Saturday, April 26, 2014

Erosion control, and nanotechnologies (NT)


The revolutionary development of nanotechnology applications enables effective soil stabilization as well as an efficient way to control dust and prevent erosion.


A nanometer is one billionth of a meter — about one ten-thousandth the thickness of a human hair. By this definition, any submicron-sized particle falls under the category of nanoscale materials. The National Nanotechnology Initiative defines nanotechnology as understanding and controlling matter at dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel application.

Modest application rates are useful for dust suppression and erosion control. Heavier applications can make the soil as hard and sturdy as cement, which is often used for road building or other projects requiring high durability. By adjusting the application rate, Powdered Soiltac® can remain effective from weeks to several years. Most importantly, Powdered Soiltac® is a truly biodegradable product that is completely environmentally safe to use.  offers "industry-changing" nanotechnology applications that address the growth of global water and energy demand
 offers "industry-changing" nanotechnology applications that address the growth of global water and energy demand

Nanotechnologies for environmental cleanup

Among the many applications of nanotechnology that have environmental implications, remediation of contaminated groundwater using nanoparticles containing zero-valent iron (nZVI) is one of the most prominent examples of a rapidly emerging technology with considerable potential benefits. There are, however, many uncertainties regarding the fundamental features of this technology, which have made it difficult to engineer applications for optimal performance or to assess the risk to human or ecological health.

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 ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology is an emerging field that covers a wide range of  technologies which are presently under development in nanoscale. It plays a major role in the development of innovative methods to produce new products, to substitute existing production equipment and to reformulate new materials and chemicals with improved performance resulting in less consumption of energy and materials and reduced harm to the environment as well as environmental remediation. Although, reduced consumption of energy and materials benefits the environment, nanotechnology will give possibilities to remediate problems associated with the existing processes in a more sustainable way. Environmental applications of nanotechnology address the development of solutions to the existing environmental problems, preventive measures for future problems resulting from the interactions of energy and materials with the environment, and any possible risks that may be posed by nanotechnology itself. 

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Technology Roadmap
Extensive use of fresh water for cooling of thermal power plant is becoming a serious concern in hot or dry regions. A principal advantage of wind energy for water-stressed areas is its very low consumption of water in comparison with thermal generation. This is already an important issue in China, and a growing concern in India, as well as in OECD member countries such as the (western) United States of America.
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