AC 2007-2045: APPLICATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR ENERGY
CONVERSION AND STORAGE
Arunachalanad Madakannan, Arizona State University
Dr. Kannan’s areas of expertise and research interests include low temperature synthesis of meta
stable nanoscale electrocatalysts, electrode active materials and structure-property relationships
through physicochemical characterization. The focus is mainly on hydrogen and direct methanol
fuel cells for stationary as well as automotive applications.
Lakshmi Munukutla, Arizona State University
Lakshmi Munukutla received her Ph.D. degree in Solid State Physics from Ohio University,
Athens, Ohio and M.Sc and B.Sc degrees from Andhra University, India. She has been active in
research and published several journal articles. She is the Chair of the Electronic Systems
Department at Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus.
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© American Society for Engineering Education, 2007
Application of Nano-technology for Energy Conversion and
Storage
A.M. Kannan and L.V. Munukutla
Electronic Systems Department
Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus
Introduction
Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus has recently received funding
from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the program called, Advanced
Technology Education. One of the project goals is to develop curriculum in the field of
alternative energy technologies both for four-year and two-year degree seeking students who
are pursuing BS and AAS degrees respectively. The department of Electronic Systems at
ASU’s Polytechnic campus is in the process of launching a new degree concentration
beginning fall 2007 within the existing TAC of ABET accredited BS degree program. This
paper focuses on a new undergraduate course “Application of Nanotechnology for
Batteries, Solar, and Fuel Cells”, one of the targeted courses that will be developed to
highlight the potential of nano-materials in the energy area.
The Electronic Systems Department (ESD) recently received approval from the ASU
administration to implement a new concentration, Alternative Energy Technologies both at
BS and MS degree levels. The BS degree requires a minimum of 21 credit hours of course
work in the concentration area. The course, Application of Nano-technology for Energy
Conversion and Storage is one of the required courses for this concentration. The curriculum
structure that is adopted in the ESD for course delivery is lecture/lab format to address the
different learning styles of our students has received positive feedback from the students with
regard to this particular course material delivery. The students in this class will be involved
in synthesizing carbon nano-tubes and evaluating them in actual devices in the laboratory.
This course emphasizes relevance of nanomaterial for energy conversion and storage
applications. The BS degree program is a TAC of ABET accredited program and the course
outcomes align with ABET outcomes
Course Objectives
This main objective of this course is to give a theoretical and practical overview of
nanotechnology with applications in energy conversion and storage. The specific objectives
of this course are to familiarize with nanomaterials, manufacturing processes,
characterization and also reliability characteristics. In addition, the course will also provide
an opportunity for “co-operative learning” and technical report writing. Upon completion of
the course on Application of Nanotechnology for Batteries, Solar and Fuel cells, students
will understand the fundamental laws governing energy conversion and storage efficiency,
the importance of favorable nanomaterials in the energy conversion, and storage application
and reliability of materials.
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Course Modules
As mentioned in the introduction section, the department of Electronic Systems at
ASU’s Polytechnic campus is offering a new concentration, Alternative Energy Technology
(ALT). The concentration encompasses a detailed exposure to the alternative energy
technologies with a special focus on solar-photovoltaic, batteries and hydrogen-fuel cell
technologies. The proposed course will be one of the core courses to introduce students to
applications of nanotechnology through four different modules. The modules are selected in
order to have hierarchy in student learning in three different areas (fuel cells, batteries and
solar photovoltaics) of alternative energy technologies. The modular nature of this proposed
course will offer the benefit of allowing students to register for varying credit hours
depending on their interest/requirement. The course contents are given below in four
modules:
1. Nanotechnology
‚ What is in the nanotechnology
‚ Synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotubes
‚ Energy related application areas
‚ Implications for philosophy, ethics, and society
2. Smart Batteries
‚ Nanomaterials for anodes
‚ Nanomaterials for cathodes
‚ Battery performance and cyclability
‚ Nanomaterials synthesis
3. Fuel cells
‚ Role of nanochain, nanofibers, nanotubes in low temperature fuel cells
‚ Application areas
‚ Fabrication of electrodes and evaluation of performance with nanomaterials
4. Solar Cells
‚ Band gap and nanomaterials
‚ Energy conversion efficiency
‚ Performance and reliability of nanomaterials based solar cells
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Module 1 deals with the introduction of the basics of nanoscale science, technology,
and engineering.
Attention will be
focused on three basic
elements: the
fundamental science,
engineering and science
applications, and the
societal implications of
this emerging science
and technology,
relevant to the energy
area. The societal issues
of nanotechnology are
discussed below in
detail.
Figure 1. Set-up for carbon nanotubes synthesis
As part of this proposed new course for the Alternative Energy Technology
concentration, students will be involved in synthesizing carbon nanotubes and characterizing
them using transmission electron microscope. Currently, a set-up carbon nanotubes synthesis
is being established at department (see figure 1).
Nanotechnology is seen as a transformative technology that has the potential to
stimulate scientific innovation while greatly benefiting society. However, the enthusiasm
with which the scientific and technical communities are embracing the technology is being
tempered by concerns over possible downsides, including risks to human health. The safety
concerns of nanotechnology in energy conversion and storage would be thoroughly
discussed. Nanotechnology is leading to the development of new materials and devices in
many fields that demonstrate nanostructure-dependent properties. However, concern has
been expressed that these same properties may present unique challenges when addressing
potential health impact. Airborne particles associated with engineered nanomaterials are of
particular concern, as they can readily enter the body through inhalation. Research into the
potential occupational health risks associated with inhaling engineered nanostructured
particles is just beginning1, 2.
Maynard and Kuempel2 explore this idea further, noting that the scale-dependent
properties of nanomaterials are not necessarily associated with particle diameter, but with
material. Although these two criteria relate to inhalation exposure, they are sufficiently broad
to encompass all potential routes of exposure, and provide a useful working framework for
distinguishing between materials and products that are less likely to present health risks than
those that are more likely to have some adverse health implications. Figure 2 shows some
examples of unbound nanometer-diameter particles (in powders, aerosols, and liquid
suspensions); agglomerates and aggregates of nanometer-diameter particles, where
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nanostructure-based functionality is retained; aerosolized liquid suspensions of
nanomaterials; and the attrition (or comminution) of nanomaterial composites through
various mechanisms1.
Figure 2. Examples of engineered nanomaterials likely to be of concern to human health: (a)
Unbound nanometer-diameter particles (in air or liquids) (b) Agglomerates of nanometer-
diameter particles (in powders, air, and liquids) (c) Aerosols of nanometer-structure particle
suspensions, solutions, or slurries (d) Particles released while working with or using
nanostructured materials, through machining, grinding, or wear and tear1.
Major ecological concerns associated with sustainability of nanotechnological methods for
the production and functional implementation of nanoparticles is very well discussed in a
review in the literature3. Nanotechnology could be highly beneficial in catalytic
applications; however, their dispersion in the environment could make it impossible to take
remediative action if safety issues pose concern4. Hopefully, governments and industry
around the world will continue to ensure relevant risk-research is appropriately directed and
well-funded, and that new research will mark a significant reduction in uncertainty over how
to assess and manage the risk to health of engineered nanomaterials in the workplace5.
Module 2 deals with the application of nanotechnology in smart batteries. Today
lithium-ion batteries are the power sources of choice for popular portable electronics, such as
cellular phones, PDAs, and laptops. Nanotechnology is the best tool for achieving
breakthroughs in lithium battery anodes and cathodes. Significant improvements are obtained
with nanostructured anode active materials. Figure 3 shows the morphology of silicon nano
pillars using a specific template technique6. Advanced nanostructured oxide anodes
demonstrate high cycling stability and high power characteristics. Synthetic methods play a
critical role in attaining the required morphology and crystalline nature of anode materials as
shown in figure 47.
Improvements on cathode active materials are also critical for the progress of lithium-
ion batteries. Considerable efforts are directed to replace the high cost, partially toxic
LiCoO2 with more affordable and sustainable materials like LiFePO4 as well as vanadium
based cathodes8, 9. For example, nanomaterial coated LiCoO2 cathodes were shown to exhibit
very high specific capacity with exceptionally high cyclability8. Vanadium oxides
synthesized at low temperature in nanostructure shows a reversible capacity of as high as 300
mAh/g9.
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Figure 3. SEM image of a silicon anode having a nano pillar surface morphology6.
Figure 4. TEM images of (a) as-prepared i-Fe2O3 and (b) after heat-treatment at 400 C in
vacuum7.
Module 3 deals with the application of nanotechnology in the fuel cells area, more
specifically on PEMFCs. The course will focus on the unique properties (electronic,
thermal, mechanical, etc.) of carbon nanotubes and nanofibers as catalyst support materials
for fuel cell application. A general schematic of PEM fuel cell is given in figure 5. The
current research findings of the author will be integrated into the course. For example,
nanosized platinum catalyst on multiwalled carbon nanotubes and gas diffusion layer using
nanochain/nanofibers carbon will be the key components in this module10-12. Several
opportunities for students’ participation will be created to conduct small projects using
carbon nano-tubes that introduce the current literature and research in fuel cells.
Figure 5. General Schematic representation of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell.
Module 4 deals with nanotechnology that offers several benefits when making
inexpensive and efficient solar cells on a large scale. In this context, nanostructured layers
in thin film solar cells offer three important advantages. First, due to multiple reflections,
the effective optical path for absorption is much larger than the actual film thickness. Second,
light generated electrons and holes need to travel over a much shorter path and thus
recombination losses are greatly reduced. Third, the energy band gap of various layers can
be tailored to the desired design value by varying the size of nano-particles. This allows for
more design flexibility in the absorber and window layers in the solar cell. In particular
nano-structured CdS, CdTe and TiO2 are of interest as window and absorber layers in thin
film solar cells13.
In one of the examples shown above in figure 6, nano-crystalline CdTe films were
deposited on ITO coated glass substrates. The particle sizes of 10 nm and a blue shift in the
absorption with an effective band gap of 2:8 eV were obtained. This opens the possibility of
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using nano-crystalline n-type CdTe as a window layer in an n-CdTe/p-CdTe homojunction
Figure 6. Device configurations of a Glass/ITO/n-Nano-CdTe/p-bulk CdTe/graphite and a
glass/ITO/n-nano-CdS/p-bulk CdTe/nano-CdTe/Au solar cells13.
solar cell. Nano-crystalline CdS films on ITO-coated glass substrates exhibited particle sizes
of 15 nm and an effective band gap of 2:98 eV as compared to the 2:4 eV value for the band
gap of bulk CdS. This makes nano-crystalline CdS a better window material in an n-CdS/p-
CdTe heterojunction solar cell. Also, there is increasing interest in using ZnO as an
alternative to TiO2 in photoelectrochemical solar cells that employ high-surface area, nano-
structured substrates. Columnar ZnO films may offer fundamental advantages over
nanoporous TiO2 such as improved electrical transport properties14. Nanosized ZnO has
recently gained interest as an alternative to TiO2 in Gratzel-type solar cells.
Conclusion
“Application of Nanotechnology for Batteries, Solar, and Fuel Cells” is one of the
targeted undergraduate courses developed to highlight the potential of nano-materials in the
energy area. Integrated lecture/laboratory format is adopted to allow this three credit hours
course to cover the following topics: introduction to the basics of nanoscale science,
technology, and engineering. The approach of this industry-responsive course is to offer
project-oriented modules which are consistent with the ASU Polytechnic mission of
combining academic content with latest industrial practices. The modules offered in this
course place broad exposure to the scientific and engineering principles along with hands-on
laboratory experiments in various disciplines including batteries, fuel cells and solar
photovoltaics. The main focus of the course is providing the overall assessment of key
features and issues related to the development of nanoscale science and engineering,
emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of this field. Attention will be focused on three basic
elements: the fundamental science, engineering and science applications, and the societal
implications of this emerging science and technology, relevant to the energy area.
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References:
1. A.D. Maynard, Nanotechnology: assessing the risks, NanoToday 1(2) (2006) 22-33.
2. A.D. Maynard, and E.D. Kuempel, Airborne Nanostructured Particles and Occupational Health, Journal
of Nanoparticle Research 7(6) (2005) 587-614.
3. V. Uskokovi5, Nanotechnologies: What we do not know, Technology in Society 29(1) (2007) 43-61.
4. D.G. Rickerby and M. Morrison, Nanotechnology and the environment: A European perspective, Science
and Technology of Advanced Materials (In Press), November 2006.
5. A.D. Maynard and David Y. H. Pui, Nanotechnology and occupational health: New technologies – new
challenges, Journal of Nanoparticle Research 9 (2007) 1-3.
6. S. Panero, B. Scrosati, M. Wachtler and F. Croce, Nanotechnology for the progress of lithium batteries
R&D, Journal of Power Sources 129 (2004) 90-95.
7. S. Kanzaki, T. Inada, T. Matsumura, N. Sonoyama, A. Yamadaa, M. Takano and R. Kanno, Nano-sized
-Fe2O3 as lithium battery cathode, Journal of Power Sources 146 (2005) 323–326.
8. A. M. Kannan, Lew Rabenberg and A. Manthiram High capacity surface modified LiCoO2 cathodes for
Li-ion batteries, Electrochemical and Solid State Letters 6 (2003) A16-A18.
9. A. M. Kannan and A. Manthiram, Synthesis and Electrochemical Evaluation of High Capacity
Nanostructured VO2 Cathodes, Solid State Ionics 159 (2003) 265-271.
10. A.M. Kannan, A. Menghal and I. Barsukov, Gas Diffusion Layer Using a New Type of Graphitized
Nano-Carbon PUREBLACKł for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Electrochemistry
Communications 8 (2006) 887–891.
11. A.M. Kannan and L. Munukutla, Carbon Nanochain and Carbon Nano-fibers based Gas Diffusion Layers
for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Journal of Power Sources (2007),
doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.02.064
12. A.M. Kannan, V. P. Veedu, M. N. Ghasemi-Nejhad and L. Munukutla, Nanostructured Gas Diffusion
and Catalyst Layers for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Electrochemical and Solid State Letters,
10 (3) (2007) B47-B50
13. R.S. Singh, V.K. Rangari, S. Sanagapalli, V. Jayaraman, S. Mahendra and V.P. Singh, Nano-structured
CdTe, CdS and TiO2 for thin film solar cell applications, Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 82 (2004)
315–330.
14. D.S. Boyle, K. Govender and P. O’Brien, Novel wet-chemical routes to nano- and microstructured
semiconductor layers for improved efficiency photovoltaic devices, Thin Solid Films 431–432 (2003)
483–487.
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