Research is underway into the addition of nanoparticulate ceria (cerium oxide) to diesel fuel to improve fuel economy by reducing the degradation of fuel consumption over time.

Nanotechnology has already been introduced in the production processes of integrated circuits based on traditional top down strategies. The critical length scale of component is already at the nanoscale (50 nm and below) in respect of the gate length of transistors in CPUs or DRAM devices.

Lighter and stronger materials will be of immense use to aircraft manufacturers, leading to increased performance. Spacecraft will also benefit, where weight is a major factor.

An inevitable use of nanotechnology will be in heavy industry. Using nanotech applications, refineries producing materials such as steel and aluminium will be able to remove any impurities in the materials they create.