International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Energy and Manufacturing Engineering (ICAEME'2015) Jan.
7-8, 2015 Dubai (UAE)
A Summary Review on the Applications of
Nanotechnology in the Manufacturing of
Renewable Energy Production and
Storage Devices
Mehrdad N. Ghasemi Nejhad
AbstractThis paper presents a summary review on the
applications of nanotechnology in the manufacturing of renewable
energy production and storage devices. The use of carbon nanotubes
(CNTs) and graphene nanosheets (GNSs) to improve the performance
and durability of wind turbine and wave rotor blades will be
reviewed. While GNS are primary used for the performance
enhancement of the resin system to manufacture Nanoresins, CNT-
Nanoforests and Nanofilms are used to improve the performance of
fiber systems in a high-performance Nanocomposites. Next, the use
of CNTs and GNSs in the manufacturing of other renewable energy
production devices; such as, proton exchange membrane fuel cells
(PEMFCs) and polymer solar cells as well as renewable energy
storage devices; such as, batteries and supercapacitors to improve
their performances, efficiencies, and durability while reducing their
costs, weights, and sizes will be reviewed.
KeywordsManufacturing, Nanotechnology, Renewable Energy
Production Devices, Renewable Energy Storage Devices
I. INTRODUCTION
T HIS paper presents a summary review on the applications
of nanotechnology in the development of renewable
energy production and storage devices. First, the use of
carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanosheets (GNSs) to
improve the performance and durability of composites with
applications to wind turbine and wave rotor blades will be
reviewed. While GNSs are primary used for the performance
enhancement of the resin system called Nanoresin [1]-[3],
CNT Nanoforests and nanofilms [4]-[9] are used to improve
the performance of fiber systems in high-performance
Nanocomposites. Next, the use of CNTs as gas diffusion
layers and CNTs combined with in-situ generated platinum
nanoparticles as catalyst layers to improve the performance,
efficiency, and durability of proton exchange membrane fuel
cells while reducing their costs, weight, and size will be
reviewed [9]-[13]. In addition, the use of CNTs and GNSs to
Mehrdad N. Ghasemi Nejhad (corresponding author) is the Director of the
Hawaii Nanotechnology & Renewable Energy, Composites, and Smart
Structures Laboratories as well as Professor and Chair of the Department of
Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI
96822 USA (phone: 1-808- 956-7560; e-mail: nejhad@hawaii.edu).
http://dx.doi.org/10.15242/IIE.E0115033
improve the efficiency and performance of polymer solar cells
will be reviewed [14], [15]. Finally, the use of CNTs and
GNSs to enhance the performance, efficiency, and durability
of batteries and supercapacitors while reducing their costs,
weight, and size will be reviewed [15].
II. NANOCOMPOSITES FOR WIND TURBINE AND WAVE ROTOR
BLADES
A. Wind Turbine Rotor Blades
Due to high specific strength and stiffness of composites, it
is advantageous to fabricate the blades of Horizontal Axis
Wind Turbines (HAWTs) and Vertical Axis Wind Turbines
(VAWTs) out of composite materials. It should be noted
while the maximum theoretical efficiency of HAWTs is about
59%, that for VAWT is about 16%, based on the velocity of
the wind entering and leaving the turbine blades [16]. Due to
design, dynamics, and structural stability issues as well as
efficiency, large output power wind turbines are HAWTs. In a
HAWT, the produced power is related to the blade length (R)
as the following [16], [17]:
P = Cp A V 3 (1)
A=R2 (2)
where, P is the harnessed wind energy, Cp is the efficiency of
HAWT (i.e., 0.593 which is the Belts limit [16]), is the air
density, A is the swept area (i.e., the area of the circle
generated by the rotating blades), V is the incoming wind
velocity, and R is length of the turbine blade (i.e., the radius of
the swept area). In addition, the following relationship also
exists between various 3-blade HAWT parameters and the
blade radius [16]-[18]:
Blade Swept Area ~ R2 (3)
HAWT Power ~ R2 (4)
Also, for a cantilever beam the moment, M, on the beam is
proportional to the dead and live loads applied on the
beam, where the dead load, WD is the blade distributed load
due to the self-weight and live load, WL is the wind/blade
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 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Energy and Manufacturing Engineering (ICAEME'2015) Jan. 7-8, 2015 Dubai (UAE)

distributed lift load due to the airfoil profile of the blade.

Also, in a cantilever beam, the stress, , distribution can be
written as [19]-[21]:

= M z/ I (5)
where, z is the blade height coordinate system from the central
line of the blade in the blade thickness, h, direction (where, the
z-maximum is h/2), and I is the area moment of inertia for the
beam, where:

I = b h3 / 12
where, b is the blade width. Also [16]-[18]:
M ~ WD + WL
3
Blade Weight = WD ~ R
Therefore, for a given, b, h, I, and WL and employing (6) to
(8):
~ M ~ WD ~ R3
Therefore, (4) and (9) show that while an increase in R (i.e.,
blade length) increases the harnessing wind power by R2, it
increases the stress on the blades by R3, respectively (Square-
Cube Law) [22], [23]. As a result, in addition to the
manufacturing limitations encountered to fabricate very large
blades, there is also materials properties limitations that will
not allow the lengths of the blades exceed certain sizes due to
static and dynamic strength limitations of the external and
internal structures of the blades (it should be noted that wind
turbine blades are often made of composite materials with
similar airfoil as well as external and internal structures as
airplane wings [16]-[18]). Since 1980, the rotor diameter of
the HAWT blade is doubled every 10 years from 15 meters in
1980 (producing 50 KW), to 40 meters in 1990 (producing
500 KW), to 80 meters (the same wing span of Airbus A380)
in 2000 (producing 2 MW), to 180 meters in 2010 (producing
10 MW), shown schematically in Fig. 1 [22], [23]. The
growth beyond 180 meters rotor diameter producing powers in
the order of 20 MW (requiring a rotor diameter of about 250
meters) and beyond requires technological advances in various
aspects of the HAWTs, including transmission and conversion,
electrical/smart grids, support structures, non-linear behavior
of electronics and electromechanical systems, aerodynamics
and aero-elastics, flow and condition monitoring (using
sensors such as LIDAR), distributed smart control strategies
for blades operations and health monitoring as smart rotor
blades (including the use of smart materials such as
piezoelectrics and shape memory alloys as actuators as well as
fiber optics as acceleration, strain, and temperature sensors
with remote controls and wireless communications), and
innovative blade structures and materials with higher strength,
fracture toughness, damage tolerance, fatigue resistance,
flexibilities, and damping properties [23].
(6)
(7)
Fig. 1 Evolution and growth of HAWT rotor diameter [22], [23]
(8)
HAWT blades made of glass/epoxy composite can be as
long as 30-40 meters while those made of carbon-glass/epoxy
hybrid or carbon/epoxy composites can be made up to 90-100
(9) meters [24], [25]. As mentioned above, to increase the lengths
of the blades to increase the harnessing wind power, the
above-mentioned composite materials properties
improvements are needed and can be achieved employing two
technologies developed by Ghasemi-Nejhad et al. to improve
both resin (Nanoresin Technology) [1]-[3] and fiber
(Nanoforest Technology) [4]-[9] properties.
Nanoresin Technology: Nanoresin (NR) technology employs
sonication of hardener with additions of highly conductive
Graphene Nanosheets (GNSs), CNTs, or nanoparticles (NPs),
and then combining it with resin to produce the nanoresin
system. Agglomeration of the GNSs, CNTs, or NPs can be
precluded by employing Nanoresin Technology [1]-[3]. This
technique gives structural and physical (including thermal and
electrical conductivities) properties improvements
isotropically [1]-[3] to produce NR technology. Such
Nanoresins can be combined with fibers to give composites
with improved properties (see Fig. 2).
Fig. 2 Inclusion of nanomaterials in resin systems [1]
Nanoforest Technology: Nanoforest (NF) technology grows a
forest of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto the surface of
microfibers or fabric in a CVD furnace with controlled
environment allowing neighboring plies to interlock with each
other like Velcro producing hierarchical multiscale
multifunctional nanocomposites macrostructures. This results
in a 3-dimensional composite with dramatically improved
interlaminar fracture toughness, hardness, delamination

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 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Energy and Manufacturing Engineering (ICAEME'2015) Jan. 7-8, 2015 Dubai (UAE)
resistance, in-plane mechanical properties, damping,
thermoelastic behavior, and thermal and electrical
conductivities, making the structure multifunctional (see Fig.
3) [4]-[7]. Alternatively, CNTs can be grown on a substrate
and subsequently separated and interleaved in between the
composite layers (see Fig. 4) [8]-[9] to produce
multifunctional properties similar to those reported in [6].
These composites will also have improved EMI shielding
properties.
Fig. 3 Direct growth of CNTs on fibers [6]
Fig. 4 Interleaving CNTs in between the layers [9]
B. Wave Air Turbine Rotor Blades
Oscillating Water Column (OWC) technology is one of the
most successful and widely studied technology for harnesing
energy from ocean waves. OWCs can be located on the
shoreline, nearshore or offshore [26]. Incoming surface waves
induce an oscillating flow of air within the chamber which, in
turn, flows backwards and forwards through an air turbine
installed in a duct connecting the chamber to the atmosphere.
The turbine converts this air movement into electrical energy.
Variable Radius Turbine (VRT) is one of the common air
turbine used for the OWC application [26]. The turbine
should be constructed to withstand the rigors of the marine
environment and employs a combination of stainless steel,
aluminum, and reinforced composites to resist corrosion [26].
Once again, to improve the performance of the wave rotor
blades, Nanoresin and Nanoforest technologies, explained
earlier here, can be employed to improve the performance,
durability, and efficiency of the wave turbines while reducing
the weight.
http://dx.doi.org/10.15242/IIE.E0115033
III. USE OF CNTS IN PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL
CELLS
Ghasemi-Nejhad et al. [27], [28] demonstrated that the use
of CNTs can improve the performance, durability, efficiency
of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells while
reducing their weight, size and costs.
A. Catalyst Layers
Ghasemi Nejhad et al [10]-[12] showed that it is possible to
develop Catalyst Layers with a bed of MWCNT over which
the Platinum (Pt) nanoparticles can be generated using an in-
situ wet chemistry route employing chloroplatinic acid (1 wt %
in deionized water) and sodium formate (1 M in deionized
water) reducing agent were simultaneously added drop-wise
into the MWCNT dispersion to deposit Pt (20 wt %, based on
the amount of chloroplatinic acid added) on MWCNTs. This
technique produced a well dispersed Pt nanoparticle on the
MWCNT bed (see Fig. 5) leading to performance
improvement (power density) by 10%, using oxygen or air on
the cathode side (at ambient pressure and 70 oC), while
reducing the use of Pt by 50-60% as compared with a
conventional technique [10]-[12]. The performance
enhancement was contributed to a better electrical conductivity
and large surface area of MWCNTs as well as efficient
dispersion of the Pt nanoparticles.
Fig. 5 TEM Image of in-situ Pt nanoparticles developed on a bed
of MWCNT [12].
B. Gas Diffusion Layers
Ghasemi Nejhad et al [28] showed that it is possible to
develop Gas Diffusion Layers (GDLs) employing the
Nanoforest technology [4]-[7] where MWCNTs are grown in-
situ on a teflonized carbon paper as a porous base inside a
CVD furnace to develop Nanoforest GDLs (see Fig. 6) leading
to performance improvement (power density) by 10%, using
oxygen or air on the cathode side (at ambient pressure and 70
o
C) due to a better electrical conductivity and large surface
area of the MWCNTs. The authors [13] also showed that due
to hydrophobic nature of the MWCNTs the Nanoforest-based
GDLs can operate in lower humidity up to 30% producing up
to 70% improvement in the operation of the PEM fuel cells at
lower humidity employing conventional GDLs. Also, since
the GDLs do not absorb moisture, they will have extended life-
time. This approach reduces the need for humidity and hence
the size of the humidifiers can be reduced leading to lower
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 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Energy and Manufacturing Engineering (ICAEME'2015) Jan. 7-8, 2015 Dubai (UAE)
weights, sizes, and costs for PEM fuel cells made of
Nanoforest GDL.
Fig. 6 SEM Image of a) teflonized carbon paper, and b) in-situ
Nanoforest-based GDL [13]
IV. USE OF CNTS AND GNSS IN POLYMER SOLAR CELLS
Researcher have investigated the use of CNTs in Polymer
Solar Cells [14], [15]. The idea is that by dispersing CNTs in
Polymer Solar Cells the conversion and transport of the energy
due to the exceptional properties of the CNTs will be
improved. The polymer are either P3HT or P3OT. SWCNTs
work better for the Polymer Solar Cell application as
compared to their MWCNTs counterparts [14], [15]. Also, the
high surface to volume ratio of the CNTs as well as a better
electrical conductivity contribute to enhanced performance. It
is expected that GNSs, similar to SWCNTs, improve the
performance of the Polymer Solar Cells, with a difference that
GNSs are easier to produce and are less expensive.
V. USE OF CNTS AND GNSS IN BATTERIES AND
SUPERCAPACITORS
Researcher have also investigated the use of CNTs in energy
storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors as
electrodes [15]. Also, the high surface to volume ratio of the
CNTs as well as a better electrical conductivity contribute to
enhanced performance. It is expected that GNSs, similar to
CNTs, improve the performance of the batteries and
supercapacitors, with a difference that GNSs are easier to
produce and are less expensive.
MWNTs are widely used in lithium ion batteries for
notebook computers and mobile phones commercially [15].
For battery applications, small amounts MWNT powder are
blended with active materials and a polymer binder, such as 1
wt % CNT loading in LiCoO2 cathodes and graphite anodes.
CNTs provide increased electrical connectivity and
mechanical integrity, which enhances rate capability and cycle
life [15]. Similar approaches are reported for supercapacitors
[15].
VI. CONCLUSION
Nanomaterials such carbon nanotubes, graphene nanosheets,
and nanoparticles can improve the performance, efficiency,
and durability of renewable energy production (such as wind
http://dx.doi.org/10.15242/IIE.E0115033
turbine and wave rotor blades, proton exchange membrane fuel
cells, and polymer solar cells) and storages (such as batteries
and supercapacitors) devices, while reducing their weight,
size, and costs.
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