{"id":12856,"date":"2024-10-15T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/?p=12856"},"modified":"2024-09-30T03:48:15","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T03:48:15","slug":"greener-nanomaterials-could-transform-how-our-everyday-stuff-is-made","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/greener-nanomaterials-could-transform-how-our-everyday-stuff-is-made\/","title":{"rendered":"Greener nanomaterials could transform how our everyday stuff is made"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Silica nanomaterial could help advance medicines and improve controlled drug release.\n Love Employee\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\n Amber Keegan<\/a>, University of Sheffield<\/a><\/em><\/span>\n\n

Tiny nanoparticles are at the forefront of materials science \u2013 with special properties that make them great at absorbing light<\/a> in solar panels, cleaning wastewater<\/a>, and delivering drugs<\/a> precisely. <\/p>\n\n

Some nanoparticles take the form of sheets or fibres. But nanomaterials all have one thing in common \u2013 their structure contains components with dimensions in the nanometre scale \u2013 that\u2019s more than 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair<\/a>. Research shows<\/a> that nanomaterials often perform better than the same materials made at a larger scale. They have huge potential, but currently their manufacture can result in harmful environmental effects<\/a> due to the use or production of hazardous chemicals<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

I\u2019m one of many researchers studying how to create, manipulate and apply these materials sustainably to develop new technologies and improve existing ones. This offers advantages across many applications, including aerospace, solar panels and electronics.<\/p>\n\n

Silica nanomaterial is already all around you<\/a>, but you probably don\u2019t even realise it. Silica (SiO\u2082), a compound that contains both silicon and oxygen, is commonly found in rocks. It is one of the most mass produced nanomaterials worldwide, with an expected market of US$5 trillion (\u00a33.8 trillion) by 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

It\u2019s used to make things<\/a> you encounter every day, from improving the strength of concrete or the durability of rubber tyres, plus it enhances the cleaning properties and consistency of toothpaste. Silica nanomaterial could have exciting high-value applications, like medicines<\/a> and wastewater treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

While silica products might be great, the way they are made is often not great for the environment, or even economically feasible<\/a>. Manufacture is key to overall product sustainability, but it\u2019s often invisible to consumers. As such, it\u2019s an aspect that most people consider far less than, for example, whether something will be recycled.<\/p>\n\n

Making silica often requires energy-intensive processes, or makes nasty waste products that are difficult to safely dispose of<\/a>. Trying to reduce the environmental footprint for existing processes is not enough<\/a>. Developing new production methods is paramount to ensuring that new technologies, such as more advanced solar panels, can both help society and have less impact on the environment than traditional manufacture.<\/p>\n\n

I am part of the Green Nanomaterials Research Group<\/a> at the University of Sheffield, where my colleagues and I are working hard to develop sustainable, scalable and economical routes to functional nanostructured materials. We address aspects from discovery to manufacturing, applications and commercialisation, considering the performance, scalability, environment and cost<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

A greener approach to chemistry<\/h2>\n\n

We aim to make better nanomaterials for important applications, while considering the environmental impact at every stage of a nanomaterial\u2019s life, from raw materials through to the use and disposal of product and any by-products. This approach is known as \u201cgreen chemistry\u201d, a concept developed in 1998<\/a> that has been used to develop strategies for greener routes to nanomaterials<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

\n \"microscopic<\/a>\n
\n Some algae, including these diatoms, make silica naturally to build cell walls and are studied in the development of bio-inspired silica.<\/span>\n Diana Will\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\n

Silica nanomaterial suits this green chemistry approach because it is already made in nature<\/a> by plants and sponges as structural support. What better teacher for green chemistry than to learn from nature itself? My research group created bio-inspired silica, a product that can be made at room temperature, and in the mild conditions under which silica is made in biology naturally. <\/p>\n\n

Now, colleagues in my research group are scaling up bio-inspired silica production, exploring its use in different applications and making different nanomaterials. Meanwhile, I\u2019m exploring how changing the conditions under which we make silica can improve the properties, like surface area, that make it function better. <\/p>\n\n

There\u2019s huge scope for green nanomaterials to advance essential technologies, and if green silica could be scaled up, the potential for substantial change drug delivery and renewables is vast. <\/p>\n\n

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\n \"Imagine\n
\n <\/span>\n \n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\n

Don\u2019t have time to read about climate change as much as you\u2019d like?<\/em><\/strong>\n
Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead.<\/a> Every Wednesday, The Conversation\u2019s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who\u2019ve subscribed so far.<\/a><\/em>\"The<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Amber Keegan<\/a>, PhD Candidate, Chemical Engineering, University of Sheffield<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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