Nanotech Videos

How Nanoparticles Are Quietly Revolutionising the World | with Ivan Parkin

The lecture revisits the origins of nanoscience, beginning with Michael Faraday’s 1857 ruby‑gold experiments that first revealed gold nanoparticles’ vivid colors. It then connects that historic curiosity to today’s nanomaterial breakthroughs, especially titanium dioxide (TiO₂) coatings that render glass self‑cleaning and super‑hydrophilic. Key technical insights include the ultra‑thin (≈25 nm) TiO₂ films applied via atmospheric‑pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD), which can be doped with nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorus to dramatically increase photocatalytic activity. The presenter also describes heterojunction designs combining anatase and rutile TiO₂ phases, achieving higher quantum efficiencies, and demonstrates oscillating chemical reactions as analogues for nanoparticle dynamics. Illustrative examples feature Faraday’s ruby‑red gold‑salt solution still on display at the Royal Institution, Pilkington’s active glass used in conservatories and high‑profile buildings, and the commercial scale of the technology—about $200 million in annual sales and tens of thousands of installations worldwide. The talk highlights collaborations between UCL, the Royal Institution, and industry partners that have spawned multiple spin‑out companies. The broader implication is that nanomaterials are moving from laboratory curiosities to market‑ready solutions that improve energy efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and enable new sustainable products. The UK’s leadership in APCVD and nanocoating innovation positions it to capture significant economic and environmental benefits as these technologies proliferate across construction, consumer goods, and clean‑energy sectors.