Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials can take many forms, from sheets of graphene that are a single atom thick to nanocomposites are combine materials such as nanotubes with more common materials such as a polymer. For information regarding a particular nanomaterial follow any of the links below.

Carbon Nanotubes

Applications being developed for carbon nanotubes include adding antibodies to nanotubes to form bacteria sensors, making a composite with nanotubes that bend when electric voltage is applied bend the wings of morphing aircraft, adding boron or gold to nanotubes to trap oil spills, include smaller transistors, coating nanotubes with silicon  to make anodes the can increase the capacity of Li-ion batteries by up to 10 times. Check out the What are Carbon Nanotubes page to understand their structure, and the Discovery of Carbon Nanotubes page to read about their discovery, and the Applications of Carbon Nanotubes page to see how carbon nanotubes are being used.

 Graphene

Applications being developed for graphene include using graphene sheets as electodes in ultracapacitors which will have as much storage capacity as batteries but will be able to recharge in minutes, attaching strands of DNA to graphene to form sensors for rapid disease diagnostics, replacing indium in flat screen TVs and making high strenght composite materials. Check out , out the What is Graphene page to understand it's structure, and the Applications of Graphene page to see how graphene is being used.

Quantum Dots

Applications being developed for quantum dots include improvement of solar cells, medical imaging, miniature lasers and improved computer and TV displays. Check out the What are Quantum Dots page to review their structure and properties, and check out the Applications of Quantum Dots page for information on how quantum dots are being used.

Nanocomposites

Applications being developed for nanocomposites include a nanotube-polymer nanocomposite to form a scaffold which speeds up replacement of broken bones, making a graphene-epoxy nanocomposite with very high strenght-to-weight ratios, a nanocomposite made from cellulous and nanotubes used to make a flexible battery. Check out the Applications of Nanocomposites page to see how nanocomposites are being used.

Nanofibers

Applications being developed for nanofibers include stimulating the production of cartilage in damaged joints, piezoelectric nanofibers that can be woven into clothing to produce electricty for cell phones or other devices, carbon nanofibers that can improve the preformance flame retandant in funiture. Check out the Applications of Nanofibers page to see how nanofibers are being used.

Nanoparticles

Applications being developed for nanoparticles include deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to cancer tumors, resetting the immune system to prevent autoimmune diseases, delivering drugs to damaged regions of arteries to fight cardiovascular disease, create photocatalysts that produce hydrogen from water, reduce the cost of producing fuel cells and solar cells, clean up oil spills, water pollution and air pollution. Check out the Applications of Nanoparticles page to see how nanoparticles are being used.

Nanowires

Applications being developed for carbon nanotubes include using zinc oxide nanowires in a flexible solar cell, silver chloride nanowires to decompose organic molecules in polluted water, using nanowires made from iron and nickel to make dense computer memory - called "race track memory.  Check out the Applications of Nanowires page to see how nanowires are being used.