Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge E-Book

• Herausgeber: Wiley-VCH
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1080

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

Nanotechnology allows for manipulating matter at the nanoscale with unprecedented accuracy and as such holds the promise of providing new materials with distinctly different properties. In recent years, breakthroughs in nanotechnology, especially in their applications in the energy sector, have opened up the possibility of moving beyond conventional energy generation approaches by introducing technologies that are more efficient, environmentally sound and cost effective. The book brings together some of the world's leading experts in nanotechnology and its applications in the energy sector, each covering a specific subject that falls within three general aspects: production, storage and use of energy. The first part covers the main developments of nanotechnology in clean energy production and conversion. Following a general overview on the contributions of nanomaterials for energy production, further chapters elaborate on specific topics such as photodevices, thermoelectric materials and fuel cells. The second part is concerned with the use of nanomaterials in more efficient energy storage systems like batteries, superconductors and materials for hydrogen storage. The third and last part discusses how nanotechnology can lead to a more efficient energy usage while reducing the negative impact to the environment. After the successful first edition of this book Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge, the second edition has been extensively updated to include the latest progress in this field. It includes three new chapters on graphene, piezoelectric nanomaterials, and nanocatalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Praise for the first edition: 'The book has a good index of technical terms, good quality graphical illustrations and a good reference list for further information. The book, which can be read either as a monograph, or by dipping into chapters of interest, should be of value to all researchers in energy and nanotechnology.' (Chemistry World, July 2010) 'A "must" for those with a science education and an interest in the future of our energy supply, storage and use.' (Chemistry International, March 2010) '[...] this book brings under a single cover the major aspects of nanomaterials research for the energy sector and will have a profound impact on the research and development of nanomaterials for sustainable energy solutions. It is highly recommended for chemists, physicists, material scientists and engineers looking for an insight into the global energy challenge and the possible contribution nanotechnology can make.' (Prof. Sanjay Mathur, University of Cologne)

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Related Titles

Title page

Copyright page

Foreword

Preface to the 2nd Edition

Preface to the 1st Edition

List of Contributors

Part One: Sustainable Energy Production

1: Nanotechnology for Energy Production

1.1 Energy Challenges in the Twenty-first Century and Nanotechnology

1.2 Nanotechnology in Energy Production

1.3 New Opportunities

1.4 Outlook and Future Trends

Acknowledgments

2: Nanotechnology in Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrochemical Devices

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Semiconductors and Optical Absorption

2.3 Dye Molecular Engineering

2.4 The Stable Self-Assembling Dye Monomolecular Layer

2.5 The Nanostructured Semiconductor

2.6 Recent Research Trends

2.7 Conclusions

3: Thermal-Electrical Energy Conversion from the Nanotechnology Perspective

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Established Bulk Thermoelectric Materials

3.3 Selection Criteria for Bulk Thermoelectric Materials

3.4 Survey of Size Effects

3.5 Thermoelectric Properties on the Nanoscale: Modeling and Metrology

3.6 Experimental Results and Discussions

3.7 Summary and Perspectives

Acknowledgments

4: Piezoelectric and Piezotronic Effects in Energy Harvesting and Conversion

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Piezoelectric Effect

4.3 Piezoelectric Nanomaterials for Mechanical Energy Harvesting

4.4 Piezocatalysis – Conversion between Mechanical and Chemical Energies

4.5 Piezotronics for Enhanced Energy Conversion

4.6 Perspectives and Conclusion

Acknowledgments

5: Graphene for Energy Production and Storage Applications

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Graphene Supercapacitors

5.3 Graphene as a Battery/Lithium-Ion Storage

5.4 Graphene in Energy Generation Devices

5.5 Conclusions/Outlook

6: Nanomaterials for Fuel Cell Technologies

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Low-Temperature Fuel Cells

6.3 High-Temperature Fuel Cells

6.4 Conclusions

7: Nanocatalysis for Iron-Catalyzed Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis: One Perspective

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Nanocatalyst–Wax Separation

7.3 Summary

8: The Contribution of Nanotechnology to Hydrogen Production

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Hydrogen Production by Semiconductor Nanomaterials

8.3 Summary

Acknowledgments

Part Two: Efficient Energy Storage

9: Nanostructured Materials for Hydrogen Storage

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Hydrogen Storage by Physisorption

9.3 Hydrogen Storage by Chemisorption

9.4 Summary

10: Electrochemical Energy Storage: the Benefits of Nanomaterials

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Nanomaterials for Energy Storage

10.3 Nanostructured Electrodes and Interfaces for the Electrochemical Storage of Energy

10.4 Conclusion

Acknowledgments

11: Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Storage

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Nanotexture and Surface Functionality of sp2 Carbons

11.3 Supercapacitors

11.4 Lithium-Ion Batteries

11.5 Conclusions

12: Nanotechnologies to Enable High-Performance Superconductors for Energy Applications

12.1 Overcoming Limitations to Superconductors' Performance

12.2 Flux Pinning by Nanoscale Defects

12.3 Grain Boundary Problem

12.4 Anisotropic Current Properties

12.5 Enhancing Naturally Occurring Nanoscale Defects

12.6 Artificial Introduction of Flux Pinning Nanostructures

12.7 Self-Assembled Nanostructures

12.8 Effect of Local Strain Fields in Nanocomposite Films

12.9 Control of Epitaxy Enabling Atomic Sulfur Superstructure

Acknowledgments

Part Three: Energy Sustainability

13: Green Nanofabrication: Unconventional Approaches for the Conservative Use of Energy

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Green Approaches to Nanofabrication

13.3 Future Directions: Toward “Zero-Cost” Fabrication

13.4 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

14: Nanocatalysis for Fuel Production

14.1 Introduction

14.2 Petroleum Refining

14.3 Naphtha Reforming

14.4 Hydrotreating

14.5 Cracking

14.6 Hydrocracking

14.7 Conversion of Syngas

14.8 Nanocatalysis for Bioenergy

14.9 The Future

15: Surface-Functionalized Nanoporous Catalysts towards Biofuel Applications

15.1 Introduction

15.2 Immobilization Strategies of Single Site Heterogeneous Catalysts

15.3 Design of More Efficient Heterogeneous Catalysts with Enhanced Reactivity and Selectivity

15.4 Other Heterogeneous Catalyst Systems on Nonsilica Supports

15.5 Conclusion

16: Nanotechnology for Carbon Dioxide Capture

16.1 Introduction

16.2 CO2 Capture Processes

16.3 Nanotechnology for CO2 Capture

16.4 Porous Coordination Polymers for CO2 Capture

17: Nanostructured Organic Light-Emitting Devices

17.1 Introduction

17.2 Quantum Confinement and Charge Balance for OLEDs and PLEDs

17.3 Phosphorescent Materials for OLEDs and PLEDs

17.4 Multi-Photon Emission and Tandem Structure for OLEDs and PLEDs

17.5 The Enhancement of Light Out-Coupling

17.6 Outlook for the Future of Nanostructured OLEDs and PLEDs

17.7 Conclusion

18: Electrochromics for Energy-Efficient Buildings: Nanofeatures, Thin Films, and Devices

18.1 Introduction

18.2 Electrochromic Materials

18.3 Electrochromic Devices

18.4 Conclusions and Remarks

Index

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The Editor

Prof. Javier García-Martínez

University of Alicante

Molecular Nanotechn. Lab

C/Pintor Cabrera 29 2G

03003 Alicante

Spain

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Foreword

In the last two decades, worldwide research has been focused on three major fields: nanoscience, bioscience/medical science and energy science. Among these three areas, nanotechnology is the basis for the other two, developing the materials systems and basic engineering to be applied in bioscience and energy science. Bioscience will not only explore the structure of biosystems, but will also lead to huge advances in medical technology that will make us live healthier and better. Energy science will not only improve the quality of life, but also guarantee the sustainable development of our civilization. With the increasing world population, the presence of poverty in some areas, and the occurrence of natural disasters, a crisis in high energy demand is with us now! The development of new energy will be a huge challenge to the entire world for many decades to come. Energy is probably the only factor that can limit the development of mankind.

The world energy needs can be mainly classified into two categories. The most common category is for large-scale energy needs (measured in the giga- to ter­rawatt range), in areas such as manufacturing, transportation, construction and lighting. Green energy technology is desperately needed to meet the challenge for large-scale energy production, but cost and environmental impact are the major concerns. The most active research in green energy is in solar, thermoelectric, biomass, hydraulic and wind energy. The key measures for green energy are efficiency, cost and environmental impact. Although these various technologies can contribute a substantial percentage of the energy needed by the world, fossil energy and nuclear energy are still the major contributors.

In the second category, with the increase of mobile and personal electronics, as the world enters into the era of sensing networks, powering micro- and nanosystems is becoming vitally important. Although the total amount of energy required for such applications is not huge, the energy required for such systems is characterized by availability and sustainability, while cost is not the most important issue. This is the era of nanoenergy, which means using nanomaterials and nanodevices to convert and store the available energy for powering micro- and nanosystems, such as personal/mobile electronics and sensor networks, with applications in bioscience, environmental/infrastructure monitoring, the internet, security and defense technology. Furthermore, with the development of low-power electronics, it is possible to use the energy harvested from our living environment to drive these electronics, forming a self-powered system. This is a new area of energy research and it will impact largely the sensor network used for various purposes.

The book entitled Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge edited by Dr. Javier García-Martínez is about the application of nanomaterials and nanotechnology in energy science. The book covers three sections: sustainable energy production, efficient energy storage and energy sustainability. In the section on sustainable energy production, starting from a basic introduction about nanotechnology for energy production, chapters are attributed to nanotechnology in areas such as dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical devices, thermal–electric energy conversion, nanogenerators for mechanical energy conversion, graphene for energy production, fuel cells and hydrogen production. This section is mainly about the effective conversion of energy from various sources using the largely improved properties provided by nanomaterials. In the second section, chapters are attributed to energy storage, such as hydrogen storage and electrochemical energy storage including the Li-ion battery and supercapacitors. The last section gives extensive coverage in the area of energy sustainability with a consideration of the environmental impact and materials sustainability. Chapters about green fabrication and carbon dioxide capture are included. Then two chapters are presented on catalysis for energy production. Finally, chapters are given on energy saving and efficient energy usage, such as light-emitting diodes and electrochromics.

This book is a comprehensive and up-to-date coverage on nanotechnology in effective energy conversion and storage, and energy sustainability and environmental impact. Each chapter is written by well-respected scientists in their fields. Such a book is of great value not only to the advanced graduate students who are engaged in energy research, but also to the researchers who are specialized in the applications of nanotechnology in energy. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes to know about nanotechnology for energy.

Zhong Lin Wang, PhD

Hightower Chair in Materials Science and Engineering, Regents' Professor

Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, USA

Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Beijing, China

Preface to the 2nd Edition

After the successful first edition of this book Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge, the second edition has been extensively updated to include the latest progress in this field. It includes three new chapters on graphene, piezoelectric nano­materials, and nanocatalysts for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. This book is now a collection of 18 chapters written by some of the world-leading experts in nanotechnologies and their applications in the broad field of energy. The book is, like the first edition, divided into three thematic parts that cover energy production, storage, and efficient usage.

Part One: Sustainable Energy Production is concerned with the use of nanotechnology for sustainable energy production. Following an updated introductory chapter on nanomaterials for energy production (Chapter 1), which is now expanded to also include piezoelectric nanomaterials, graphene, and metal–organic frameworks, world-leading scientists examine the impact of different nanotechnologies on the main energy production and transformation technologies, that is, dye-sensitized solar cells (Chapter 2), thermal–electrical energy conversion (Chapter 3), fuel cell technologies (Chapter 6, fully updated), and hydrogen production (Chapter 8). There are three new chapters in this part: Chapter 4 focusing on piezoelectric nanomaterials, Chapter 5 discussing graphene and Chapter 6 describing nanocatalysts for fuel cell synthesis.

Part Two: Efficient Energy Storage covers the potential use of nanomaterials for efficient energy storage systems. The first chapter in this part (Chapter 9) begins with an overview on how nanotechnology contributes to the increase in performance of hydrogen storage systems. The following two chapters (Chapters 10 and 11) focus on the use of nanomaterials in general, and more specifically carbon-based nanomaterials, for electrochemical energy storage. Finally, an updated Chapter 12 is included to describe how new types of nanostructures that are artificially introduced in superconducting films enhance the superconductors' performance.

The last part of the book, Part Three: Energy Sustainability, is oriented to the efforts on advancing the efficient usage of energy through the application of nanotechnology. This part begins with Chapter 13 on unconventional approaches for the conservative use of energy from the point of view of green nanofabrication. The subsequent two updated chapters (Chapters 14 and 15) overview recent advances on nanocatalysts for fuel production and biofuel applications. Other areas where nanotechnology offers breakthrough opportunities are carbon dioxide capture by using nanoporous materials (Chapter 16), as well as nanostructured light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic LEDs (OLEDs) for higher energy conversion from electricity to light (Chapter 17). Finally, recent advances in the nanotechnologies that are applied to energy-efficient buildings are collected in an updated chapter on electrochromics (Chapter 18).

Preface to the 1st Edition

Mankind faces daunting energy challenges in the twenty-first century, i.e., its over-reliance on the quickly diminishing fossil fuel-based energy sources and the consequent negative impacts to the global environment and climate. Although evolutionary improvements in existing technologies will continue to play important roles in addressing some of the challenges, revolutionary new technology will be the key to a clean, secure and sustainable energy future. Nanotechnology, by manipulating matter at the nanoscale with unprecedented accuracy, holds the promise of providing new materials with distinctly different properties. In recent years, breakthroughs in nanotechnology, especially in their applications in the energy sector, have opened up the possibility of moving beyond our current alternatives by introducing technologies that are more efficient, environmentally sound and cost effective.

This book, Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge, is a collection of 15 chapters contributed by some of the world’s leading experts in nanotechnology and its applications in the energy sector, each covering a specific subject that falls within three general aspects: production, storage and use of energy, correspondingly the three parts of the book.

Part I Sustainable Energy Production covers the main developments of nanotechnology in clean energy production and conversion. Following a general overview on the contributions of nanomaterials in selected specific areas of energy pro­duction, such as photovoltaics, hydrogen production, fuel cells and thermoelec­tricity, the remaining individual chapters within this part take these topics, i.e. dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical devices, nanostructured thermoelectric materials, nano-sized electrodes and electrolytes for fuel cells, and nanomaterials-based photoelectrochemical water splitting, into in-depth discussions.

Part II Efficient Energy Storage is concerned with the potential use of nanomaterials in more efficient energy storage systems. Batteries, superconductors, hydrogen storage for fuel cell applications are the main foci, which exemplify the three main families of energy storage systems in which “going-nano” is found to be especially beneficial. Firstly, hydrogen storage by physical and chemical adsorption is reviewed with an emphasis on how the use of nanomaterials helps improve its performance. Then the subsequent two chapters, with different focal points, discuss the impacts of nanostructuring on the performance of batteries and supercapacitors. The final chapter in this part describes the use of extrinsic nano-sized defects to produce advanced superconducting materials with minimal dissipation.

The last part of the book, Part III Energy Sustainability discusses how nanotechnology helps to use energy more efficiently, and mitigate its impact to the environment. While energy-efficient, or “green,” nanofabrication of the nano­materials themselves constitutes an important component of energy sustainability, nanocatalysis in petroleum refining and biofuel production also contribute significantly to the conservation of energy. Carbon dioxide capture by nanoporous materials is another area where nanotechnology may offer breakthrough opportunity. Nanostructured light-emitting diodes (LED) and organic LEDs (OLEDs) provide higher efficiency in energy conversion from electricity to light. Lastly, electrochromic materials with nanofeatures and their use in energy-efficient buildings are discussed.

This book is intended to provide a balanced treatment of the various topics of nanotechnologies in the energy and related areas with both general overviews and in-detail discussions to suit for a broader audience. I sincerely hope it will attract your attention to nanotechnology and its applications in energy related areas.

Javier García-Martínez

Director, Molecular Nanotechnology Lab

University of Alicante, Spain

December 2009

List of Contributors

Sambandam Anandan

National Institute of Technology

Nanomaterials & Solar Energy

Conversion Laboratory

Department of Chemistry

Trichy, 620 015

India

Vincenzo Antonucci

CNR-ITAE Institute

Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5

Messina, 98126

Italy

Antonino Salvatore Aricò

CNR-ITAE Institute

Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5

Messina, 98126

Italy

Muthupandian Ashokkumar

University of Melbourne

School of Chemistry

Melbourne, Vic. 3010

Australia

Vincenzo Baglio

CNR-ITAE Institute

Via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse 5

Messina, 98126

Italy

Craig E. Banks

Manchester Metropolitan University

Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science

Faculty of Science and Engineering

School of Science and the Environment

Chester Street

Manchester, M1 5GD, Lancs

UK

François Béguin

Poznan University of Technology

ICTE

ul. Piotrowo 3

60-965 Poznan

Poland

Annabelle Benin

UOP Research Center

50 East Algonquin Road

Des Plaines, IL 60017

USA

Dale A.C. Brownson

Manchester Metropolitan University

Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science

Faculty of Science and Engineering

School of Science and the Environment

Chester Street

Manchester, M1 5GD, Lancs

UK

Claudia Cantoni

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

P.O. Box 2008

Oak Ridge, TN 37831

USA

Guozhong Cao

University of Washington

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Seattle, WA 98195

USA

Burtron H. Davis

University of Kentucky

Center for Applied Energy Research

2540 Research Park Drive

Lexington, KY 40511

USA

Elzbieta Frackowiak

Poznan University of Technology

ICTE

ul. Piotrowo 3

60-965 Poznan

Poland

Javier García-Martínez

Universidad de Alicante

Molecular Nanotechnology Laboratory

Ctra. Alicante – San Vicente s/n

Alicante, 03690

Spain

Rive Technology Inc.

1 Deer Park Dr.

Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852

USA

Amit Goyal

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

P.O. Box 2008

Oak Ridge, TN 37831

USA

Uschi M. Graham

University of Kentucky

Center for Applied Energy Research

2540 Research Park Drive

Lexington, KY 40511

USA

Claes-Göran Granqvist

Uppsala University

The Ångström Laboratory

Department of Engineering Sciences

P.O. Box 534

Uppsala, SE-75121

Sweden

Michael Grätzel

Ecole Polytechique Fédérale de Lausanne

Laboratory for Photonics and Interfaces

Lausanne, 1015

Switzerland

Jian He

Clemson University

Department of Physics & Astronomy

103 Kinard Laboratory

Clemson, SC 29634-0978

USA

Jinsong Huang

University of California Los Angeles

Department Of Materials Science and Engineering

405 Hilgard Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90095

USA

Gary Jacobs

University of Kentucky

Center for Applied Energy Research

2540 Research Park Drive

Lexington, KY 40511

USA

Juo-Hao Li

University of California Los Angeles

Department Of Materials Science and Engineering

405 Hilgard Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90095

USA

Kunhao Li

Rive Technology Inc.

1 Deer Park Dr.

Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852

USA

Darren J. Lipomi

Harvard University

Department Of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

12 Oxford Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

USA

Jagannathan Madhavan

University of Melbourne

School of Chemistry

Melbourne, Vic. 3010

Australia

Augustin J. McEvoy

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (retired)/

Dyesol Ltd.

Queanbayan, NSW 2620

Australia

Jonathan P. Metters

Manchester Metropolitan University

Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science

Faculty of Science and Engineering

School of Science and the Environment

Chester Street

Manchester, M1 5GD, Lancs

UK

Guillermo Rus

University of Granada

Department of Structural Mechanics

Politécnico de Fuentenueva

Granada, 18071

Spain

Saghar Sepehri

University of Washington

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Seattle, WA 98195

USA

Elena Serrano

Universidad de Alicante

Molecular Nanotechnology Laboratory

Ctra. Alicante – San Vicente s/n

Alicante, 03690

Spain

Patrice Simon

CIRIMAT-LCMIE

Université Paul Sabatier

bâtiment CIRIMAT

118, Route de Narbonne

31062 Toulouse cedex 09

France

Randall Q. Snurr

Northwestern University

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Evanston, IL 60208

USA

Jean-Marie Tarascon

Universit é de Picardie Jules Verne

LRCS – UMR CNRS 6007

33 rue Saint Leu

80 039, Amiens

France

Brian G. Trewyn

Colorado School of Mines

Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry

Golden, CO 80401

USA

Terry M. Tritt

Clemson University

Department of Physics & Astronomy

103 Kinard Laboratory

Clemson, SC 29634-0978

USA

Xudong Wang

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Madison, WI 53715

USA

Emily A. Weiss

Harvard University

Department Of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

12 Oxford Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

USA

George M. Whitesides

Harvard University

Department Of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

12 Oxford Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

USA

Richard R. Willis

UOP Research Center

50 East Algonquin Road

Des Plaines, IL 60017

USA

Yang Yang

University of California Los Angeles

Department Of Materials Science and Engineering

405 Hilgard Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90095

USA

Özgür Yazaydın

Northwestern University

Department of Chemical and Biological

Engineering

Evanston, IL 60208

USA

Part One

Sustainable Energy Production

1

Nanotechnology for Energy Production

Elena Serrano, Kunhao Li, Guillermo Rus, and Javier García-Martínez

1.1 Energy Challenges in the Twenty-first Century and Nanotechnology

One of the greatest challenges for mankind in the twenty-first century is its over-reliance on the diminishing fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) as primary energy sources (Figure 1.1). Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources that take millions of years to form. Consequently their reserves are depleted much faster than new ones are formed and/or discovered. While concerns over fossil fuel supplies are often the direct or indirect causes of regional and global conflicts, the production, transmission and use of fossil fuels also lead to environmental degradation. Combustion of carbon-based fossil fuels generates not only air pollutants, for example, sulfur oxides and heavy metals, but also CO2, the infamous greenhouse gas widely believed to be the culprit of global climate change. One of the solutions to this energy challenge, on the one hand, relies upon increasing the efficiency in production, transmission and utilization of the remaining fossil fuels while reducing their negative impacts on the environment. On the other hand, technologies and infrastructures have to be developed or improved in preparation for the smooth transition to the alternative and renewable energy sources, that is, nuclear power, solar energy, wind power, geothermal energy, biomass and biofuels, hydropower and so on.

Figure 1.1 Fuel shares of world total primary energy supply. Reprinted with permission from [1].

Technological advancement, as shown by history, will play a pivotal role in this path to a more sustainable energy future. As defined by the International Energy Agency (IEA) [1], there are three generations of renewable energy technologies. The first generation technologies (including hydropower, biomass combustion, geothermal power and heat) emerged from the industrial revolution at the end of the nineteenth century. The second generation technologies include solar heating and cooling, wind power, bioenergy and solar photovoltaics. These technologies are now entering markets as a result of continuous investments in their research and development since the 1980s, which were largely driven by energy security concerns linked to the oil crisis in the 1970s. The third generation technologies currently under development include advanced biomass gasification, biorefinery technologies, concentrating solar thermal power, geothermal power, ocean tide and wave energy and so on.

The rapid evolution of nanoscience and nanotechnology (the study and control of materials and phenomena at length scales between 1 and 100 nm) during the past two decades has demonstrated that nanotechnology holds the keys to many of the technological advancements in the energy sector, which relies, at least in part, on having novel materials with superior properties. According to the “Roadmap Report Concerning the Use of Nanomaterials in the Energy Sector” from the Sixth Framework Program [2], the most promising application fields of nanotechnology or nanomaterials for the energy production domain will be in photovoltaics, hydrogen conversion (hydrogen production, fuel cells) and thermoelectricity (see Table 1.1 for the timeframe of possible industrial applications of a few exemplary nanomaterials).

Table 1.1 Timeframe of possible industrial applications for nanomaterials.

Adapted with permission from [2].

This book intends to present a comprehensive overview of the up-to-date progress in various important fields of nanotechnology research and development that are closely related to sustainable energy production, storage and usage. This chapter, in particular, mainly serves as an “overview” of the book, with an emphasis on sustainable energy production.

Nanotechnology intervenes at a number of stages in the energy flow that starts from the primary energy sources and finishes at the end user. The growing and diffuse limits of what can be considered as energy and the complex flows of energy in society and ecosystem make it impossible to draw an unequivocal definition of energy production. Herein, the term “energy production” encompasses all processes that convert energy from primary energy sources to secondary energy sources or forms. Energy production processes that are associated with nonrenewable energy sources, that is, fossil fuels (and nuclear power), and a few renewable sources, that is, ocean wave energy, wind energy and hydropower, will not be covered. However, we have included a chapter on the contributions of nanocatalysis in fuel production because of many recent advances in a more efficient production and transformation of various fuels thanks to catalysis with novel nanomaterials.