Danijel Rebolj University of Maribor Faculty of Civil Engineering Construction IT Centre Nano-to-meter-scale Building (nanoBuilding) concepts & requirements

Nanometer : meter = marble : Earth Nanotechnology (NT) is the study of the control of matter on an atomic scale NT is a prooven method for growing things - nature does it successfuly for billions of years myosin, a bio-robot What is nano?

Research motivation Building industry  produces lots of waste  consumes lots of resources  is not very effective Adequate housing  not affordable for 1.6 billion people NT potentials

Research goals Considering the potentials of  carbon nanomaterials  nanorobotics and nanofabrication  bioengineering and synthetic biology design top-down nano-to-meter-scale building concepts formulate requirements for the NT bottom-up research & start cooperation

Carbon nanomaterials Carbon nanotubes (CNT) can have extraordinary characteristics  100x strength of steel  electrical conductivity  transparency  variable colour which can be combined and achived by design

Nanorobotics A possible way to go: use of minuscule objects from DNA (TU München)

Bioengineering Self-assembly through cooperation of intrinsically programmed cells Amorphous programming Bacteria could be programmed to build Carbon nanotubes

nanoBuilding concept Bionanorobots  extract C from CO 2 from the air  build CNT in form of 3D array with required characteristics using light  as external source of energy, and  to recive instructions by interpreting different wavelenghts

 input: 3D model Specific wavelengths instruct nanorobots what type of CNT to build Light projector ground plan 0

nanorobot coating

Instruction: -build CNM slice with high bearing stength

Instruction: -build CNM slice with high bearing stength Instruction: - build pipe wall CNT with low friction All utilities are built-in (pipes, shafts, wires,...)

Temporary supporting CNT material, which dissolves after the building process is finished The building is rising slice by slice...

nanoBuilding concept

nanoBuilding process 1.detailed 3D solid modeling 2.adding supporting structures (preparing model for nano-production) 3.site preparation 4.building & control 5.dissolving of temporary supporting structures

nanoBuilding process 1.3D solid modeling define detailed solid geometry define parts of the model (3D areas), with specific material properties (strength, friction, conductivity) to form utility systems (like water system, sewer system, electrical instalations, communication system etc.)

nanoBuilding process 2.adding supporting structures / volumes for all parts without vertical material connection to the ground)

nanoBuilding process 3.site preparation excavation to level 0 of the building setup building equipment – the projector

nanoBuilding process 4.building & control planting of nanoroborts onto the ground plan starting the projection creating carbon nano materials continuously until the top of the building is reached

nanoBuilding requirements Bionanorobots powered by light, able to recognize different wavelengths and compiling them into instructions compose CNT with required characteristics (strength, conductivity) using C from CO 2 from the air

Conclusion The question is not if (bio)nanotehnology can meet the defined requirements, but when. The proof of concept exists!