Researchers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute got a $1 Million grant for a three-year study on a new coating (based on Graphene) for nanosensors that can be used for Oil or Gas exploration. The grant was given by the Advanced Energy Consortium.
Koratkar and colleagues are investigating how the flow of water, steam, or certain gasses over surfaces coated with carbon nanotubes or graphene can generate small amounts of electricity. The researchers seek to explain this phenomenon â which has been observed but is not yet fully understood â and use their findings to create tiny self-powered devices that travel through naturally occurring cracks deep in the earth and can help uncover hidden pockets of oil and natural gas.
Posted: Mar 28,2010 by Ron Mertens