The lotus effect refers to the very high water repellence exhibited ... consumption as water repellent property reduces ... They are durable for number of years etc.
Applications of Nanotechnology in Automobile Industry Steevan Sequeira Manipal Technologies Limited Abstract: The emergence of nanotechnology in Reduction in Fuel Consumption etc. th1980’s was caused by convergence of experimental advances such as the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope in 1981 and the discovery of fullerenes in 1985. Now the nanotechnology products are used in various fields such as medical, material science, automobile etc. In this topic the various applications of nanotechnology in the automobile industries have been discussed.
LOTUS COATINGS
INTRODUCTION Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally nanotechnology works with material, devices and other structures with at least one 100nm.
The lotus effect refers to the very high water
Nanotechnology was begun 30 years ago.
repellence exhibited by the leaves of the lotus
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology can be used
flower.
across small things and can be used across all
developed treatment, coatings, paints and other
other science fields such as chemistry, physics,
surfaces that can stay dry and clean themselves
material science and engineering. Today’s
in the same way as lotus leafs. Lotus coatings
scientists and engineers are finding a wide
are composed of hydrophobic nanoparticles of
variety ways to deliberately make materials at
silsesquioxanes containing adhesion promoter
the nanoscales to take advantage of their
groups and low surface energy groups. When
enhanced properties such as high strength,
these coatings are applied to the vehicles they
lighter weight, increased control of light
will cause the water to bead into small droplet
spectrum and greater chemical reactivity. In
and roll off the surface without getting the
engineering their applications are mainly found
surface wet. These coatings also prevent the
in fabrication, mechanics and infrastructure
dust from adhering to the surface of the
dimension
sized
from
1
to
Some
nanotechnologists
have
vehicles thus preventing the surface from APPLICATIONS
IN
AUTOMOBILE
INDUSTRY
corrosion. The paints made by this technology have a self-healing property. Ships and boats
Lotus Coatings
which receive such coat on their bottoms can
In Windshields
not
Reduction in weight of Vehicles
consumption as water repellent property
Better Batteries
reduces friction drastically.
Fuel Cells
Catalytic Converters
only
move
faster,
but
also
fuel
1
the steel. Also weight of the vehicles can also
IN WINDSHIELDS
be reduced by decreasing in the weight of the chassis this can be achieved by using cast aluminum alloys at near atomic levels.
IN CATALYTIC CONVERTERS Another of the advanced applications of nanotechnology in vehicles involves the production of mirrors and side panels that are made out of nanoparticles. Being so they filter the rays of the sun, smoke and other pollutants in the atmosphere. The same technology allows radio and phone signals as well as sound waves to freely enter the cars so that occupants of the vehicles are not made oblivious to the world outside. The mirrors made up by this technology have higher stiffness and high transparency rate. By applying the nanoparticle coatings to the windshields the fog formation over them can be eliminated completely. Researchers are going on to produce coatings made up of silicon so that solar energy could be utilized
Catalytic converters made of nanotechnology use the nanomaterials to prevent the platinum from aggregation so that less platinum is required
for
converter.
The
key
development is to coat platinum nanoparticles with the porous silica layer. Because of its weak interaction with the platinum, the silica coating provides an energy barrier that holds the platinum in place even at very high temperatures,
VEHICLES In contemporary cars, a large share of the vehicles weight is due to the weight of engine and transmission system of the vehicles. As a
show
that
the
silica-coated
platinum
maintained its catalytic ability (about 7500C) at much higher temperatures than uncoated platinum,
which began to
aggregate
at
0
temperatures as low as 350 C.
result, vehicles require more fuel to push forward such machines. Nonetheless with the
REDUCTION IN FRICTIONAL LOSSES
advent of alloys, engines were made lighter somewhat but not them to make fuel efficient. With nanotechnology engines and parts were made much lighter, thus eliminating the need to consume more fuel just to push the vehicle forward. In this regard Carbon Nanotubes are used which have 100times lesser weight to that of the steel but are much stronger than that of
In vehicles the major energy loss is due to the friction
losses.
By
adding
certain
2
nanomaterials like boric acid particles to the
Maintenance of the automotive
motor oils there will be reduction in the
can be minimized.
friction. The result can be 4-5% reduction in fuel consumption.
