Functional nanomaterials for energy and sustainability

Abstract

In view of the continuous decline in fossil fuel reserves, at a time when energy demands are steadily increasing, a diverse range of emerging nanotechnologies promise to secure modern solutions to the prehistoric energy problem. Each one of those distinct approaches capitalizes on different principles, concepts and methodologies to address different application requirements, but their common objective is to open a window to a sustainable energy future. Consequently, they all deserve substantial (though not necessarily equal) consideration from the scientific and engineering community. In this review we present bottom-up strategies that show great promise for the development of a new generation of advanced materials for energy applications without compromising the public safety or the environment.