Nanotechnology for Energy and Environmental Engineering

A new type of fluid, called nanofluid, has found numerous applications in engineering sector due to its outstanding properties. These are known as suspensions of nano-sized particles in fluids called basefluids. The suspension of these nanoparticles in the basefluid shows significant influence on its physical properties. In view of this, in the present book chapter, the properties of the nanofluid like its thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity and so on have been discussed and the notable studies carried out in the past have been summarized. Several factors that are responsible for the alteration of the properties of nanofluids at varying degrees are identified and discussed in this chapter. Further, these properties contribute to the distinctive applications of nanofluids in various engineering fields, which are reviewed and discussed in this chapter.

Nanotechnology is the most promising and interdisciplinary field of research that has been growing rapidly worldwide in different fields. Nanotechnology commits a sustainable development through its continuous growth toward green chemistry to develop “green nanotechnology”. Green nanotechnology is implementation of green chemistry and green engineering principles in the field of nanotechnology to influence the size of nanoparticles within a nanoscale range to make biogenic nanoparticles. These biogenic nanomaterials can help in solving serious environmental challenges in the area of wastewater treatment, pollutant removal, fatal diseases, climate change, and solar energy conversion. This review provides a brief idea about the current potential applications of nanotechnology into the bio-environmental systems and how this technology can help in the synthesis of biogenic nanoparticle. Biogenic synthesis of nanoparticles is an environmentally friendly approach; it reduces environmental pollutants and conserves natural resources without creating any environmental damages.

Plasma here refers to the fourth state of matter which has wide-ranging applications—right from industrial to biomedical. A word of caution: The term “plasma” should not be mixed up with the blood “plasma”—which is entirely different from the fourth state of matter—the subject area of this chapter. The interaction of this plasma—fourth state of matter—with the first (and to some extent the second state as well) state of matter is an area that brings about vast application potential. Primarily the energy content in a plasma state is orders of magnitude higher than the energy content of the other three states of matter. This large energy content is what is used for various applications mentioned above. This chapter contains in brief the basics of plasmas, types of plasma and nanoscience, and then describes in detail how plasmas can be used for various material processing—especially preparation of nanomaterials. Care has been taken to provide more experimental details in a simple flowing language. Images (mostly related to the author’s own work) have been included for better clarity and easy understanding.

Molecular self-assembly has led to a breakthrough in the field of nanomaterials. This has also resulted in a myriad of potential applications in biology and chemistry. Peptides have proven to be the most promising platforms owing to their biocompatibility and diversity. They are also most studied amongst the other classes of organic building blocks due to their uncanny resemblance to the proteins. There is a wide spectrum of literature available wherein the self-assembly of peptides has been constructed using several amino acids and sequences. The wide range of potential applications of such structures has been explored in drug delivery, surfactants, tissue engineering, etc. This chapter focuses on peptide self-assembly formed by non-coded amino acids, and formation of different nanostructures, using a crystallographic approach.

Environmental engineering focuses on the use of engineering principles for protecting the local, as well as global environment, from damaging effects caused either due to natural or human actions. One of the major tasks in this field is to develop efficient and economical systems, which can assist in reducing the environmental pollution, especially in air and water. Additionally, development of eco-friendly systems which can act as energy storage devices is also a key thrust area of research for environmental engineers and scientists. In recent years, emergence of nanotechnology-based materials has proved to be a helping hand in many applications in various sectors. However, the use of eco-friendly nanomaterials provide an upper hand over other nanomaterials for such applications. One such environment-friendly nanomaterial is Halloysite Nanotube (HNT). It is a naturally available, clay-based aluminosilicate nanomaterial, which has attracted attention of many environmental researchers in recent times. These nanotubes exhibit negative charge on the exterior surface, while the internal lumen (interior surface) exhibits a net positive charge. The current chapter highlights the usage of HNT as nano-support systems to immobilize various types of guest molecules. Further, the use of such ‘guest molecule HNT’-based nano-support systems for the remediation of environmental pollutants, as well as for energy applications has been discussed.

The present review article is focussed on different types of hole-transporting materials (HTMs) under research over the past few years in the perovskite-based solar cell (PSC) in achieving the goal of higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) and operational stability. There has been a growth spurt of efficiency from 3.8 to 22.1% in the last decade which has attracted researchers and the renewable industry. HTMs are an indispensable part of PSC which affects both efficiency and stability. An overview of different types of HTMs (organic, inorganic, and polymeric) is presented detailing its structure, electrochemical, and physical properties, while highlighting several considerations for making a choice for a new HTM for PSC. The recent progress is shown with PSC’s device architecture, fabrication technique and their respective JV characteristics to help readers understand the challenges surrounding HTM and opportunities to make it highly efficient and stable.

The term nanotechnology is popularized for the study of small particles with unique properties. Nanoparticles are widely studied for their use in the medicinal field. The application of these tiny particles in the abiotic world of energy generation is also acceptable. The use of surface enhancement property of nanomaterials can be applied in the field of biotic energy generation and simultaneous waste treatment technology. The two goals are targeted under microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology. The MFC reactors can be added as one major area for application of nanoparticles. This chapter will deal with the basic idea of MFC and its limitation. We will further understand the use of nanoparticles as a solution for power enhancement in an MFC reactor.

Thermal enhancement in non-Newtonian nanofluids is a challenge which can be observed in energy systems. Recent developments in biomimetics identified that deformable conduit structure is beneficial for sustainable energy systems. Such recent developments in energy systems motivated the present study to discuss the mathematical modeling of electro-osmotic flow of non-Newtonian nanofluids through a microchannel in the presence of Joule heating and peristalsis. The model presented in this chapter assumes that the movement of the fluids can be controlled by electro-osmotic force generated as a result of an external electric field. A pseudoplastic fluid model is assumed as appropriate to compute the non-Newtonian effects. Nonlinear formulation present in the model is simplified with the help of lubrication theory and Hückel–Debye approximations. Modeled governing equations are solved to determine the flow, temperature, and electric potential fields. The flow behavior and thermal characteristics are simulated as a function of physical parameters. The results are represented graphically and correlated using physical phenomena. The significant features of pumping and trapping are also briefly addressed. The formulation of the model presented in this chapter can be useful in the experimental designs of smart nano-electro-peristaltic pumps, in addition, it can also be extended to nanotechnological applications, smart drug delivery systems, and various transport phenomena of environmental systems.

A Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell is a device in which an electrochemical reaction occurs between fuel and oxidant producing electricity and water is the only by-product with zero emission. Usually, Pt nanoparticles prepared on carbon support used as oxidation and reduction reaction in PEM fuel cells. Because, carbon-supported platinum shows better oxidation and reduction activity among all the pure metals. Alloying of Pt with another non-noble metal is a strategy to develop Pt-based electrocatalysts, which reduces the Pt loading in electrodes and alters the intrinsic properties such as active sites available on surface and binding strength and electronic effect of species. Carbon support loss its catalytic activity due to electrooxidation under fuel cell operating conditions for long-term operations. In particular, the encapsulation of carbon with polyaniline (PANI) supported Pt enhances the electrode stability in fuel cells by Enhancing the Active Surface Area (EASA), chemical resistance and electron conductivity. Different supported catalysts have been proposed to improve electrochemical stability of nanoparticles in PEM fuel cells and supercapacitor.

The relevance of nanotechnology in the field of energy resources has been growing at a swift pace. The term ‘catalyst’ has a whole new outlook since the foundation of nanomaterials in process industries. Nanocatalysts, in general, play a vital role in the improvement of resource handling and process efficiency. New prospects to achieve sustainable processing have been made possible through the progress in nanotechnology. These developments of nanomaterials in the energy sector have also reached the parts of the oil and gas industry. In downstream processing of oil and gases, the use of nanocatalysts is commonplace. As the focus towards the production of heavy crude oil has seen an uprising, the use of nanomaterials has shown a promising scope in altering heavy oil properties to favour the oil recovery mechanisms. The majority of the reservoirs around the world have volumes of heavy crude oil with only a few effective ways to produce it. With the ever-growing energy demands it is of due importance that the focus has been shifted to implement nanotechnology in heavy oil production. This chapter discusses the role of nanomaterials in the development of heavy oil recovery. Different types of mechanisms that explain the effects of nanoparticles and their interaction with oil and its constituents are highlighted. The effects coupled with the use of various thermal treatment schemes have been explained. The scope of applicability in the field of flow assurance has been discussed. The use of nanoparticles in improving the existing EOR applications and devising new ways to achieve the production of heavy fractions.

The demand for energy is inclined toward staggering heights worldwide and is proportional to the requirements of crude oil for satisfying energy needs. Globally, pollution has created a menace in each and every portion of the society we look at. Therefore, much of the today’s technology is focused on making the process much economical and sustainable, thereby lowering pressures on environment. Nanotechnology has provided options to enhance such possibilities by contributing to more economical, highly efficient and sustainable approaches with environmentally favored technologies than those conventionally available. This chapter addresses such roles of nanotechnology in different jobs played around the oil and gas industry, such as exploration industry, drilling and production, refining and processing, and in enhanced oil recovery. Besides, the different types of nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, nanosensors and nanofluids available for these applications have been discussed. Moreover, the mechanisms which reflect the activity of these nanomaterials have been explained individually. The chapter discusses how nanotechnology-based technologies can achieve more efficient, effective and potential impact in the oil and gas industry.

Owing to the extinction of conventional reservoirs, it is imperative for engineers to find the unconventional oil and gas resources. Drilling an unconventional field requires engineered drilling fluids because an efficient drilling operation purely depends upon the performance of drilling fluid. Drilling fluid which is a combination of solids and fluids performs many functions, such as cooling the drill bit, cleaning the wellbore, maintaining the wellbore pressure and development of a filter cake to prevent the invasion of fluid into the formation. The drilling fluid can be classified into oil-based mud (OBM), water-based mud (WBM) and pneumatic fluid (or) air-based fluid. Conventional drilling fluids which are in use lose their efficacy during drilling a complex reservoir, like high temperature high pressure (HTHP) and highly saline reservoir. Nanomaterials which are unique due to their distinctive properties, like high surface to volume ratio, thermal stability and conductivity, found their application in almost all fields of engineering. Many studies have been conducted to analyse the enhancement of drilling fluids through the application of nanoparticles. The studies resulted in enhancement in rheological, filtration, thermal properties of the drilling mud and also improved the wellbore stability. This chapter elaborately discusses about how the application of various types of nanoparticles/nanocomposites helps to enhance the rheological and filtration properties of the drilling mud.

Nanotechnology is a common word used by academia which is referred to the applied nanoscience conducted at nanoscale (1–100 nm) for variety of industrial applications. Application of nanotechnology in various fields is increasing extensively resulting in an enormous amount of publications in the distinct field. Nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique properties due to their larger surface area which leads to prolong application in multifold. Researchers working in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) areas are trying to get rid of challenges faced by the oil and gas companies for crude oil production. This chapter, therefore, focuses on work carried out by the researchers on chemical and rarely on thermal, gas injection, and biological EOR methods using NPs. Chemical enhanced oil is recovery (CEOR) methods taken into consideration due to their popularity in oilfields than the other existing methods. Viscosity, interfacial tension (IFT), and wettability are the major influencing factors for EOR. The authors intend to make the reader understand the pore-scale mechanism behind the enhanced oil recovery in the presence of NPs. In the early stage of enhanced oil recovery, it is essential to understand the properties of various NPs. Literature review reveals that properties of NPs mostly depend on methods they are prepared. Hence, at the beginning of the chapter, the types of NPs, preparation, and their characterization are explained briefly with the application of various nanoparticles in CEOR. Limitation of NPs application in chemical EOR area is spelled out clearly with the recommendation at the end.

Increasing population and living standards demands high energy provisions; but considering pollution issues and depleting fossil fuel reservoirs, the fulfillment of the energy demands through eco-friendly/green renewable energy technologies have become an urgent need. Among all renewable energy systems, photovoltaic solar cells (PSC) with energy storage systems (ESS) such as batteries or supercapacitors have attracted great attention as the next generation of energy suppliers. However, the efficiency of PSC and ESS inherently depends on the electrode material’s properties, like structure, size, shape, charge transport properties, active surface area, and so on. Owing to maximum active surface area, high surface to volume ratio, fast charge transport, efficient light harvesting, and simplistic eco-friendly growth, the one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures has become a promising solution to the fabrication of efficient PSC and ESS. Here in this chapter we have discussed simple, cost-effective and environmentally benign growth of 1-D nanostructures and their efficient application in PSC and ESS. This chapter brings you updated literature survey on green synthesis of 1-D nanostructures applied in PSC and ESS.

In today’s world, it becomes a necessity to develop an eco-friendly and renewable energy source to overcome the pollution and energy requirement problem. Among all renewable energy sources, hydrogen has been found a more attractive energy carrier due to its high efficiency and cost-effective sustainable energy source. For practical use of H₂ as an energy source, it should be separated from a mixture of gases by using hydrogen-selective membranes. In the present chapter, we have reviewed the membrane-based gas separation process. Furthermore, we have summarized the H₂ gas separation data based on the different membranes and approaches to prepare hydrogen-selective membranes.

Energy storage has been of a topic of curiosity since long for a persistent human activity. Storing power from several intermittent sources has been a great interest of scientific community and grows as the renewable energy industry begins to generate a larger fraction of overall energy consumption. Several renewable sources of energy exist, e.g., wind energy, solar energy, bioenergy, etc., but the problem is to store this energy and again reuse it when needed. For that an electrode is required that has high-energy storage capacity. The electrode that has a very large surface area, long durability, and high conductivity is prerequisite. Electrochemically prepared porous silicon where the physical properties, e.g., pore diameter, porosity, and pore length can be controlled by etching parameter and the functionalized nanostructured surfaces of porous silicon, might be the key material to develop high-energy storage electrodes.

In the present study, optimization of process parameters for the deposition of methylamine lead iodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃ or MAPbI₃) film is focus upon using parametric study and response surface methodology (RSM), respectively. The independent parameters to be optimized are PbI₂:CH₃NH₃I ratio (1:2–1:4); spin speed (2000–3000 rpm); and annealing temperature (60–100 °C). The dependent parameter considered in this study is power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cell (PSC) fabricated using MAPbI₃ layer. The value of the device efficiency at parametric optimum condition was 7.30%. Furthermore, to achieve specific optimum condition, RSM was applied to estimate the impact of deposition parameters on device efficiency. The predicted value of the PCE of PSC at optimum condition using RSM was 8.52%. The improvement of 16.7% in efficiency of the device can be clearly observed after the application of RSM.

The rapid advances in nanotechnology have paved way toward a sustainable path by providing innovative solutions with the issues related to ecosystem as well as human health. In terms of human healthcare and therapy, nanoparticles are expected to contribute to drug delivery and regenerative medicine with its ability to target the source of disease with increased efficiency and minimal side effects. Thus by miniaturizing the drug delivery systems, treatment of several diseases can be made possible. Nanomedicine offers several advantages, such as protection of the payload from degradation in both in vitro and in vivo milieu, facilitation of controlled release of entrapped drugs, prolonged therapeutic effect, and enhancement of targeted delivery along with diminished side effects. Nanotechnology has proved to address some of the problems related to diagnostics, therapeutics, and biomedical aspects. Accordingly, this chapter mainly emphasizes on the evolution of nanoparticles to meet the challenges relevant to healthcare system.

Water is the main source of sustaining life. It is an indispensable need for flora and fauna alike. However, water is often contaminated by multidrug-resistant bacteria and various other contaminants. Disinfection methods like ozonation and chlorination fail to curtail these menace, often generating harmful by-products in this process. Photocatalysis, a subsidiary of advanced oxidation processes might have an important role to play in water decontamination. They are effective, do not generate by-products, and provide complete inactivation against these MDR strains and pollutants. The already existing photocatalysts like Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are being depleted to their core. So, newer and novel photocatalysts need to be developed with a more proficient, eco-friendly and biocompatible approach. This discussion aims to have a closer look at the existing disinfection techniques and the emerging players in the field of photocatalysis.

Catalysis by nanoparticles seems an attractive and sustainable alternative of conventional catalyst systems in organic transformations because of their small size and larger reactive surface to volume ratio with higher potential for selectivity. Among the nanocatalysts, magnetic nanoparticles or magnetic core–shell nanoparticles have gained a significant place due to their paramagnetic nature facilitates the separation of catalyst through the use of an external magnet which makes the recovery of the catalyst easier and prevents loss of catalyst associated with conventional filtration or centrifugation methods. The possibility of reusability and milder reaction conditions are additional advantages of nanoparticle catalyzed organic transformations.

The chapter goes onto explore the impact of sputtering parameters on structural, optical, and mechanical properties of reactive magnetron sputtered ZnO thin film. Stress relaxed and room temperature deposited ZnO film is highly desirable from fabrication aspects. Oxygen partial pressure is varied from 30 to 60% and c-axis oriented ZnO (002) thin films are prepared at room temperature. The stress varies in −0.06 × 10⁹ to −2.27 × 10⁹ dyne/cm² range, and compressive in nature. A detailed characterization of ZnO sputtered film is carried out in order to correlate the mechanical, structural, and optical properties of thin film. A theoretical model has been proposed to understand the consequences of oxygen-induced stress in ZnO thin films. It is established that nearly stress-free, single-phase, and highly c-axis oriented ZnO thin film can be deposited using a unique combination of sputter parameters.

This chapter focusses on how the microstructurally engineered ceramics can be successfully used for environmental applications, e.g., in development of materials that can be used for treatment of industrial wastewater. Industrial wastewater comes from mainly iron and steel industries, textile, and leather industries, as well as paper and pulp industries. Other contributors to this scenario are non-ferrous metals, chemicals, mining, petrochemicals, and refineries. Microelectronics as well as the pharmaceutical industries also contribute. It is well known that industrial wastewater contains toxic ions and dyes. When such contents cross the permissible limit it may become an issue of major environmental concern. The present work demonstrates that by using the microstructurally designed, phase pure Mg(OH)₂ nanoplatelets 99.99% adsorption of the toxic Cu(II) ion can be achieved. Further, it is shown that phase pure micro-dumbbell shaped three dimensional, self-assembly of Mg(OH)₂ nanoplatelets can degrade MB dye with 98% efficacy. The mechanisms behind such extraordinary capabilities of engineered nanoceramics are discussed. The implications of such developments for futuristic industrial wastewater treatment is also focused on.

The chapter gives brief information about the application of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma and nanotechnology in the fields of textiles. Four types of atmospheric pressure plasma are used for surface modification of textiles, namely, corona discharge, atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Cold plasma or non-thermal plasma is considered superior to other conventional modification techniques as it can modify the polymeric surface without altering the bulk properties of the material. The chapter also provides a brief idea about the classification, synthesis and application of nanoparticles existing in different forms. The application of nano-sized particles on textile materials confers unexpected properties different from those of the bulk material. Together with plasma technology, nanoparticle-coated fabrics can enhance the overall wear, comfort and care of the fabric. This chapter reviews the recent studies involving modification and characterisation of textile highlighting plasma and nano-pretreatment. This chapter also attempts to give an overview of the literature on treatment of textiles categorising them on the basis of different functional properties like antimicrobial, UV resistance, easy care, dye adsorption and flame-retardant finishes that could be achieved by the application of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and enhanced by plasma pretreatment.

The use of biomolecules toward environmental analysis provides impressive advantages in terms of selectivity and efficiency. Proteins have served as the classical choice of biomolecules in this regard partly due to their natural function as strong and specific binding agents. Nevertheless, biomolecules are usually considered unsuitable for large-scale environmental applications due to their fragility and cost. In this chapter, we first examine the emergence of nucleic acid based nanotechnology in the context of environmental analysis. Notably, the development of nucleic acid aptamers, aptazymes, and nano-architectures has facilitated application as both a receptor in biosensors as well as versatile scaffolds for engineering functional constructs. Further, we present a proof-of-concept of nucleic acid based nanoconstructs as a reusable adsorbing agent. We have developed nucleic acid three-way junction-based matrices that are capable of retrieval and reuse of a commonly used staining agent. Immobilization of the nucleic acid architectures on magnetic nanoparticles enables their reuse across samples. Inherent sophistication of biomolecules in general and nucleic acid based constructs, in particular, supports their deployment in specialized applications at a smaller scale pertinent to individual human activity. The perspective presented in this chapter is expected to encourage environmental engineering in distinctive and atypical contexts.