With the daunting energy challenges faced by Mankind in the 21st century, revolutionary new technologies will be the key to a clean, secure and sustainable energy future. Nanostructures often have surprising and very useful capabilities and are thus paving the way for new methodologies in almost every kind of industry.This exceptional monograph provides an overview of the subject, and presents the current state of the art with regard to different aspects of sustainable production, efficient storage and low-impact use of energy.Comprised of eighteen chapters, the book is divided in three thematic parts:Part I Sustainable Energy Production covers the main developments of nanotechnology in clean energy production and conversion, including photovoltaics, hydrogen production, thermal-electrical energy conversion and fuel cells.Part II Efficient Energy Storage is concerned with the potential use of nanomaterials in more efficient energy storage systems such as advanced batteries, supercapacitors and hydrogen storage.Part III Energy Sustainability shows how nanotechnology helps to use energy more efficiently, and the mitigation of impacts to the environment, with special emphasis on energy savings through green nanofabrication, advanced catalysis, nanostructured light-emitting and eletrochromic devices and CO2 capture by nanoporous materials .An essential addition to any bookshelf, it will be invaluable to a variety of research fields including materials science, chemical engineering, solid state, surface, industrial, and physical chemistry, as this is a subject that is very interdisciplinary.

Nanotechnology allows for manipulating matter at the nanoscale with unprecedented accuracy and as such holds the promise of providing new materials with distinctly different properties. In recent years, breakthroughs in nanotechnology, especially in their applications in the energy sector, have opened up the possibility of moving beyond conventional energy generation approaches by introducing technologies that are more efficient, environmentally sound and cost effective. The book brings together some of the world's leading experts in nanotechnology and its applications in the energy sector, each covering a specific subject that falls within three general aspects: production, storage and use of energy. The first part covers the main developments of nanotechnology in clean energy production and conversion. Following a general overview on the contributions of nanomaterials for energy production, further chapters elaborate on specific topics such as photodevicesthermoelectric materials and fuel cells. The second part is concerned with the use of nanomaterials in more efficient energy storage systems like batteries, superconductors and materials for hydrogen storage. The third and last part discusses how nanotechnology can lead to a more efficient energy usage while reducing the negative impact to the environment.After the successful first edition of this book Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge, the second edition has been extensively updated to include the latest progress in this field. It includes three new chapters on graphene, piezoelectric nanomaterials, and nanocatalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.Praise for the first edition:'The book has a good index of technical terms, good quality graphical illustrations and a good reference list for further information. The book, which can be read either as a monograph, or by dipping into chapters of interest, should be of value to all researchers in energy andnanotechnology.' (Chemistry World, July 2010)'A "must" for those with a science education and an interest in the future of our energy supply, storage and use.' (Chemistry International, March 2010)'[...] this book brings under a single cover the major aspects of nanomaterials research for the energy sector and will have a profound impact on the research and development of nanomaterials for sustainable energy solutions. It is highly recommended for chemists, physicists, material scientists and engineers looking for an insight into the global energy challenge and the possible contribution nanotechnology can make.' (Prof. Sanjay Mathur, University of Cologne)

PREFACE TO THE 2ND EDITIONPREFACE TO THE 1ST EDITIONPART ONE: Sustainable Energy ProductionNANOTECHNOLOGY FOR ENERGY PRODUCTIONEnergy Challenges in the Twenty-first Century and NanotechnologyNanotechnology in Energy ProductionNew OpportunitiesOutlook and Future TrendsNANOTECHNOLOGY IN DYE-SENSITIZED PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICESIntroductionSemiconductors and Optical AbsorptionDye Molecular EngineeringThe Stable Self-Assembling Dye Monomolecular LayerThe Nanostructured SemiconductorRecent Research TrendsConclusionsTHERMAL-ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONVERSION FROM THE NANOTECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVEIntroductionEstablished Bulk Thermoelectric MaterialsSelection Criteria for Bulk Thermoelectric MaterialsSurvey of Size EffectsThermoelectric Properties on the Nanoscale: Modeling and MetrologyExperimental Results and DiscussionsSummary and PerspectivesPIEZOELECTRIC AND PIEZOTRONIC EFFECTS IN ENERGY HARVESTING AND CONVERSIONIntroductionPiezoelectric EffectPiezoelectric Nanomaterials for Mechanical Energy HarvestingPiezocatalysis - Conversion between Mechanical and Chemical EnergiesPiezotronics for Enhanced Energy ConversionPerspectives and ConclusionGRAPHENE FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION AND STORAGE APPLICATIONSIntroductionGraphene SupercapacitorsGraphene as a Battery/Lithium-Ion StorageGraphene in Energy Generation DevicesConclusions/OutlookNANOMATERIALS FOR FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIESIntroductionLow-Temperature Fuel CellsHigh-Temperature Fuel CellsConclusionsNANOCATALYSIS FOR IRON-CATALYZED FISCHER - TROPSCH SYNTHESIS: ONE PERSPECTIVEIntroductionNanocatalyst - Wax SeparationSummaryTHE CONTRIBUTION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY TO HYDROGEN PRODUCTIONIntroductionHydrogen Production by Semiconductor NanomaterialsSummaryPART TWO: Efficient Energy StorageNANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS FOR HYDROGEN STORAGEIntroductionHydrogen Storage by PhysisorptionHydrogen Storage by ChemisorptionSummaryELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY STORAGE: THE BENEFITS OF NANOMATERIALSIntroductionNanomaterials for Energy StorageNanostructured Electrodes and Interfaces for the Electrochemical Storage of EnergyConclusionCARBON-BASED NANOMATERIALS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY STORAGEIntroductionNanotexture and Surface Functionality of sp2 CarbonsSupercapacitorsLithium-Ion BatteriesConclusionsNANOTECHNOLOGIES TO ENABLE HIGH-PERFORMANCE SUPERCONDUCTORS FOR ENERGY APPLICATIONSOvercoming Limitations to Superconductors - PerformanceFlux Pinning by Nanoscale DefectsGrain Boundary ProblemAnisotropic Current PropertiesEnhancing Naturally Occurring Nanoscale DefectsArtificial Introduction of Flux Pinning NanostructuresSelf-Assembled NanostructuresEffect of Local Strain Fields in Nanocomposite FilmsControl of Epitaxy Enabling Atomic Sulfur SuperstructurePART THREE: Energy SustainabilityGREEN NANOFABRICATION: UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACHES FOR THE CONSERVATIVE USE OF ENERGYIntroductionGreen Approaches to NanofabricationFuture Directions: Toward 'Zero-Cost' FabricationConclusionsNANOCATALYSIS FOR FUEL PRODUCTIONIntroductionPetroleum RefiningNaphtha ReformingHydrotreatingCrackingHydrocrackingConversion of SyngasNanocatalysis for BioenergyThe FutureSURFACE-FUNCTIONALIZED NANOPOROUS CATALYSTS TOWARDS BIOFUEL APPLICATIONSIntroductionImmobilization Strategies of Single Site Heterogeneous CatalystsDesign of More Efficient Heterogeneous Catalysts with Enhanced Reactivity and SelectivityOther Heterogeneous Catalyst Systems on Nonsilica SupportsConclusionNANOTECHNOLOGY FOR CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTUREIntroductionCO2 Capture ProcessesNanotechnology for CO2 CapturePorous Coordination Polymers for CO2 CaptureNANOSTRUCTURED ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICESIntroductionQuantum Confinement and Charge Balance for OLEDs and PLEDsPhosphorescent Materials for OLEDs and PLEDsMulti-Photon Emission and Tandem Structure for OLEDs and PLEDsThe Enhancement of Light Out-CouplingOutlook for th