Can nanotech help meet the energy challenge?
This illustration shows molecules self-assembled through hydrogen bonds. Only six molecules are shown although the assembly continues indefitely. Molecular Self-Assembly
Sergio Kapusta: A lot of the things that are important to life – and a lot of the things that are important to energy – they all occur at the very small scale.
That’s Shell scientist Sergio Kapusta. When he says ‘small,’ he means the scale of atoms and molecules – the scale of a new technology, nanotechnology.
Sergio Kapusta: We think that nanotechnology has the potential to help us produce more energy. It can help us produce energy from more difficult sources, and it can also help us protect the environment, remove CO2, clean the water. That’s the promise of nanotechnology.
Kapusta said engineering at very small scales can dramatically improve the strength of steel, for example. He said some nanoparticles will be able to ‘sense’ their environment – relay that information to scientists – and even repair themselves.
Sergio Kapusta: Applications of these self-repair materials could be for pipelines, pipelines that will not leak. Because if they break, before they leak, they will repair themselves.
Plus nano has applications in renewable energy.
Sergio Kapusta: Catalysts that are based on nanotechnology will make the conversion of hydrogen into energy that is in a fuel cell much more efficient than it is today.
Many scientists believe nanotech is part of the solution to the energy challenge of this century.
This podcast was made possible in part by Shell – encouraging dialog on the energy challenge.
