge than cathodes are able to supply. Envia's batteries use a cathode that is rich in manganese, which allows it to hold more charge.

Elton Cairns, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, says a manganese-based cathode should indeed help to reduce battery costs. "Most other oxide cells have cobalt in them, which is expensive," he says. There are, however, already some batteries that little or no cobalt.Envia's recipe involves high-capacity, manganese-rich cathodes with a layered-layered composite structure (made with two different layered components) based on technology licensed from Argonne National Laboratory.

According to GM Ventures president Jon Lauckner,  GM, Envia, and other companies have licensed different patents from one "family" of intellectual property related to manganese-rich layered-layered composite-cathode technology.

The current version of GM's Volt uses lithium-ion batteries made with lithium-manganese spinel cathodes ("spinel" refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in the material). The cathode material has active components, through which lithium ions move when the battery is charged or discharged, and inactive ones, which help stabilize the active material and extend the life of the battery—a vital quality in electric-car batteries.

Envia's cathode uses relatively inexpensive materials. Although the "cost is in the same ballpark as what cell makers use today," says Lauckner, the material could deliver a one-third improvement in energy density at the cell level compared to what's on the market today. This figure is based on data from a prototype that Envia designed for a specific GM vehicle application.  

Envia has also begun working on more higher energy density anodes, with a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Last year, in partnership with Argonne, Envia set out to develop silicon-carbon nanocomposite anodes with the idea of integrating them with high-capacity cathodes, and devising processes for scaling up production to high volumes.

Steel nanotechnology can reduce the weight of our cars

The world's largest steel maker, ArcelorMital, says it has come up with a new kind of steel that the world has never seen before. Thanks to nanotechnology, the company says automakers can now match the weight of aluminum cars, but do it in steel at far lower cost.

It can take 188 pounds out of the body-in-white of a car... but total weight savings could be even bigger.

Specifically, ArcelorMital says it can take 188 pounds out of the body-in-white of a car. The body-in-white, or BIW, refers to the basic structure of a car, including the doors, hood and deck lid. That's a big number. By taking so much weight out of the structure, other components such as the powertrain, drivetrain, brakes, etc. can be downsized as well. In other words, the total weight savings could be even bigger.

ArcelorMital is already showing this new kind of steel to automakers. It isn't yet ready to publicly divulge any of the technical aspects of the steel or how it's using nanotechnology to make it. The company says we're still two to three years away before we get those kinds of details. And that's about the time we'll see this steel show up in production. No word yet on which car company may be the first to use it, but the rumor on the street is that Ford is all over this technology.

The nano steel itself is not inherently lighter, but it's so strong that automakers can use thinner gauges and that's where part of the weight savings comes from. Another part of the weight savings comes from not having to use additional brackets, gussets or panels to strengthen the structure.

For example, A-pillars are becoming so big these days due to roof crush standards that they are actually becoming a safety hazard. The fat A-pillars can partially block your view to side traffic or pedestrians. But with this nano steel, A-pillars could be made much thinner with no sacrifice to structure or safety.

The nano steel does require a newer manufacturing technique called hot stamping.

Nor is this steel cheaper than other grades of steel. In fact, it's probably a little bit more expensive. But by eliminating all those brackets and extra panels, the total tooling cost of a car goes down, and that's where the costs savings comes from.

To get the maximum 188-pound reduction in the BIW, an automaker would have to design-in the nano steel's capabilities using a clean sheet approach. But ArcelorMittal says that some applications, especially cross-members, lend themselves to running changes on existing designs.

The nano steel does require a newer manufacturing technique called hot stamping. That's where automakers heat up the steel blanks that go into a stamping press to the point where they're literally glowing red. Then they feed the red hot blanks into a press and stamp them into body panels. Heating up the steel makes it much more pliable and enables it to be formed into more complex shapes. Actually, this is a fairly common process already in use today, used to form the high-strength steels that have been available for the last decade and a half. So, while the nano steel requires hot stamping, it's not as if automakers need to make a big investment in manufacturing technology.

Covitic aluminum somehow impregnates aluminum with carbon fiber.

It's very impressive to see the steel industry delve into new technology to keep its product relevant. Aluminum, magnesium and composites definitely pose a competitive threat to steel. But they're also considerably more expensive, are not as easily repaired in most body shops, and require considerably more energy to recycle. That's why they've not found widespread use in cars, or at least not as widespread as steel.

And yet, I've heard tantalizing whispers of the new breakthrough coming in aluminum. It's called covitic aluminum, where somehow they impregnate aluminum with carbon fiber. There, now you know about as much of it as I do.

I'm pretty sure we'll get some sort of announcement later this year about covitic aluminum. But for right now at least, this nano steel seems to be the latest word in materials technology.

Reactors at room temperature

On Feb. 6, Chennai:

 It may be still in the realm of science fiction for many but a nanotechnology expert has claimed that green, clean, safe and cheap energy can be produced using a low energy nuclear reactor in room temperature.

“One does not need materials like uranium, plutonium or thorium or for that matter any kind of reactors,” said Prof David Nagel, research professor, micro and nano technologies, George Washington University, USA. “There will not be any radiation or radioactive waste in this mode of power generation.”

Prof Nagel was addressing students and faculty attending the tutorial school on “Science of Low Energy Nuclear Reactions” in IIT Madras on Saturday.

According to him, two Italian scientists, Prof Sergio Focardi and Andrea Rossi, had demonstrated a 10 KW LENR reactor at Bologna on January 14.

“But the International Patent Office rejected their application for patent because the authorities were not convinced about the feasibility of the LENR,” he said. “Scientists who have made breakthroughs in LENR are reluctant to come out in the open because of the fear that they may be deprived of their intellectual property rights.”

But he refused to set a dateline for the commercial realisation of this revolutionary reactor. “It will become a reality but I don’t know when,” said Prof Nagel.

More than 60 students and teachers drawn from all over the country attended the session were addressed by a galaxy of scientists including Michael McKubre, Dr Yashuhiro Iwamura and Prof Vladimir Vystoskii.

The next six days will see Chennai playing host to the international conference on condensed matter nuclear science.

Russia's nanotechnology head to meet Indian industrial magnates

Head of the Russian Nanotechnology Corporation (Rosnano) Anatoly Chubais arrived in India on Monday on a five-day visit to hold talks with chiefs of industry.

On Monday, Chubais is due to meet with members of the Confederation of Indian Industry and officials, as well as visit the Center for Nanotechnology Research of the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Russian official will visit the southeastern city of Bangalore, known as India's Silicon Valley to talk to representatives of India's aircraft construction corporation Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), the Indian Space Research Organization and the Defense Research and Development Organization and other companies.

On Thursday and Friday, Chubais will visit the capital, New Delhi and the northern city of Chandigarh, which hosts the research laboratories of India's largest pharmaceutical companies.

During the visit, Chubais will also visit research institutions focusing on energy sufficiency and meet with representatives of the country's governmental Department of Science and Technology and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has made the modernization of Russia's oil-dependent economy a cornerstone of his domestic policies, and the creation of a hi-tech research hub is under way in the town of Skolkovo, near Moscow.

NEW DELHI, February 7 (RIA Novosti)

Nanotechnology and automotive manufacturing

Nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at a molecular scale. This technology is indispensable because many common substances have different and useful properties when reduced in size. It promises to improve the performance of existing technologies significantly.

“Nanotechnology is expected to be a key driver for innovation in the automotive industry,” says Wijia Xie, an industry analyst from research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

“The technology has a wide variety of applications in many vehicle components, including the car body, windows, tires, control system, catalytic converter, and engine systems,” Xie adds.

“The application of nanotechnology is usually done so as to significantly improve the safety, comfort, efficiency and eco-friendliness of future generation cars.”

Indeed, there are a number of processes and products enhanced by nanomaterials that are making an impact in the automotive industry.

These include nanocomposites incorporating a variety of materials for structural reinforcement and safety; nanoparticle catalysts for fuel economy; nanoadditives for lubricants; and easy-clean, anti-fogging, anti-abrasion, anti-corrosion and self-repairing coatings. Companies like Toyota, General Motors, Ford and Rolls-Royce are all taking a lead in developing technologies in these areas.

Over the past decade, one of the most significant technological developments in the plastics industry has been in the use of nanocomposite materials.

Nanocomposites are stiffer, lighter and less brittle in cold temperatures than conventional plastics. They exhibit properties that are greatly different from macroscopic composites and have been shown to yield multiple benefits at relatively low cost compared to traditional methods of plastic enhancement, such as polymerisation.

“Exatec and DuPont developed scratch-resistant coatings for cars with polymer nanocomposite or metal oxide nanoparticles that provide excellent anti-scratch properties against hard-object impacts,” says Xie.

In 2002, General Motors used nanocomposite technology with thermoplastic olefins, thus opening up a whole new area of commercialisation.

The advanced thermoplastic nanocomposite part was used on the maker’s GMC Safari and Chevrolet Astro mid-size vans. It was the first automotive exterior application of this lightweight, high-performance and affordable material. Other automotive parts that have been developed from the material include exterior door and rear quarter panels. The plastic enables these items to spring back into shape following low-speed impacts.

Usage
Nanoparticle technology is being used in the automotive industry to protect engines and enable them to perform better.

Ford, for example, is using a device called the Local Electrode Atom Probe to conduct research into making metals and plastics lighter and stronger. The device works at the atomic scale and is useful for removing atoms from metallic surfaces and locating the atom position on those surfaces.

Nanoparticles are also being used as ‘fillers’ for metals and plastics to increase the strength of produced materials and reduce their weight in the process. Ford’s ‘Atoms to Engines’ team looked at the structure of cast aluminium alloys at near atomic levels. A detailed analysis of the structure, property and process relationship of the aluminium alloy engine blocks led to reduced engine weight, which in turn resulted in increased fuel efficiency.

Researchers are looking into ways in which Nanoparticles can be added to glass and paints to enable them to better withstand radiation and provide self-cleaning mechanisms.

Nanostructured surfaces result in improved paint adhesion and colour durability. It is no surprise then the Ford Motor Company has predicted that by 2015, nanomaterials will be used in 70 percent of its production materials. The move could likely position the company as a leader of the automotive industry once again. This is how big it is.

Clean technology
Nanotechnology’s many applications in clean technology range from solar panels to EV batteries. A report from Lux Research sees a $29 billion clean tech nanotechnology market in 2015.

Considering its features and what it has to offer, there seems no doubt that potential for nanotechnology in the manufacturing processes of electric cars is immense.
To exemplify, Lithium ion batteries are currently being intensively developed across the world for use in electric vehicles. Nanotechnology promises to improve the performance and the life-times of these batteries.

Additionally, it also has the potential to enhance the energy and power density, shorten the recharge time, as well as decrease the size and weight while improving safety and stability of the batteries.

“Nanotechnologies can further enable some sci-fi concepts for future vehicles, such as collisionless auto-driving cars, shape-shifting cars, and solar power cars. Its potential truly is astounding,” points out Xie.

LG Display and QD Vision to Develop QLED-Based Displays

Korean electronics giant will join forces with US-based QD Vision to create next generation display technology

The two companies entered into the joint agreement to develop high efficiency, lower-cost, and ultra-performance active-matrix displays based on electroluminescent quantum dot LED (QLED) nanotechnology. The displays will be formed using patterned thin films of QD Vision quantum dots to create a direct-view, active-matrix display. QD Vision, based in Massachusetts, was founded on nanotechnology IP developed at MIT.
NWN Note: Seth Coe-Sullivan, Co-Founder and CTO of QD Vision, was a speaker at the National Nanotechnology Initiative’s Nanotechnology Innovation Summit, which took place December 8-10, in Washington, DC. To view the Summit agenda and all speakers, please visit:www.nsti.org/events/NNI/program/.