In construction, nanotechnology has a huge role to play. It helps researchers make new materials like smart aggregate that can report on its own strength or repair needs.
It also enables concrete additives that reduce pollution emissions and slow the time it takes cement to harden. And it enables windows with smart coatings that regulate heat transfer to minimize energy consumption.
Strength
Nanotechnology can make materials stronger, enabling them to be lighter and more resilient. For example, a nano-based cement additive increases the strength of concrete and can reduce the time it takes to set by up to 40 percent. It also allows for better water and oil resistance and odor removal.
On the more practical side, a nanotechnology-based coating has made the leather on baseball bats, tennis rackets and bicycles waterproof and stain resistant; it can also be used in upholstered furniture to prevent fire damage and odors. Other nanotechnology-based coatings have optimized adhesives, resulting in a powerful “nano-glue” that can stick to plastic, metal and wood at high temperatures.
Nanotechnology can also increase the energy efficiency of a variety of construction materials. Researchers have developed a nanomaterial that can double the amount of sunlight converted into electricity in solar panels, produced lighter and stronger wind turbines, reduced the energy consumption of advanced electronics and provided more efficient thermal insulation. In addition, there are nanotechnology-based options that can convert waste heat in computers, cars and homes into usable energy.
Durability
Nanotechnology has the potential to improve building materials’ performance by enhancing their structural, chemical and mechanical properties. This technology also helps to reduce energy consumption and waste and provides protection against environmental hazards.
Carbon nanotubes have a tensile strength 100 times that of steel and can be used to reinforce concrete and make it lighter. They can also be used to produce cheap corrosion free steel and improve the thermal insulation of buildings. Nanoparticles can be used to create coatings and thin films that self-clean and change color depending on temperature. These can minimize energy consumption, and are particularly useful in high-rise buildings where maintenance costs would be high.
However, a number of important considerations must be taken into account when incorporating nanotechnology in construction. One major issue is the exposure of nanomaterials to the environment. This can occur during material production, processing, use on the construction site and disposal. Considering this, more research is needed on the risk assessment of nanomaterials from a toxicological perspective. This will help to ensure that the benefits of using nanotechnology in construction are balanced with the risks.
Energy Efficiency
The use of nanotechnology can allow buildings to be more energy efficient by reducing the amount of energy that is needed to maintain temperatures. For example, the use of carbon nanotubes in building materials can make them more thermally insulating. This means that more of the energy from sunlight will be retained in the building instead of being emitted as heat.
In addition, nanotechnology can make buildings more energy efficient by enabling them to be more fire resistant. The use of nanocoatings in paint and drywall can cause them to turn into a substance called char when exposed to fire, which slows the spread of the fire and gives residents and firefighters more time to escape and extinguish the fire.
It is important to note that a full life cycle assessment of nanomaterials used in building construction is required to better anticipate long-term exposure risks, which include toxicological hazards and endocrine disruptors. In particular, the degradation and abrasion of buildings throughout their lifetime may release nanomaterials into the surrounding environment and natural waterways. In addition, a fire in a building may also release nanomaterials into the atmosphere.
Recyclability
Using nanotechnology to modify materials at atomic and molecular scales has the potential to revolutionize building materials and construction procedures. The resulting innovations are expected to improve numerous facets of construction, including materials’ strength and durability, energy efficiency, and environmental impact.
The most obvious benefit of nanotechnology in construction is its ability to increase the durability of conventional building materials, reducing the need for frequent repair and replacements. Concrete structures made with nano-silica and nano-titania are expected to be more resilient, requiring less maintenance and reducing the amount of waste material produced at construction sites.
Nanotechnology is also being used to develop new insulation materials with improved thermal and acoustic performance that reduces energy consumption in buildings. Other developments include smart glass coatings that regulate heat transfer and solar panels with improved efficiencies thanks to nanotechnology.
Although nanotechnology offers many positive improvements, there are concerns that it could have negative impacts on the environment. For example, nanoparticles may enter the natural environment through manufacturing processes, transport, use on construction sites, and subsequent disposal. These particles can interact with natural elements and produce distinctive chemical, biological, and physical changes that affect their original properties.
Sustainability
Modern building materials in residential construction must meet a triad of requisites to be widely adopted as practical options: they must be economical, sustainable for the environment, and safe from a toxicological hazard perspective. Nanotechnology provides an attractive approach to meeting these demands. Nanotechnology manipulates materials at the molecular and atomic level, creating coatings and material composites that are stronger, less porous and lightweight.
Basic construction materials such as cement and concrete can benefit from nanotechnology. By adding nanoparticles, it is possible to create stronger, self-healing, air purifying, fire resistant and easy to clean concrete structures.
In addition, nanotechnology can provide better insulation properties. However, it is important to note that during demolition of buildings, the release of nanoparticles into the environment could be significant. The abrasion, vibration, and tearing of the structure during the demolition process can stimulate the leaching or dissolution of nanomaterials into soils and natural waterways. Moreover, nanoparticles are prone to a variety of chemical and physical transformations, depending on the environmental conditions in which they are released. These transformations may also have significant impacts on the surrounding environment and human health.