DNV Research is looking into how nanotechnology can be utilised in future DNV services. As one of five strategic programmes in DNV Research, nanotechnology is a new area of high interest and relevance for DNV.
Nanotechnology is often associated with groundbreaking research in many fields. For DNV Research, nanotechnology is the manipulation of a material on a very small scale, e.g. a few atoms, but the effect is visible or measurable on the macro level.
“For example, one can add nano-scale particles to coatings. As a result, this coating may become scratch resistant, self-cleaning or self-disinfecting, in other words multifuncitional,” explains Jan Weitzenböck who heads DNV Research’s Multifunctional Materials and Surfaces programme.
“There are a range of new exciting possibilities emerging related to nanotechnology, of which at least some can be of great benefit to DNV and our customers. Besides, society at large is starting to discuss possible risk implications of using nanotechnology and this will lead to many opportunities for DNV to help our customers prepare for these challenges,” says Weitzenböck.