chaPter 12 the Broader context
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■ Improved appearances (in many industries)
■ Development of new products and opening of new markets
by taking advantage of emerging technologies
Obviously, not all these drivers are independent. Many are closely
intertwined. In many industries they have also long been historical
drivers behind the development of any new technology or material innovation, not least because they ultimately translate into the
economic health of an industry or the profitability of producing
companies. They remain with us today. Other drivers have also
recently developed—some because of basic sensibilities concerning societal directions, others because of either demand or imposed
regulations. These include:
■ Use of more environmentally benign materials and
processes, both for production and for material resource
recovery, including recycling
■ Use of limited energy resources
Older scope definitions of product safety and environmental
impact have also now widened considerably and affect many industries because more attention is now paid to the way that adverse
effects attributable to a product can be transmitted through interconnected chains and networks to contexts that are seemingly far
removed.
Though these drivers are somewhat common at the abstract level,
various industries still place differing importance on different
factors, as well as having their own specific motivators for potentially using nanomaterials. In the following, we look briefly at a
variety of industries in a broad summary fashion. Many of the specific nanobased technologies referred to here were discussed in
earlier chapters.
12.2 the automotIve Industry
The automotive industry is already one of the world’s largest users
of nanomaterials, and expectations are that uses will increase.
General Motors was an early adopter in 2002 with its use of thermoplastic olefin (TPO) nanoclay composites in running board
stepassists. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of the material are
now used. Other companies, including Daimler, Nissan, and Ford,
are using nanopaints for improved scratch resistance and appearance. Intensive research is in progress on many other fronts, including propulsion and energy systems that use nanotechnologies (e.g.,
502
■ Improved appearances (in many industries)
■ Development of new products and opening of new markets
by taking advantage of emerging technologies
Obviously, not all these drivers are independent. Many are closely
intertwined. In many industries they have also long been historical
drivers behind the development of any new technology or material innovation, not least because they ultimately translate into the
economic health of an industry or the profitability of producing
companies. They remain with us today. Other drivers have also
recently developed—some because of basic sensibilities concerning societal directions, others because of either demand or imposed
regulations. These include:
■ Use of more environmentally benign materials and
processes, both for production and for material resource
recovery, including recycling
■ Use of limited energy resources
Older scope definitions of product safety and environmental
impact have also now widened considerably and affect many industries because more attention is now paid to the way that adverse
effects attributable to a product can be transmitted through interconnected chains and networks to contexts that are seemingly far
removed.
Though these drivers are somewhat common at the abstract level,
various industries still place differing importance on different
factors, as well as having their own specific motivators for potentially using nanomaterials. In the following, we look briefly at a
variety of industries in a broad summary fashion. Many of the specific nanobased technologies referred to here were discussed in
earlier chapters.
12.2 the automotIve Industry
The automotive industry is already one of the world’s largest users
of nanomaterials, and expectations are that uses will increase.
General Motors was an early adopter in 2002 with its use of thermoplastic olefin (TPO) nanoclay composites in running board
stepassists. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of the material are
now used. Other companies, including Daimler, Nissan, and Ford,
are using nanopaints for improved scratch resistance and appearance. Intensive research is in progress on many other fronts, including propulsion and energy systems that use nanotechnologies (e.g.,