Photonic crystals in biology

Poster Session, Tuesday, June 15
Theme A1 - B702
Nanocoatings Materials and their Applications in Building Construction
Fahriye Hilal Halicioglu
Department of Architecture, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir 35160, Turkey
Abstract- This paper focuses on nanocoatings and their properties and future applications, several of these applications will
be successful in recent years. Nanocoatings have gained much interest recently. Nanoscale coatings are particularly suited to
protecting the surface of various building materials such as glass, concrete, wood, steel. Significant efforts are underway to
control the nanocoatings via innovative approaches. Though various coating materials are now in wide use for numerous
applications, there has been continued demand for novel coatings with desirable properties for many other applications. This
paper also offers a possibility of a revised understanding of the relationship between nanocoatings and the building
construction in the understanding of innovative nano approaches.
There has been a great deal of interest in nanocoatings over
the last few years. Nanocoatings are used to insulate both
new and existing building materials, or to protect wood,
metal, and masonry, without the hazardous off-gassing of
many other coatings [1]. The use of nanomaterials for selfcleaning,
antimicrobial, fungicidal, and related applications
for various types of surfaces is more recent but has quickly
become widespread. Most nano-based products intended for
these applications use coatings, paints, or films that contain
nanoparticles and that are applied or bonded to conventional
materials. Some applications, however, have surface layers in
which nanoparticles have been directly intermixed into the
base material. Three primary technologies drive applications
in these areas: the ability to make hydrophobic (waterrepelling)
surfaces, hydrophilic (water-attracting) surfaces,
and photocatalytic surfaces (see Figure 1). In glasses, the
self-cleaning action normally comes from coatings with
thicknesses at the nanoscale that have particular
photocatalytic and hydrophilic (water-attracting) properties.
In several applications, the glass is first coated with a
photocatalytic material, normally titanium dioxide (TiO2).
The photocatalytic coatings produce chemical reactions when
subjected to ultraviolet (UV) light that help in oxidizing
foreign substances and decomposing them [2].
Hydrophobic (water repelling; drops form beads)
Hydrophilic
(water attracting;
drops flatten out)
Photocatalytic (UV-induced
reactions that cause decomposition
of dirt molecules)
Figure 1. Basic approaches for self-cleaning, easy-cleaning, and
antimicrobial functions [2]
Given the wide range of possible applications, from
window glass and cement to textiles, self-cleaning coatings
may become an important labor-saving and sustainable
device (see Figure 2) [3].
conventional self-cleaning self-cleaning
glass glass
concrete
Figure 2. Self-cleaning glass and concrete [4, 5]
A wide range of materials can be coated with solgel
technique (see Figure 3). The sol-gel technique involves the
evolution of inorganic nanoscale networks in a continuous
liquid phase through the formation of colloidal suspension
and the following gelation of the sol. With proper planning
these new materials can have enhanced properties due to the
interaction of the individual material components at
nanolevel [6]. Materials processed by this method can be
metallic, inorganic, organic and hybrid, ranging from highly
advanced materials to common materials, from optics to
architecture. The relevance of the sol-gel technique basically
consists of improvement of processing and properties of
conventional materials and creation of novel materials [3].
Figure 3. The sol-gel [6]
In this paper, the current developments in nanocoatings and
their applications in building construction is summarised.
Based on the ongoing evolutions in nanotechology,
nanocoatings are explained. Finally, an overview is given of
the different product developments performed to obtain
nanotech approaches. Nanotechnology has very high impact
in developing a new generation of coatings with enhanced
functionality and a wide range of applications. Although
nanocoatings are realizing many key applications in building
construction, a number of key technical and economic
barriers exist to widespread commercialization. These include
impact performance, the complex formulation relationships
etc. If nanotechnology is to change how we design and how
we live, then a study of nanocoatings implications for
building construction is clearly needed. Many nanocoating
materials are already available to architects and builders, and
are beginning to transform our buildings. Looking further
ahead, nanocoatings now in research and development will
likely have a significant impact on building within the next
twenty years.
*Corresponding author: hilal.halicioglu@deu.edu.tr
[1] Elvin, G., Nano opportunities in building construction for big changes,
http://www.architectmagazine.com/curtain-walls/the-nano-revolution.aspx,
The Nano revolution.
[2] Ashby, M. F., Ferreira, P. J., and Schodek, D. L., 2009. Nanomaterial
product forms and functions, pp. 403-440, Oxford, UK.
[3] Cannavale, A., Fiorito, F., Manca, M., Tortorici, G., Cingolani, R., and
Gigli, G., 2010. Multifunctional bioinspired sol-gel coatings for architectural
glasses, Building and Environment, 45, 12331243.
[4] Chin, W. J., Nanotechnology in building and construction
http://jazz.nist.gov/ts/220/external/TEDCO%20presentations/Sampling%20-
%202.ppt
[5] http://www2.arch.uiuc.edu/elvin/nanocoatings.htm
[6] http://www.vtt.fi/files/research/ama/newmaterials/nano_sol-gel.pdf
6th Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Conference, zmir, 2010 308