Nanotechnology Applications

The Understanding Nanotechnology Website is dedicated to providing clear and concise explanations of nanotechnology applications. Scan the listings below to find an application of interest, or click any topic on the navigation bar to the left to go directly to the page discussing an application of interest.

Nanotechnology Applications in Space

Nanotechnology may hold the key to making space-flight more practical. Advancements in nanomaterials make lightweight solar sails and a cable for the space elevator possible. By significantly reducing the amount of rocket fuel required, these advances could lower the cost of reaching orbit and traveling in space. Check out our Nanotech in Space page to see how nanotech is being used in space.

Nanotechnology Applications in Medicine

Researchers are developing customized nanoparticles the size of molecules that can deliver drugs directly to diseased cells in your body. When it's perfected, this method should greatly reduce the damage treatment such as chemotherapy does to a patient's healthy cells. Check out our Nanotech in Medicine page to see how nanotech is being used in medicine.

Nanotechnology Applications in Food

Nanotech is having an impact on several aspects of food science, from how food is grown to how it is packaged. Companies are developing nanomaterials that will make a difference not only in the taste of food, but also in food safety, and the health benefits that food delivers. Check out our Nanotech & Food page for the details.

Nanotechnology Applications in Electronics

Nanotech holds some answers for how we might increase the capabilities of electronics devices while we reduce their weight and power consumption. Check out our Nanotech in Electronics page to see how nanotech is being used in electronics.

Nanotechnology Applications in Fuel Cells

Nanotechnology is being used to reduce the cost of catalysts used in fuel cells to produce hydrogen ions from fuel such as methanol and to improve the efficiency of membranes used in fuel cells to separate hydrogen ions from other gases such as oxygen. Check out our Nanotech in Fuel Cells page for the details.

Nanotechnology Applications in Solar Cells

Companies have developed nanotech solar cells that can be manufactured at significantly lower cost than conventional solar cells. Check out our Nanotech in Solar Cells page for the details.

Nanotechnology Applications in Batteries

Companies are currently developing batteries using nanomaterials. One such battery will be a good as new after sitting on the shelf for decades. Another battery can be recharged significantly faster than conventional batteries. Check our our Nanotech in Batteries page for details.

Nanotechnology Applications in Fuels

Nanotech can address the shortage of fossil fuels such as diesel and gasoline by making the production of fuels from low grade raw materials economical, increasing the mileage of engines, and making the production of fuels from normal raw materials more efficient. Check our Nanotech in Fuels page for details.

Nanotechnology Applications for Air Quality Improvement

Nanotech can improve the performance of catalysts used to transform vapors escaping from cars or industrial plants into harmless gasses. That's because catalysts made from nanoparticles have a greater surface area to interact with the reacting chemicals than catalysts made from larger particles. The larger surface area allows more chemicals to interact with the catalyst simultaneously, which makes the catalyst more effective. Check our Nanotech and Air page for details.

Nanotechnology Applications Toward Clean Water

Nanotech is being used to develop solutions to three very different problems in water quality. One challenge is the removal of industrial wastes, such as a cleaning solvent called TCE, from groundwater. Nanoparticles can be used to convert the contaminating chemical through a chemical reaction to make it harmless. Studies have shown that this method can be used successfully to reach contaminates dispersed in underground ponds and at much lower cost than methods which require pumping the water out of the ground for treatment. Check out our Nanotech and Water Quality page for details.