Nano4EARTH Roundtable Discussion on Coatings, Lubricants, Membranes, and Other Interface Technologies

July 6, 2023
Online and L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, D.C.

The Nano4EARTH roundtable discussion on nanotechnology-enabled coatings, lubricants, membranes, and other interface technologies aims to identify fundamental knowledge gaps, needs, and opportunities at the interface of materials, technologies, and industrial processes. These needs could have a near-term impact on energy efficiency, sustainable development, and climate change. The moderated discussion will tackle all aspects of the topic – ranging from exciting R&D opportunities to commercialization challenges – by featuring a small group of experts from different sectors and backgrounds.

This roundtable is a critical part of the Nano4EARTH National Nanotechnology Challenge, which aims to leverage recent investments in understanding and controlling matter at the nanoscale to develop technologies and industries that address climate change. Nano4EARTH focuses on facilitating opportunities for members of the nanotechnology community to convene, collaborate, and share resources. Nano4EARTH also strives to provide mechanisms that support technology development and commercialization of nanotechnology-enabled climate solutions.

The topic of this roundtable was identified at the Nano4EARTH kick-off workshop (summary readout and video archive) as a particularly promising area that could have an impact in a short time frame (four years or less). This roundtable is the first of four.

MEETING LOCATION:

Online and the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office: Suite 8001, 470 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024. Directions are available here.

DISCUSSION SUMMARY:

Click here to download the discussion summary.

AGENDA:

July 6, 2023
9:50 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

INVITED PARTICIPANTS:

RESOURCES AND RELEVANT BACKGROUND:

Coatings, lubricants, membranes, and other interface technologies are ubiquitous throughout industrial processes and products. Their reimagination, optimization, and thoughtful selection could increase efficiency and overall sustainability. The goal of this roundtable is to identify the most pressing near-term knowledge gaps, needs, and opportunities that deserve our attention as we look to accelerate the impact of these technologies. For example, buildings are responsible for around 40% of carbon dioxide emissions. Different nanotechnology-enabled coatings (e.g., thermochromic, among many others) are used to coat windows and decrease the sun's thermal impact on buildings while allowing for light to get in and decreasing cooling and electricity needs.

Vision: nanotechnology as a catalyst for innovation in key areas and industries that could help accelerate progress toward climate change mitigation and sustainable development goals in the short term

Objectives

• Identify key knowledge gaps, needs, and opportunities.
• Identify approaches, tools, questions, and needs to address the knowledge gaps.
• Identify the most impactful ideas in the short term based on strategic opportunities, scalability, and commercial potential.

Suggested reading

• Background 
  • Nano4EARTH Kick-off Workshop
    • Summary
    • Video archive
• Climate change technology needs
  • U.S. Innovation to Meet 2050 Climate Goals, White House
  • Net-Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector, International Energy Agency
    • Updates since publication
  • UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Technology opportunities (illustrative examples)
  • Membranes
    • Highly selective membranes
    • Gas and vapor separation
    • Water membranes scalability This article is behind a paywall and may not be accessible in its entirety
    • Zeolite membranes – a review and comparison with MOFs This article is behind a paywall and may not be accessible in its entirety
    • Zeolitic imidazolate framework membranes This article is behind a paywall and may not be accessible in its entirety
  • Coatings
    • Superhydrophobic coatings This article is behind a paywall and may not be accessible in its entirety
    • Smart window coatings This article is behind a paywall and may not be accessible in its entirety
      • Needs to make smart windows mainstream
  • Lubricants
    • Influence of tribology on global energy consumption, costs and emissions
    • The impact of tribology on energy use and CO2 emission 
    • Superlubricity
    • Macroscale superlubricity by a sacrificial carbon nanotube coating
    • Ionic Liquids as Lubricant Additives: A Review
    • Synthetic Lubricants Derived from Plastic Waste and their Tribological Performance
    • Achieving Ultralow Friction and Wear by Tribocatalysis: Enabled by In-Operando Formation of Nanocarbon Films
  • Other interfaces
    • Thermal interfaces

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Maria Fernanda Campa