Automotive industry and nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is not a new term. In a general sense, it is 'Manufacturing Technology of the Twenty-First Century', Not long ago, American physicist Richard Feynman first gave the idea of nanotechnology or nanoscience in a lecture entitled 'There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom' at a seminar at the California Institute of Technology on December 29, 1959. His ideas did not stop there. The world has been embracing nanotechnology. This technology is now widely used in agriculture, chemistry, environment, automobile, medical science, architecture, etc.
Nanotechnology is known as the manipulation of matter on anatomic and molecular scale. Nanotechnology, the production and usage of gadgets and machines on nearly an atomic level, is anticipated to be the driving force behind the next major revolution to benefit humanity. The actual definition of nanotechnology can be quite broad. Generally, in scientific and engineering terms, nano is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (0.000000001 m). That really does put it on an atomic scale, though the products that can be constructed in this way may be a little larger and can range from microscopic to anything under a millimetre. To understand it more simply, one forty-thousandth part of a hair is a nano. A virus is typically 100 nanometers in size. Hence the smallest unit so far is the nano. 10 hydrogen atoms placed in a row, equal to a length of one nanometer, which is invisible to the naked eye.
This type of technology will have applications in many sectors. Our present discussion will be limited only to the automobile sector. There are expected to be tremendous advantages in the sphere of cars and motoring. In the near future, nanotechnology is likely to have a massive impact on the world of driving and vehicles. It is true that nanotechnology can touch so many sectors of motoring, making it one of the most important up-and-coming technologies, and it has garnered the interest of a large number of researchers. This has led to an increasing number of achievements in the discipline and opened up greater possibilities for this exciting and very adaptable area of science to drive other fields of transportation forward.
Engines: We emphasize a lot of our internal combustion engines in terms of both increased performance and decreased size and weight. Those two elements together would usually mean disaster for a high-performance engine, but nano-engineering has allowed us to achieve both and safely as well. Engine blocks, which house the fundamental moving parts of the mechanism, were traditionally made of cast iron, because it was the only practical material that could resist the high temperatures and pressures that were produced in the heart of an engine. But engineers soon found that certain grades of aluminium - which weighs around a third that of cast iron - were found to be appropriate too.
But now scientists have learned how to manipulate aluminium on an atomic level nanoengineering to produce materials that are both stronger while being more lightweight than even the current generation of strong aluminium alloys. This makes them even more fuel efficient while having an increased durability, even in the increasingly hostile conditions found in modern engines. It is a fact that an internal combustion engine performs better and is more efficient at higher temperatures, so this is always a goal for engine designers. We are now also experiencing methods of placing ultra-thin layers of engineering ceramics on metal substrates, creating a surface that is capable of withstanding higher temperatures and wear conditions. The engine block material's basic structure, surface architecture, or perhaps both can be altered to provide engineers significantly more flexibility in terms of heat dissipation, wear characteristics, and strength at high temperatures.
We have also seen improvements in engine oils, particularly with respect to their ability to withstand the punishing environments of modern engines. Nano-manipulation has created a new breed of oils that are able to cling to internal surfaces for longer. A new breed of oils has been produced using nano-manipulation that can adhere to internal surfaces for longer. This means that when the engine begins, the oil will be in the proper location and provide protection from the outset. Nanotechnology oils are also able to put up with much greater use as the tolerances between engine parts decreases and they operate closer together.
Chassis and frame: The greatest impact for nanotechnology innovation in automotive engineering may be found in lightweight materials development for its auto parts. It reduces weight while maintaining or increasing strength makes vehicles lighter, safer, and more fuel-efficient. Fuel efficiency, whether the vehicle is petrol, diesel, or electric, is a function of its weight, and even quite small reductions in weight can lead to increase attained mileage significantly. One of the best ways to cut the weight of a vehicle is to use lightweight materials for the structural chassis parts and the exterior, and this is another area where nano-manipulation of materials can create stronger, more lightweight, panels and chassis that are stronger than the ones that they have replaced. Nanotechnology is also responsible for the creation of plastic panels that are able to self-repair and reform themselves following damage.
Batteries: Next generation of electric vehicles are becoming more popular than before. Engineers and researchers are looking for ways to extend battery life without sacrificing performance. This has resulted in the creation of lithium-silicon batteries, which promise to improve performance and extend life.
Several types of nanomaterials have been explored which allow for higher storage densities in respect of electrodes. Al2O3, SiO2, or ZrO2 nanoparticles added to solid polymer gel could significantly enhance the conductivity and storage capacity of the electrolyte. Solid ceramics have also been explored, as their high-temperature resistance would suit demanding, high-stress applications like large vehicles. Nanostructured materials can offer a huge step increase in surface area for electrolyte materials, and nanoparticles could enhance the conductivity of ceramics or gels sufficiently to allow them to replace liquid electrolytes, reducing or eliminating the chance of a short circuit.
Fuel cells: Nanotechnology is being used in every field for fuel oil or energy sector. The following are some ways that nanotechnology can help with the scarcity of fossil fuels, such as gasoline and diesel: Making it more affordable to produce fuels from low-grade raw materials
• Making the production of fuels from low grade raw materials economical
• Increasing the mileage of engines
• Making the production of fuels from normal raw materials more efficient
Nanotechnology can do all of this by making catalysts more effective. Catalysts can raise the proportion of fuel burned at a specific temperature or lower the temperature needed to turn raw materials into fuel. Compared to catalysts formed of bigger particles, those constructed of nanoparticles have a wider surface area to interact with the chemicals that are reacting. The catalyst is more effective because of its greater surface area, which enables more chemicals to interact with it at once. Nanotechnology is also improving fuel cells - the clean alternative technology to hydrocarbon fuels
Paints and coatings: Nanotechnology has paved the way for significant breakthroughs in automobile paint technology. The nano coating is the more durable and deeper level of protection than a car sealant or car care with wax. It also removes minor damage to the car paint and windshield. The beading effect of nanotechnology protects and increases safety in inclement weather conditions.
Nano-sized layers of inorganic filters are increasingly being applied to the exposed areas of automobile bodies, to help protect them from harsh environments, and self-repair to an increasing extent. The 'smart' particles can also help repel dirt and grime, keeping your car looking cleaner, while new developments in orientable surface particles mean that we may soon be able to change the outer colour of our cars by adjusting small electrical charges to them.
Interiors: The use of specialised fabrics with nanotechnology is helping to keep the interiors of our cars looking fresh, odor-free and clean, but also repellent to bacterial affects, creating soft, good looking and completely safe interiors. Once again, developments are being made that will allow the colour of the interior to be changes by reorienting the nano-particles of the material, so that the user can choose any combination of colour that they like, while still having excellent antibacterial properties.
Nanoparticle fillers for tyres: Nanotechnology is being used to enhance tyre performance and durability. Nanoparticles of carbon or silica have been used as fillers for tyre rubber for many years. Silica, which does not naturally mix well with rubber, is now often used in conjunction with organosilanes, which can bind well to both components, creating a more stable material.
Every day new things are being invented, research is being done on various aspects of nanotechnology. As a result, the science has come a long way. There is no end to research. Nanotechnology is used in some or the other field. The application of nanotechnology has led to substantial advances in automobile engineering and industry, including its various parts such as windows, wipers, seat cover, seatbelts and we look forward to seeing a continuation of these successes.
In automobile sector, nanotechnology is becoming increasingly popular and a huge business indeed, and as we find new ways to manipulate materials on an atomic scale, so new applications arise. This will lead to cleaner, quieter, more comfortable cars in the future, and that can only be a good thing.

Col Mohammad MafizurRahman is director of Bangladesh Diesel Plant Ltd.
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