Define nanomaterials/nanotechnology R&D priorities for the chemical and material processing industry to help guide government funding.

Published roadmap that is guiding research investments worldwide.

Roadmap completed. The roadmap was prepared by the Vision2020 Nanomaterials Roadmap Steering Team after in-depth analysis of the preliminary workshop results and extensive deliberation. The document was edited and partially rewritten to address comments received from workshop participants in response to the draft roadmap. This roadmap reflects a consensus on R&D priorities and proposes a strategy for developing Nanomaterials By Design to produce broad national benefits. Download the press release (PDF 96 KB). See roadmap.

To develop the roadmap, Vision2020, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), and the Department of Energy (DOE) hosted a workshop as the first crucial step in preparing the Nanomaterials and the Chemical Industry roadmap. The meeting, held on September 30th through October 2nd at the BWI Marriott in Baltimore, brought together experts from the industry to carefully document the chemical industry's nanomaterial priorities that are pre-competitive and in the nation's best interest. This roadmap can play a key role in guiding federal investment decisions. Download the press release (PDF 69 KB) and quotes from participants (PDF 96 KB). See preliminary workshop results.

ACC, ACS, Air Products, BP, Ciba, CCR, General Electric, Dow, DuPont, Honeywell, Intel, MTI, Praxair, Rohm and Haas

Jack Solomon
Vision2020 Steering Committee, Chair
(914) 309-3904
jacksolomon1@gmail.com

Provide regularly scheduled input to federal planning for nano R&D.

In March 2004, Vision2020 worked with NNI and CCR to successfully establish the chemical industry's only body for coordinating nanotechnology R&D with the federal government: the NNI-Chemical Industry Consultative Board for Advancing Nanotechnology (NNI-ChI CBAN). This first-of-its-kind partnership between the National Nanotechnology Initiative and the chemical industry moved quickly to begin fulfilling its mission to promote, plan, coordinate, and expand nanotechnology R&D. For more information about CBAN, please view the NNI-Chemical Industry Consultative Board for Advancing Nanotechnology Overview and Poster (PDF 177 KB) and (PDF 95 KB).

CBAN developed a five- to ten-year R&D implementation plan for the Vision2020-developed nanotechnology roadmap and has already chartered two working groups in which Vision2020 members have leading roles.

Don Anthony (CCR), John Carberry (Dupont), Katie Hunt (Rohm and Haas), Jack Solomon (Vision2020); Mike Roco (National Science Foundation), Jim Murday (Department of Defense), Robert Shull (National Institute of Standards and Technology), Brian Valentine (Department of Energy)

Jack Solomon
Vision2020 Steering Committee, Chair
(914) 309-3904
jacksolomon1@gmail.com

Obtain funding for nanotechnology research which will help the commercialization of nanotechnology in useful applications for the chemical industry.

• SBIR and STTR solicitations focused on chemical industry priorities
• Developed weighting criteria that reflect industrial R&D needs. The Office of Naval Research has already applied the criteria in evaluating proposals that explicitly address key issues in the Nanomaterials By Design Roadmap.
• Defined priority areas: coatings, catalysts, high-strength materials, sensors, energy, sorbents, and electronic materials.
• Communicated R&D priorities to NNI Research Directions II meeting.
• Recommended standards for international nomenclature.
• Initiated roadmap implementation plan for manufacturing and nano-engineering priorities.
• Analyzed the potential impacts (energy efficiency, waste reduction, and economic competitiveness) of "materials by design" on nano-based products.
• Established collaboration with the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) to identify overlapping R&D needs between the chemicals and semiconductor industries.

Jack Solomon
Vision2020 Steering Committee, Chair
(914) 309-3904
jacksolomon1@gmail.com

The chemical industry's efforts toward responsible development of nanotechnology were highlighted in a dedicated session at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers on November 3 in Cincinnati. The session, "Chemical Industry Nanotechnology Initiatives" featured an overview of activities conducted by NNI-ChI CBAN.

Discussion topics were covered in the following presentations:

• Vision2020 Nanotechnology Initiative Accomplishments (PDF 1.3 MB)
• Economic Effect of Nanomaterials in the Chemical Industry (PDF 1.5 MB)
• Nanomaterials ESH Literature Database (PDF 95 KB)
• Research Needs for Nanotechnology Commercialization (PDF 807 KB)
• Developed an implementation plan (PDF 624 KB) toward goals identified in the Chemical Industry R&D Roadmap for Nanomaterials By Design: From Fundamentals to Function. The implementation plan effort was sponsored by the Industrial Technologies Program of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and involved input from industry, government agencies, universities, national laboratories, and non-governmental organizations. The Nanotechnology Implementation Plan aims to achieve the following:
• Define priority technical, industry-specific research needs
• Recommend R&D topics and identify potential funding sources
• Identify ways to transition research into commercialized products
• Assess potential benefits, such as energy savings

Jack Solomon
Vision2020 Steering Committee, Chair
(914) 309-3904
jacksolomon1@gmail.com

Collaborate with the semiconductor industry in overlapping areas for mutual benefit.

Joint NNI Committee

Released joint chemical/semiconductor industry recommendations on nanomaterials ESH issues in the report, Joint NNI-ChI CBAN and SRC CWG5 Nanotechnology Research Needs Recommendations (PDF 79 KB). NNI collaborated with the Semiconductor Research Corporation and formed the SRC NNI Consultative Working Group #5 (CWG5) to focus on nanotechnology ESH issues. The document contains five main areas:

• Metrics for nanoscale particle toxicity
• Exposure monitoring methodologies
• Risk assessment methodology
• Testing strategy for toxicity
• Societal communication and education

NIST collaboration

On May 24-25, 2006, Chemical Industry Vision2020 and Semiconductor Research Corporation held a meeting at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with university, national laboratory and industrial researchers to identify the critical needs for developing improved nanomaterial models for predicting structure, composition and properties. Both industries agree that predictive models are needed to optimize the synthesis of nanoparticles, surface chemical reactivity, electronic and transport properties, nanomechanical properties, and properties of self-assembled materials. These modeling needs are discussed in detail in the document Joint Chemical & Semiconductor Industry Research Needs for Modeling of Nanomaterials (PDF 215 KB).

NSF on predictive modeling of materials on nanoscale

The Semiconductor Industry and the Chemical Industry have worked to create a Consortium on Predictive Modeling of Materials on the Nanoscale. NSF has agreed to establish a working group to explore the creation of the NSF Consortium on Predictive Modeling of Materials on the Nanoscale (PMMN) in collaboration with industry. A workshop in collaboration with industry was held in September 2007. Areas of focus include nanostructure-materials property relations, nanofeature-device function relations, process simulation of material synthesis and guided self assembly. NSF solicits proposals and funds about $1M of work. $500K from NSF rest from private source funding.

Contributions from existing NSF programs within ENG and MPS will be sought with an expected funding commitment of $400-$500K. Participation within NSF is expected from Mechanics and Structure of Materials, Materials Design and Surface Engineering, Nano and Bio Mechanics, Interfacial Processes and Thermodynamics, Applied Mathematics, and Condensed Matter and Materials Theory.

Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), ACC's nano CHEMSTAR, Vision2020 Steering Committee

Jack Solomon
Vision2020 Steering Committee, Chair
(914) 309-3904
jacksolomon1@gmail.com

Evaluate the projected financial return from investments in the science and technology of nanomaterials by design and publicize the findings to funding agencies and corporate management.

Analyzed nanotechnology's potential impacts in report, Estimated Energy Savings and Financial Impacts of Nanomaterials by Design on Selected Applications in the Chemical Industry (PDF 838 KB). The study provides a preliminary analysis of nanotechnology's potential impacts on energy efficiency, economic competitiveness, waste reduction, and productivity in the chemical and related industries. It semi-quantitatively estimates the potential benefits to the U.S. economy of products manufactured by the chemical industry using nanoscale technologies, and through the use of nano-derived products by the chemical industry and its customers. The projected technical impact and market penetration of each application was estimated, and an established economic model was employed to estimate the value created. This restrictive study indicates that adoption of nanoscale technologies in the U.S. chemical industry can be expected to generate significant benefits. For the limited set of evolutionary applications considered in this study, value creation is estimated to be $10-20 billion/year, and energy savings are estimated to be 0.5 to 1.1 X 1015 Btu/year. While there is significant uncertainty in any projection, these values may be seen as representative of the magnitude of the potential impact of nanotechnology research on the chemical industry. It is probable that the total impact will be considerably larger because there are many more potential applications of nanotechnology than the examples considered in this study. This report supplements the December 2003 roadmap, Chemical Industry R&D Roadmap for Nanomaterials By Design: From Fundamentals to Function.

This study was carried out by Gary Thayer, J. Fred Roach, and Lori Dauelsberg of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Funding for the project was provided by the Chemicals Plus Program of the Industrial Technologies Program in the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Jack Solomon
Vision2020 Steering Committee, Chair
(914) 309-3904
jacksolomon1@gmail.com