Nanotechnology: Nano for Vehicles

Nanotechnology will improve the performance of future hybrid cars.

(Modified Fig. from Nanotechnology innovation opportunities for tomorrow’s defence book)

Future vehicles are expected to be lightweight, multipurpose, intelligence-guided, low in energy consumption, safe and protective for the passengers and highly comfortable.

Carbon Fiber(L-side) and Camouflage (R-side)

Materials
Nanotechnology enables the following material functionalities:

lightweight: high strength nanocomposite plastics are expected to replace metal and thus reduce weight and radar signature
smart components: components with built-in condition and load monitoring sensors, in the long term: self-repairing or self-healing materials
adaptive structures: active structures that adapt to changing conditions such as adaptive camouflage, suspension, flexible/rigid etc.
stealth: radar absorption coatings, camouflage
armour: nanoparticle, nanofiber reinforced antiballistic structures, reactive nanoparticle armour, shock absorbing nanotubes

Nano RFID
(More information, Please Click>> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100318113300.htm)

Information and communication technologies (ICT)
Vehicles are expected to be equipped with the following ICT features:

position sensing and signaling: GPS for navigation and with EAS for tracking and tracing vehicles
identification: RFID - tags for remote identification
security: radar, bolometer (infrared) for surveillance, and acoustic arrays for sniper detection
wireless networks: vehicle internal sensoric network will become wireless; connection to distributed external network
directional RF communication: micro antenna arrays enable directional radio communication with reduced power and signature

First All-Nanowire Sensor
(More information, Please Click>>http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/21244/?a=f)

Remote and unmanned guidance
With nanotechnology advanced sensor and wireless communication capabilities are becoming possible, e.g. via distributed ad-hoc sensor networks, enabling long range guidance of all kinds of vehicles. Advanced intelligence can be built-in thanks to the expanding μ-sensor capabilities, integration of sensor functions and information processing power. Especially for military use, continuous effort is put in the development of unmanned and autonomous vehicles e.g. for surveillance. Nanotechnology is crucial here to minimize size, weight and power consumption, important for long range coverage.

Nuclear Battery
(More information, Please Click>> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/10/12/a-penny-sized-nuclear-battery-could-keep-going-and-going/)

Power
Focus is on lightweight and energy-efficient powering. Reduction of thermal, radar and acoustic signature is anadditional aspect for the military. Main developments are:

hybrid, electrical/combustion, powering, driven by civil automotive, reduces consumption and signature
hydrogen fuel cell, preferably with diesel or biofuel (e.g. sugar) as hydrogen source via microreactor conversion
for miniaturised, unmanned vehicles: μ-fuel cell, μ-nuclear battery

From Ref:>> Frank Simonis & Steven Schilthuizen, Nanotechnology innovation opportunities for tomorrow’s defence Book