If we had to identify the one technological breakthrough that could totally revolutionize the energy industry, we’d have to take a hard look at nanotechnology. Arguably, nano has the potential to revolutionize much more than energy. But even within that realm, the possibilities seem endless.

One of the world-renowned centers for nano study is at Rice University, where the pioneering efforts of the late Richard Smalley resulted in establishment of the Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, which now bears his name. Wade Adams is the director.

Adams says his “institute” is not some building with classrooms and labs; it’s a “virtual” institute that coordinates collaboration between scientists and organizations around the world, and establishes new centers focused on nanoscale research.

Adams, who retired from the U.S. Air Force after 32 years in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate at the Air Force Research Laboratory, joined Rice in 2002 at Smalley’s request. He had heard Smalley speak at his lab in the 1990s about nanotechnology’s promise. “I guess he reeled me in, hook, line and sinker!” he says.

“When Rick made the rather brash statement that carbon nanotubes are the best material we will ever have in the universe to work with, I thought it was a pretty interesting statement. At first I thought he was a crackpot, but he spent a long time convincing us that this may well be true. A Nobel prize winner can get away with that.”

Adams is infectiously bullish about nano’s potential. “It’s going to impact every technology on earth and make it better, sometimes in an evolutionary way and many times in a revolutionary way.”
In the energy arena, many efforts are under way to study its potential. For instance, the Smalley Institute helped set up the Advanced Energy Consortium with the University of Texas-Austin, focusing on using nano-sized sensors in reservoir characterization.

Last year Rice University President David Leebron and Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach signed a memorandum of understanding in Edmonton, intended to result in greener energy activity in Alberta’s heavy-oil fields through advances in nano. A research collaboration between nanoAlberta, part of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, and the Smalley Institute will address issues surrounding production of Alberta’s heavy-oil reserves, one of the world’s largest reserves of recoverable oil. The U.S. is the biggest market for Canadian oil, Adams points out.

The groups met in December 2009 to outline plans.

Nano particles are also very effective at modifying fluid behavior and could be beneficial in production, transmission and refining. Further into the future, nanotechnology could turn hydrocarbons into electrons downhole and carry them to the grid through a nanowire. “Then you don’t have to worry about CO2 sequestration,” Adams says.

Discussions about nanotechnology can quickly turn to what seems like pie-in-the-sky ruminations, but Adams reinforces the fact that many of these things could happen, given the right people, the right research and, of course, the right funding. “When you turn nano-savvy people loose on problems, you come up with a lot of ideas,” he says.

Offshore construction will receive a boost from nanotechnology in terms of its ability to make much lighter materials that have the same, or more, strength than steel. Downstream applications include sensors, catalysts, stronger materials, liners and corrosion prevention. And alternative energy sources such as solar also stand to benefit.

“I’ve heard of two or three new designs of solar cells that are beyond photovoltaics,” Adams says. “Using nanotechnology could create much higher efficiency for converting sunlight into electricity, maybe as high as 90% to 95% conversion. That would revolutionize the solar industry and make it extremely viable.”

Ultimately, nano has the potential to create extremely high-strength fibers. “If you get really funky with these fibers, you could build a space elevator that could climb a 22,000-mile rope into space instead of launching a rocket,” says Adams. “That was science fiction a decade ago, but now it’s just a really hard engineering problem.”

Solving these problems will require bright engineers. Adams says the challenge will be to inspire young people to tackle these challenges. “We need smart kids to go into science and engineering…to tackle these issues for the long term. Some of these are 50-year problems.

“Another one of Rick’s favorite loves was how to turn kids on to some of these problems. His motto was, ‘Be a scientist, be an engineer, save the world.’”

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