Working with materials 100,000 times thinner than paper, companies can place molecules and atoms exactly where they want them during the manufacturing process to make products that perform in new ways. One treatment uses microscopic bits of silver to make products resist mold and mildew. Another uses microscopic bits of metal to make materials scratch resistant.
It sounds like science fiction, but this fairly new science, called nanotechnology, allows materials to be manipulated at an incredibly small scale, and it is exploding into the building industry. Nanotechnology measures materials in nanometers—a human hair is about 80,000 nanometers in diameter. According to General Electric, a nanometer is to a tennis ball what a tennis ball is to the earth.
The U.S. government established the National Nanotechnology Initiative to encourage research and development. Last year, the initiative received $1.4 billion in funding.
Robert Rusin, vice president of marketing and sales for NanoDynamics, a developer of nanotechnology materials, says the building industry has an array of applications for nanotechnology. One product NanoDynamics is developing is an additive that can double or triple the strength of Portland cement, allowing products such as roofing tiles to become both lighter and stronger.
Some companies already use nanotechnology. Pilkington Activ glass uses a coating made through nanotechnology that reacts with daylight to break down dirt on glass. When water hits the glass, dirt easily washes off, the maker says. Hanover makes pavers with nanotechnology. In tests, these pavers resisted the equivalent of 15 to 20 years of acid rain with little or no visible damage, says the maker.
Industrial Nanotech offers its Nansulate HomeProtect mold-resistant, insulating coatings. The insulation is so thin that it adheres to walls like a coat of paint. Consumers who used Nansulate reported 20 percent to 40 percent energy savings, the company reports.
“The first response we usually get is that it looks too good to be true,” says Francesca Crolley, vice president of operations and marketing for Industrial Nanotech. “But, once they try it, they really love it.”
Two emerging energy-saving technologies will also benefit from nano-technology once they are fully developed: LEDs and solar cells. Nanotechnology can make both more cost-effective and better performing. Nanotechnology reduces the size of some solar cells and organic LEDs (LEDs made with a film of organic compounds) so much that they can be printed in rolls, like ink on paper.
However, nanotechnology does have its drawback: the looming question about its safety. Due to their unique size and composition, nanomaterials could pose risks to humans and other organisms. No one knows if particles can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled into the lungs, or how nanomaterials react with the environment. Currently, there are no testing standards for products. For these reasons, some groups have called for a complete halt of nano-technology until the products’ safety can be fully assessed.
“There is a whole new line of chemicals and a whole new world of science,” says Ian Illuminato, health and environment campaigner for the environmental group Friends of the Earth. “A lot of nanoparticles might have root in known chemicals, but at nanometer scale, they have shown properties that are out of whack with their counterparts.”
But nothing seems to be slowing the excitement over how nanotechnology makes the seemingly impossible possible, and it looks like this tiny science has a gigantic future.
DeWalt
Nano-Phosphate lithium-ion battery cells now come in more than 56 of the maker’s cordless tools. These batteries last two to three times longer than other lithium-ion batteries, the maker says, and can be recharged 2,000 times. The batteries also offer more power, run time, and durability than other lithium-ion models, the company says. DeWalt worked with A123Systems, an MIT battery developer, to come up with the formula. Three platforms are available: 18, 28, and 36 volt. 800.433.9258. www.dewalt.com
Hansa
The Hansamurano bath collection features a coating made through nanotechnology that allows water to completely roll off glass surfaces. This reduces the buildup of limescale, mineral deposits, and bacteria and makes the products easier to clean. The series includes two faucet sizes, a matching showerhead and tub spout, and a suite of accessories. The Hansamurano E, shown, features a motion sensor. 678.334.2121. www.hansa.com
Nichiha
Available in the maker’s Quarry Stone, Canyon Brick, and Field Stone fiber-cement siding lines, these self-cleaning fiber-cement panels use nanotechnology. A finish captures airborne water molecules and holds them to the outside of the siding. Instead of attaching itself to the siding, dirt hits the microscopic layer of water. Then, rain washes the siding clean. Each line has three different colors, and the siding comes with a 50-year warranty on the panels and a 15-year warranty on the finish. 770.805.9466. www.nichiha.com
Kalwall
The company’s translucent daylighting systems house Nanogel, a lightweight aerogel that diffuses daylight and insulates. Nanogel was engineered by the Cabot company using nanotechnology. Kalwall’s systems have a U-value of .05, equivalent to a solid wall and four times greater than most insulating glass units, the maker says. The systems also eliminate glare. For residential projects, they have been used as skylights, a pre-engineered pitch roof, and wall systems. 800.258.9777. www.kalwall.com
Seal-Krete
Lock-Down Epoxy Binding Primer is designed specifically for concrete surfaces. Ultra-fine nanoparticles penetrate deeply into concrete, binding chalk and providing a clean substrate for paint or decorative topcoats. Using the primer before painting will increase topcoat adhesion by 50 percent and significantly reduce the potential for cracking, peeling, and chipping, the maker says. The primer needs to dry for about eight hours, and then it can be topped with any one- or two-part water-based floor paint, stain, or textured coating. The product is also low VOC and low odor. 800.323.7357. www.seal-krete.com.
