Nanotechnology is impacting businesses and will offer new and improved products and processes and will allow companies to innovate and enter new markets - below are some examples.
Nanotechnology Applications:
Advanced Manufacturing
• Benefits: Controlled manufacturing processes, economical and high output with low cost.
• Applications and Uses: faster electronics, new material development
Aerospace
• Benefits: CO2 reduction, lighter materials, move to less fuel consumption cost savings, improved functionality of materials, minimising risk, flexibility and new systems
• Applications and Uses: nanocomposites, advanced sensors, faster electronics for data processing
Agriculture
• Benefits: higher crop yields, reduction in the use of pesticides and improved water management
• Applications and Uses: nanoparticles for removing contamination, moisture sensors, detection of pathogens
Automotive
• Benefits: CO2 reduction, lighter materials, move to less fuel consumption
• Applications and Uses: Lubricant / hydraulic additives, nanoparticles in catalytic converters, fuel cells, hydrogen storage
Chemical Industries
• Benefits: reduction of waste and CO2 reduction
• Applications and Uses: fuel cells, nanoparticles as catalysts
Construction
• Benefits: lower energy needs, CO2 reduction
• Applications and Uses: Thermal insulation, Energy storage devices
Cosmetics
• Benefits: UV protection, enhanced delivery of medicated skin products
• Applications: clear sunscreens, beauty care products, Cosmeceuticals, Nutraceuticals
Creative Industries
• Benefits: Bioinspired product development
• Applications and Uses: changing effects, advanced display systems
Defence
• Benefits: better detection and surveillance techniques,
• Applications and Uses: body armour, chemical and biological sensors
Electronics
• Benefits: providing faster, smaller and enhanced hand held devices
• Applications and Uses: Advanced display technologies with conductive nanomaterials, quantum computing, data storage, printable and flexible electronics, magnetic nanoparticles for data storage
Energy/Power
• Benefits: New materials for energy harvesting and storage
• Applications and Uses: DC-DC power converters, fuel cells, nanocomposites for high temperature applications
Environment
• Benefits: CO2 reduction and clean-up
• Applications and Uses: Air and water filtration, waste and water treatment, hazourdous materials disposal, in-building environmental systems, remediation
Extreme Environment
• Benefits: De-icing,
• Applications and Uses: Advanced textiles, stronger materials
Food and drink packing
• Benefits: tracking, quality monitoring and anti-counterfeiting, provides enhanced information on product and is environmentally friendly
• Applications and Uses: improved barrier properties and heat-resistance, anti-microbial and anti-fungal packaging, smart sensing, biodegradable packaging
Healthcare
• Benefits: better patient care and understanding of biological processes
• Applications and Uses: Nanoparticulate drug delivery, Nanosilver dressings, Fluorescent biological labels
Household products
• Benefits: self-cleaning, anti-bacteria and anti-fouling properties
• Applications and Uses: water and air purification systems, deodorizers and anti-misting systems
Low Carbon Technologies
• Benefits: environmentally friendly with the goal to reduce CO2 production
• Applications and Uses: energy storage devices
Marine
• Benefits: products to improve transportation
• Applications and Uses: Anti-fouling coatings, sensors,
Materials
• Benefits: Stronger and lightweight materials, functionalised materials
• Applications and Uses: Anti-fouling coatings, Nanotube polymers, printed electronics
Oil and Gas
• Benefits: Safety monitoring, improved oil recovery, well management
• Applications and Uses: nanoparticles, novel sensors
Safety
• Benefits: employee monitoring, advancing imaging, better testing, new characterisation methods
• Applications and Uses: PPE equipment, stronger materials
Security
• Benefits: tagging and tracking, monitoring, advancing sensors technology, improved RFID technology
• Applications and Uses: body armour, combating fraud with nanoparticle based inks
Sporting Goods and recreation
• Benefits: Stronger and durable products, enhanced fabrics, textiles embedded with sensors
• Applications and Uses: tennis balls, tennis rackets, hockey sticks
Textiles
• Benefits: hospital garments, emergency clothing and PPE, fashion on demand
• Applications and Uses: Stain-resistant fabrics, self cleaning and anti-bacterial coatings, protection and detection, healthcare, new wearable textiles incorporating solar cells, sensors and self cleaning properties
Tourism
• Benefits: enhanced displays and user interfaces
• Applications and Uses: airport information kiosk
