Despite its tiny size, nanotechnology will have a huge impact on the Internet of Things (IoT). Engineers are experimenting with everything from nanoscale batteries to nanomaterial-based display screens for IoT devices. Despite the potential of this technology, questions remain about its implementation: What would be the purpose of nanoscale internet-connected objects?
The Role of Nanotechnology in IoT
Nanotechnology is the branch of science dedicated to discovering, designing and developing nanoscale inventions by manipulating materials at near-atomic levels. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter and is invisible to the naked eye. For comparison, a single human hair is approximately 100,000 nanometers wide.
Nanotechnology may seem like a field of the distant future, but it has been around for decades already. The approximate market value of nanotechnology is expected to reach $332.73 billion by 2032, up from $79.14 billion in 2023, achieving a staggering compound annual growth rate of 17.6%.
Integrating nanotechnology into the IoT often means that engineers place nanostructures (man-made structures with nanoscale dimensions) into Internet-connected objects. Engineers might use nanoparticles to create nanomaterials or nanofluids, which can improve on the original device by replacing conventional components.
Examples of Nanotechnology in IoT
There are several examples of nanotechnology being integrated into IoT devices and components.
Nanotechnology Battery for IoT
Every internet-connected device needs power. Most devices use batteries because they are not designed to be constantly plugged into a socket. Nanotechnology batteries for IoT are smaller than regular batteries, yet have a higher energy density, allowing devices to charge faster and last longer between charges.
Lithium titanium oxide batteries are one example, as they use lithium titanate nanocrystals on the surface of the components instead of traditional materials, and can retain 80 percent capacity after 25,000 charging cycles, meaning they can be discharged and charged tens of thousands of times before showing signs of wear.
Nanomaterials for Displays
Several nanotechnology displays already exist in the form of OLED and QLED. Engineers are using transparent, photoluminescent, or electroluminescent nanomaterials in most modern TVs and phones. This choice reduces power consumption, improves battery life for IoT devices, and makes on-screen colors purer.
Nanotechnology Processors for IoT
IoT systems incorporate processors. These tiny components process data so that devices can function properly and exchange information. The goal of nanotechnology here is miniaturization: the more space there is, the more transistors, the building blocks of circuits, can be packed into it. Miniaturization is important, as consumer electronics are getting smaller every year.
In 2022, IBM succeeded in developing a 2-nanometer sized microchip, which contains more than 50 billion transistors (each transistor is about 5 atoms in diameter), making the entire invention the size of a fingernail. Nanomaterials have made it possible to greatly increase the number of transistors on a single chip.
Why integrate nanotechnology?
One of the main reasons companies are integrating nanotechnology into the IoT is miniaturization. Miniaturization allows engineers to save space and fit more components into a design, which can lead to improved computing performance and energy efficiency. Becoming more compact is crucial, as gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, and smartwatches get smaller every year.
Another benefit of integrating nanotechnology into Internet-connected objects is energy efficiency. Incorporating nanomaterials, nanofluids, or nanostructures into IoT batteries can improve capacity, stability, charging speed, conductivity, or thermal control. These nanoscale power sources store more energy in less space.
Sustainability is one benefit that is often overlooked: making IoT devices smaller and more energy efficient can reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturing facilities and data centers. If every country moved to nanotechnology-based technologies, it could dramatically reduce electricity usage across the country.
Nanomaterials can extend battery life, potentially enabling the U.S. to reduce the amount of e-waste, the fastest growing form of solid waste. According to the World Health Organization, just over 17% of the 59 million tons of e-waste produced worldwide in 2019 was recycled. Extending the lifespan of IoT devices would have a positive impact on sustainability.
Potential challenges to overcome
Nanotechnology, as futuristic as it sounds, is expensive. Using nanotechnology to design and develop internet connectivity technology could reduce costs in the long run, but it still requires a significant upfront investment. Only large companies with sufficient resources to bear the risk will likely be able to experiment with nanotechnology.
Technical challenges are also a concern, as bringing these tiny pieces to mass market requires a lot of effort. The smaller the parts, the harder they are to produce quickly. Assembly-line production, the manufacturing standard, isn’t always suitable.
Unfortunately, many manufacturers don’t have existing equipment or protocols for nanofabrication – after all, producing parts with diameters between 1 and 100 nanometers is complex – and overhauling systems, training workers, and installing new preparatory tools is costly and time-consuming.
The Future of IoT Nanotechnology
With inventions such as nanomaterial-based batteries and nanoscale transistors for the IoT, the future of nanotechnology in this field seems promising. At present, large-scale applications are probably years away. Companies must overcome technical, cost, and implementation hurdles before moving forward with mass-market applications.
However, the next few years will see many nanoscale discoveries and inventions. As the value of nanotechnology and IoT continues to grow, more investors, business owners, and researchers will explore possible use cases. Although inventions may take years to reach the market, the speed of development will certainly accelerate.
