Nanotechnology and Renewable Energy

Professor Alivisatos's research focuses on the structural, thermodynamic, optical, and electrical properties of colloidal inorganic nanocrystals. He investigates the fundamental physical and chemical properties of nanocrystals and also works to develop practical applications of these new materials in biomedicine and renewable energy. He believes that one of the most important applications of nanotechnology will be in the area of renewable energy. As scientists today confront the problem of how to harvest the energy of sunlight, there is increasing interest in learning how to emulate the nanoscale structures of light-harvesting systems in plants. Such advanced applications of nanotechnology may yield robust, efficient, and scalable renewable energy systems in the future.