Nanotechnology For Sustainable Manufacturing

Nanotechnology has the potential to play an important role in increasing the sustainability of a wide range of industrial sectors. Nanomaterials could contribute to more sustainable manufacturing through cleaner, less wasteful production processes and can substitute conventional materials, leading to savings in raw materials and energy. Nanotechnology for Sustainable Manufacturing discusses recent progress in the areas of energy and materials efficiency related to resource savings and conservation of raw materials, which are drivers for the application of nanotechnology in the industrial setting. Written by leading experts from Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia, the book provides an innovative perspective by establishing connections between the subject areas associated with nanotechnology and by bridging the academic and industrial research gap. The topics covered include electronics, agrifood, aerospace, pulp and paper manufacturing, batteries, catalysts, solar energy, fuel cells, drinking water, and construction materials. The chapters offer insights into the diverse industries that are currently or likely to be impacted by developments in nanotechnology and nanomaterials. They cover applications such as nanotechnology for alternative energy generation, improving water quality, and novel uses in agriculture and forest products. The book also addresses the use of life-cycle analysis for assessing the sustainability of nanotechnology-based products and processes.

Nanotechnology has the potential to play an important role in increasing the sustainability of a wide range of industrial sectors. Nanomaterials could contribute to more sustainable manufacturing through cleaner, less wasteful production processes and can substitute conventional materials, leading to savings in raw materials and energy. Nanotechnology for Sustainable Manufacturing discusses recent progress in the areas of energy and materials efficiency related to resource savings and conservation of raw materials, which are drivers for the application of nanotechnology in the industrial setting. Written by leading experts from Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia, the book provides an innovative perspective by establishing connections between the subject areas associated with nanotechnology and by bridging the academic and industrial research gap. The topics covered include electronics, agrifood, aerospace, pulp and paper manufacturing, batteries, catalysts, solar energy, fuel cells, drinking water, and construction materials. The chapters offer insights into the diverse industries that are currently or likely to be impacted by developments in nanotechnology and nanomaterials. They cover applications such as nanotechnology for alternative energy generation, improving water quality, and novel uses in agriculture and forest products. The book also addresses the use of life-cycle analysis for assessing the sustainability of nanotechnology-based products and processes.

Nanomaterials have the potential to contribute to more sustainable manufacturing through cleaner, less wasteful production processes and can substitute conventional materials, leading to savings in raw materials and energy. This book provides an innovative perspective by establishing connections between the subject areas associated with nanotechnology and by bridging academic and industrial research. It also covers methods for assessing the sustainability of nanotechnology-based products and processes using life-cycle analysis, taking into account material and energy consumption during manufacture, use, and final disposal and/or recycling.

The rise of collaborative consumption, peer-to-peer systems, and not-for-profit social enterprise heralds the emergence of a new era of human collectivity. Increasingly, this consolidation stems from an understanding that big-banner issues—such as climate change—are not the root causes of our present global predicament. There is a growing and collective view that issues such as this are actually symptoms of a much more vicious, seemingly insurmountable condition: our addiction to economic, consumption, and population growth in a world of finite resources. Nanotechnology and Global Sustainability uses nanotechnology—the product of applied scientific knowledge to control and utilize matter at atomic and molecular scales—as a lens through which to explore the interrelationship between innovation, politics, economy, and sustainability. This groundbreaking book addresses how stakeholders can actively reshape agendas to create positive and sustainable futures through this latest controversial, cross-sectoral technology. It moves beyond issues of efficiency, productivity, and utility, exploring the insights of 22 contributors from around the world, whose work spans the disciplines of science and the humanities. Their combined knowledge, reinforced with various case studies, introduces an exciting prospect—how we can innovate without economic growth. This new volume in the Perspectives in Nanotechnology series is edited by Dr. Donald Maclurcan and Dr. Natalia Radywyl. Dr. Maclurcan is a social innovator and Honorary Research Fellow with the Institute for Nanoscale Technology at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Dr. Radywyl is a social researcher and Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne, Australia. She is also an Adjunct Research Fellow in the Faculty of Life and Social Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne. This book is written for a wide audience and will be of particular interest to activists, scholars, policy makers, scientists, business professionals, and others who seek an understanding of how we might justly transition to sustainable societies.

This book illustrates how green nanotechnology is being used to promote sustainability, including applications in environmental remediation and energy optimization.

The world is facing great challenges in meeting rising demands for basic commodities (e.g., food, water, and energy), finished goods (e.g., cell phones, cars and airplanes) and services (e.g., shelter, healthcare and employment) while reducing and minimizing the impact of human activities on Earth's global environment and climate. Nanotechnology has emerged as a versatile platform that could provide efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally acceptable solutions to the global sustainability challenges facing society. This volume is devoted to the utilization of nanotechnology to improve or achieve sustainable development. Recent advances are highlighted and opportunities of utilizing nanotechnology to address global challenges in water purification, clean energy, greenhouse gas management, materials supply/utilization and manufacturing are discussed. Also, societal perspectives are addressed and an outlook of the role of nanotechnology in the convergence of knowledge, technology and society for achieving sustainable development is provided. This book offers a thematic collection of papers previously published in the Journal of Nanoparticle Research.

Nanotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture presents applications of nanobiotechnology for eco-friendly agriculture practices. Implementing sustainable agriculture techniques is a crucial component in meeting projected global food demands while minimising toxic waste in the environment. Nano-technological tools – including nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanotubes and nanomolecules – offer sustainable options to modernise agriculture systems. Written by nanotechnology experts, this book outlines how nano-formulations can improve yield without reliance on chemecial pesticides and reduce nutrient losses in fertilization. It reveals how nanotools are used for rapid disease diagnostics, in treating plant diseases and enhancing the capacity for plants to absorb nutrients. Features: Combines nanotechnology and agronomy presenting applications for improving plant performance and yields. Reveals nanotechnology-based products used for the soil and plant health management which mitigate climate change. Discusses roles of microbial endophytes, heavy metal nanoparticles and environment health, nano-nutrients, phytochemicals, green bioengineering and plant health. This book appeals to professionals working in the agriculture and food industry, as well as agricultural scientists and researchers in nanotechnology and agronomy.

This book discusses nanotechnology, its benefits and risks affecting the environment we live in today, and is divided into three parts: Part-I dealing with Sustainability, Part-II describing Toxicological Impacts, and Part-III discussing Nanomaterial-based Adsorbents. The crucial challenge of sustainability in various environmental elements is a global problem. This draws upon various issues of nanotechnology which impact sustainability of food, clean environment, green house gases, raw materials extraction, manufacturing and automobile industry. Growth in the production of nanomaterials to suit any of these applications is commendable. However, this does not negate the growth in their toxic effects. The nanotoxicity research in areas like medicine and agriculture industry is reviewed in detail in this book. Part-II discusses the toxic nature of widely used nanomaterials. Nanomaterials are enormously used in environmental remediation due to some of their distinct properties. These properties are described and discussed. Part-III of the book highlights the highly reactive and adsorbent properties of nanomaterials that enable them to be a competent agent in water and pollutant remediation. This book is mainly intended for researchers and students to acquire fairly comprehensive understanding and appreciation of nanotechnology dominance in sustainability challenges, with the aim to give the anticipatory governance of nanomaterials in our society and environment.