CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Advanced Search
Home > Proceedings > Volume 8104 > Article
Open Access Paper
26 September 2011 Green nanotechnology
Geoff B. Smith
Author Affiliations +
Proceedings Volume 8104, Nanostructured Thin Films IV; 810402 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893114
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2011, San Diego, California, United States
Abstract
Nanotechnology, in particular nanophotonics, is proving essential to achieving green outcomes of sustainability and renewable energy at the scales needed. Coatings, composites and polymeric structures used in windows, roof and wall coatings, energy storage, insulation and other components in energy efficient buildings will increasingly involve nanostructure, as will solar cells. Nanostructures have the potential to revolutionize thermoelectric power and may one day provide efficient refrigerant free cooling. Nanomaterials enable optimization of optical, opto-electrical and thermal responses to this urgent task. Optical harmonization of material responses to environmental energy flows involves (i) large changes in spectral response over limited wavelength bands (ii) tailoring to environmental dynamics. The latter includes engineering angle of incidence dependencies and switchable (or chromogenic) responses. Nanomaterials can be made at sufficient scale and low enough cost to be both economic and to have a high impact on a short time scale. Issues to be addressed include human safety and property changes induced during manufacture, handling and outdoor use. Unexpected bonuses have arisen in this work, for example the savings and environmental benefits of cool roofs extend beyond the more obvious benefit of reduced heat flows from the roof into the building.
© (2011) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Citation Download Citation
Geoff B. Smith "Green nanotechnology", Proc. SPIE 8104, Nanostructured Thin Films IV, 810402 (26 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893114
PROCEEDINGS
 14 PAGES
DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY
GET CITATION
Lens.org Logo
CITATIONS
Cited by 10 scholarly publications.
Advertisement
Advertisement
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission  Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace
KEYWORDS
Nanostructures
Polymers
Reflectivity
Solar energy
Thermography
Nanotechnology
Buildings
RELATED CONTENT
Subscribe to Digital Library
Receive Erratum Email Alert
Back to Top