02 / Applications
Three challenges. Many scales.
From potential to context: what nanotechnology offers, what we know and what remains to be tested.
Mechanism explained · the benefit depends on each case
Water · EXPLORE
Clean water: separate, detect, recover.
Membranes, adsorbents and sensors to tackle an essential challenge.
Read the article ↗Energy · EXPLORE
Harvest better. Store thoughtfully.
The nanoscale in solar cells, batteries and catalysis.
Read the article ↗Circularity · EXPLORE
Sustainability is decided across the whole life cycle.
A visual guide to asking the right questions.
Read the article ↗Critical thinking · EXPLORE
Safe and sustainable by design.
Functionality, exposure and impact must be considered together.
Read the article ↗NANOINVENTUM · YOUTUBE SHORTS
Six windows
onto the nanoworld.
A series of short videos about nanotechnology and the planet’s sustainability. Choose a topic and open the video.
Water treatment
Open on YouTube ↗Health
Open on YouTube ↗Marine environment
Open on YouTube ↗Environment
Open on YouTube ↗Infrastructure
Open on YouTube ↗The series “Nanotecnología para la sostenibilidad del planeta” · NanoInventum channel. Videos in Spanish.
KEEP LEARNING · MOOC
From the first nanometre
to a sustainable perspective.
Nanotecnología para un futuro sostenible
Universitat de Barcelona · Coursera · Course in SpanishExplore the course ↗Small does not mean sustainable.
Efficiency is only the beginning. We need to consider materials, energy, safety and everything that happens afterwards.
01
Raw materials
Where do they come from? What resources, water and energy are needed to obtain them?
02
Manufacturing
How is it made? What processes, reagents and exposures are involved?
03
Use and durability
How long does it last? Can it be maintained, repaired and used safely?
04
Recovery
What happens afterwards? Can the material be separated, reused or recovered?