# Presentation: 483930

## M. Meyyappan

- Nanotechnology:
- Commercialization

## Impact of Nanotechnology

- •	Computing and Data Storage
- •	Materials and Manufacturing
- •	Health and Medicine
- •	Energy
- •	Environment
- •	Transportation
- •	National Security
- •	Space exploration
- •
- •

**Nanotechnology is an**
**enabling technology**

## Expected Nanotechnology Benefits

- in Electronics and Computing

- •	Processors with declining energy use and cost per gate, thus increasing 		efficiency of computer by 106
- •	Small mass storage devices: multi-tera bit levels
- •	Integration of logic, memory and
- 	sensing
- •	Higher transmission frequencies and
- 	more efficient utilization of
- 	optical spectrum to provide at
- 	least 10 times the bandwidth now
- •	Integration of IT network, communication,
- 	sensing, Ex: intelligent appliance
- •	Display technologies
- •	Quantum computing

## •	Expanding ability to characterize genetic makeup will

- •	Expanding ability to characterize genetic makeup will
- 	revolutionize the specificity of diagnostics and 		therapeutics
- 		-	Nanodevices can make gene sequencing more 			efficient
- •	Effective and less expensive health care using remote 	and in-vivo devices

- •	New formulations and routes for drug 		delivery, optimal drug usage
- •	More durable, rejection-resistant artificial 		tissues and organs
- •	Sensors for early detection and prevention

- Nanotube-based
- biosensor for
- cancer diagnostics

## •	Ability to synthesize nanoscale building blocks with control on 		size, composition etc. 	     further assembling into larger 		structures with designed properties will revolutionize materials 		manufacturing

- •	Ability to synthesize nanoscale building blocks with control on 		size, composition etc. 	     further assembling into larger 		structures with designed properties will revolutionize materials 		manufacturing
- 	-	Manufacturing metals, ceramics, polymers,
- 		etc. at exact shapes without machining
- 	-	Lighter, stronger and programmable
- 		materials
- 	-	Lower failure rates and reduced
- 		life-cycle costs
- 	-	Bio-inspired materials
- 	-	Multifunctional, adaptive materials
- 	-	Self-healing materials

## Energy Production and Utilization

- •	Energy Production
- 		-	Clean, less expensive sources enabled by
- 			novel nanomaterials and processes
- 		-	Improved solar cells
- 		-	*In-situ* refinery and gasoline out of well
- •	Energy Utilization
- 		-	High efficiency and durable home and
- 			industrial lighting
- 		-	Solid state lighting can reduce total electricity consumption by 			10% and cut carbon emission by the equivalent of 28 million 			tons/year (Source: Al Romig, Sandia Lab)
- •	Materials of construction sensing changing conditions and in 		response, altering their inner structure

## Benefits of Nano in the

- Environment Sector

- •	Nanomaterials have a large surface area.  For example, single-walled 		carbon nanotubes show ~ 1600 m2/g.  This is equivalent to the size of a 	football field for only 4 gms of nanotubes. The large surface area enables:
- 		-	Large adsorption rates of various gases/vapors
- 		-	Separation of pollutants
- 		-	Catalyst support for conversion
- 			reactions
- 		-	Waste remediation
- •	Filters and Membranes
- 		-	Removal of contaminants
- 			from water
- 		-	Desalination
- •	Reducing auto emissions, NOx conversion
- 		-	Rational design of catalysts

## Benefits of Nanotechnology

- in Transportation

- •	More efficient catalytic converters
- •	Thermal barrier and wear resistant coatings
- •	Battery, fuel cell technology
- •	Wear-resistant tires
- •	Improved displays
- •	High temperature sensors for ‘under the hood’; novel
- 	sensors for “all-electric” vehicles
- •	High strength, light weight composites for increasing fuel
- 	efficiency

## •	Improved collection, transmission, protection of information

- •	Improved collection, transmission, protection of information
- •	Very high sensitivity, low power sensors for detecting     		chem/bio/nuclear threats
- •	Light weight military platforms, without sacrificing functionality, 	safety and soldier security
- 		-		Reduce fuel needs and
- 			  logistical requirements
- •	Reduce carry-on weight of
- 	soldier gear
- 		-		Increased functionality
- 				per unit weight

## Assessment of Opportunities

**•****	****	****Short term (< 5 years)**
- 			- Nanoparticles
- 				*  Automotive industry (body moldings, timing belts, 						engine covers...)
- 				*  Packaging industry
- 				*  Cosmetics
- 				*  Inkjet technology
- 				*  Sporting goods
- 			-  Flat panel displays
- 			-  Coatings
- 			-  Tools
- 			-  Catalysts (extension of existing market)
- 			-  CNT-based probes and sensors

## •	Medium term (5-10 years)

**•****	****Medium term (5-10 years)**
- 		-	Memory devices
- 		-	Fuel cells, batteries
- 		-	Biosensors (CNT, molecular, qD based)
- 		-	Biomedical devices
- 		-	Advances in gene sequencing
- 		-	Advances in lighting
**•****	****Long term (> 15 years)**
- 		-	Alternatives to silicon CMOS
- 		-	Routine use of novel nano composites in Aerospace,
- 			automotive (risk-averse industries)		-	Gasoline our of oil wells
- 		-	Many other things we haven’t even thought of yet

- Assessment of Opportunities (Cont.)

## Current Status of Commercialization

- 1.	Electronics / Computing / Communications
- 	•		Molecular electronics / memory devices: Zettacore, HP
- 	•		Nanotube electronics: IBM, Intel
- 	•		Nanowire based devices: Nanosys, Nantero
- 2.	Displays based on nanotube field emission: Samsung, number of Japanese
- 	companies, Taiwanese companies
- 3.	Solar cells: Nanosys, Matsushita, Nanosolar
- 4.	Nanotube production: CNI, Ahwanee, number of Japanese and Chinese companies
- 5.	Nanoparticles: Degussa....
- 6.	Nanoparticles in cosmetic applications: sunscreen lotions, eyeliners, flat irons....
- 7.	Addition of nanotubes to make automotive fenders and panels slightly
- 	conducting in order to paint them in electrochemical vats.

## Current Status of Commercialization (cont.)

- 8.		Rational design & production of catalysts, catalytic converters:  Nanostellar
- 9.		Stain-resistant fabrics: Nano Tex
- 10.		Novel lithographic processes
- 11.		Fuel additives (cerium oxide nanoparticles) to reduce fuel consumption/
- 		pollution: Oxonica (UK)
- Lithium ion batteries: several Japanese companies, NanoExa
- Thermal management: Nanoconduction

- This is not an exhaustive list.

## Revolutionary Technology Waves

- Red Herring, May 2002

**Commonality:****	****Railroad, auto, computer, nanotech**
**	****all are enabling technologies**

## Challenges facing Nanotechnology

- •	Lots of nanoscience, very little nanotechnology now; more 		emphasis on technology development and participation from 		engineering communities are urgently needed
- •	**People do not buy technology; they buy products**
- 		-	Robust product development is critical to realize the potential
- •	Recognition of
- 	nano-micro-macro hierarchy
- 	in product development
- •	What is the right Nano
- 	Business Model?
- 		-	Can we afford to copy
- 			the Bio-sector?
- 		-	IP        IPO?, Product       IPO?

*Source: UC Berkeley*

## Challenges facing Nanotechnology

- (Continued)

- •	It simply takes 10 or more years to bring out a product from the lab
- •	Role of the Government:  Given the long term nature of the technology and
- 	payoffs in terms of job creation and economic returns,
- 		-	Lack of patience from Federal Government will kill the field
- 		-	But history indicates, Federal agencies have been responsible for 				numerous technology wins in the last 50 years
- 		-	So, governments should ignore the hype, be patient and stay the course
- 			for the long run
- •	Venture community behavior will determine the fate
- 		-	Lack of patience will hurt the startup activities
- 		-	Indiscriminate investment like in the dotcom days will seal the field
- •	 Early and periodic wins, a must to keep investor confidence high
- •	Need some sanity in issuing patents

## Challenges Facing Nanotechnology

- (continued)

- •	Most startups have limited funding and 	cannot afford expensive characterization
- 	equipment (SEM, TEM, AFM, STM....)
- 		-	Unless university-affiliated, 				access to equipment is very 				difficult
- 		-	Even with fee-for-use access to 			university facilities (ex: NNI user 			facilities), waiting period for 				access is long since 				thesis/education work is the 				highest priority
- •	Shared use facilities in Incubator
- 	settings, a watering-hole approach
- •	Educating future generation scientists
- 	and engineers

- Image courtesy of: www.tecknarstugan.com/ miljo.html

## USA vs. Rest of the World

- •	Japan, EU funding for Nano is comparable to that in U.S. or higher
- •	Strong activities in Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Switzerland, China
- 		-	Not much blue-sky research but much sharper focus
- •	‘Majors’ play a major role in other countries
- 		-	Financial staying power
- 		-	Long term approach
- 		-	No quarterly pressures though that is changing
- •	Fortunately in the U.S. also, the ‘Majors’ have started to take notice
- 		-	Just can’t rely on start-ups, only a very few of them ever 				make it

## Safety and Health Concerns:

- Regulatory Issues

- •	All are real concerns but everything is getting overblown
- •	“Knowledge is power.”  So, we need to know the impact of nanomaterials with respect to: 		worker safety, public safety, etc.
- 		-	This requires all the studies normally done with any new material development.
- 		-	Only such knowledge can lead us to see if new regulations and 	congressional 				legislation are required
- •	But, why is this any different from the past? Why make an unnecessarily big deal about nano?
- •	Would (name your favorite company here) do anything different in bringing a 			nanomaterial to market?  They are still bound by Federal/State/Local safety and health 		guidelines, fear of lawsuits....
- •	Let us be realistic: We have been burning coal for about 200 years if not more.  We can’t 		seem to agree on anything related to the impact on air quality, acid rain, climate change, 		increased asthma among children, more lakes off-the-list for fresh water fishing (mercury 		poisoning)....
- 		-	Societies have always moved on with developments (unless something is totally 				worrisome/disastrous, which is doubtful here) and addressed issues along the way....

## •	Nanotechnology is an enabling technology that will 	impact electronics and computing, materials and 		manufacturing, health, medicine, energy, 			transportation...

- Summary

- •	Nanotechnology is an enabling technology that will 	impact electronics and computing, materials and 		manufacturing, health, medicine, energy, 			transportation...
- •	Opportunities and rewards are great and hence, 		tremendous worldwide interest
- •	Integration of this emerging field into engineering 		and science curriculum is important to prepare the 		future generation of scientists and engineers