THE NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

Supplement to the President’s 2018 Budget
About the National Science and Technology Council

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is the principal means by which the Executive Branch coordinates 

science and technology policy across the diverse entities that make up the Federal research and development enterprise. 

A primary objective of the NSTC is establishing clear national goals for Federal science and technology investments. The 

NSTC prepares research and development strategies that are coordinated across Federal agencies aimed at accomplishing 

multiple national goals. The work of the NSTC is organized under committees that oversee subcommittees and working 

groups focused on different aspects of science and technology. The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is managed 

by the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the NSTC Committee on Technology. More 

information is available at www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/nstc.

About the Office of Science and Technology Policy

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was established by the National Science and Technology Policy, 

Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to provide the President and others within the Executive Office of the President with 

advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of the economy, national security, homeland security, 

health, foreign relations, the environment, and the technological recovery and use of resources, among other topics. OSTP 

leads interagency science and technology policy coordination efforts, assists the Office of Management and Budget with 

an annual review and analysis of Federal research and development in budgets, and serves as a source of scientific and 

technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major policies, plans, and programs of the Federal 

Government. More information is available at www.whitehouse.gov/ostp.

About this document

This document is a supplement to the President’s 2018 Budget request submitted to Congress on May 23rd, 2017, and serves 

as the Annual Report for the National Nanotechnology Initiative called for under the provisions of the 21st Century 

Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-153, 15 USC §7501). The report also addresses the 

requirement for Department of Defense reporting on its nanotechnology investments, per 10 USC §2358. Additional 

information regarding the NNI is available on the NNI website at www.nano.gov.

About the cover

Outer Covers: Gold nanoparticles in the shape of two short pyramids attached at the base (250 nm on the long edge and 

177 nm on the short edge) self-assemble into complex three-dimensional cages when coated with custom-made DNA. The 

DNA strands on the nanoparticles cross-link with each other, enabling the self-assembly. This approach has the potential to 

open up a new class of materials. These complex synthetic cages, with pores that can possibly hold cargo, have potential 

applications in sensing and storage, as well as medical diagnosis and drug delivery. The back cover shows a simulation of 

assembled gold nanoparticles, and the front cover depicts the same structure in a ball-and-stick layout to highlight the cage 

arrangement. This work was the result of a collaboration between researchers from the Mirkin laboratory at Northwestern 

University and the Glotzer laboratory at the University of Michigan. This research was supported in part by the Center for 

Bio-Inspired Energy Science, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as the 

Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation. See Science 355, 931-935 (2017) for details 

(science.sciencemag.org/content/355/6328/931.full). Images courtesy of S. Lee and M. Spellings, The Glotzer Group, 

University of Michigan.

Inside Back Cover: The inside face of the back cover includes a collage of images illustrating examples of NNI educational 

outreach activities. See captions under the collage for additional information. Collage content and design by Quinn Spadola 

and Kristin Roy of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO).

Cover, book design, and copyright information

Cover design is by Kristin Roy of NNCO. Book design is by the NNCO staff. This document is a work of the United States

Government and is in the public domain (see 17 USC §105). Subject to stipulations below, it may be distributed and copied, 

with acknowledgement to NNCO. Copyrights to graphics included in this document are reserved by original copyright 

holders or their assignees and are used here under the Government’s license and by permission. Requests to use any images 

must be made to the provider identified in the image credits, or to NNCO if no provider is identified.

Printed in the United States of America, 2017.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 

THE NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology

Committee on Technology

National Science and Technology Council

November 2017
* Official NSET Representative

† An independent commission that is represented on NSET but is non-voting

Report prepared by

NATIONAL SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY COUNCIL, COMMITTEE ONTECHNOLOGY (COT)

SUBCOMMITTEE ONNANOSCALE SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, ANDTECHNOLOGY (NSET)

NSET Subcommittee Chairs:

Lloyd J. Whitman, OSTP

Antti Makinen, DOD

National Nanotechnology Coordination 

Office:

Lisa E. Friedersdorf, Director

NSET Subcommittee Executive Secretary:

Geoffrey M. Holdridge, NNCO

Nanotechnology Environmental and Health 

Implications (NEHI) Working Group 

Chairs:

Treye A. Thomas, CPSC

John Howard, NIOSH

Nanotechnology Innovation and 

Commercialization Ecosystem (NICE)

Working Group Chair:

Lynnette D. Madsen, NSF

Coordinator for Global Issues:

Christopher M. Cannizzaro, DOS

Coordinator for Standards Development:

Ajit Jillavenkatesa, NIST

Coordinator for Environmental, Health, and 

Safety Research:

Treye A. Thomas, CPSC

Coordinator for Education, Engagement, 

and Societal Dimensions:

John F. Bobalek, DOTreas

NSET Subcommittee Participants

Office of Science and Technology Policy 

(OSTP)

Lloyd J. Whitman*

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Danielle Jones*

James Kim*

Emily Mok*

Consumer Product Safety Commission 

(CPSC)†

Treye A. Thomas*

Department of Commerce (DOC)

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

Kelly Gardner*

Economic Development Administration 

(EDA)

(vacant)

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST)

Heather Evans*

Ajit Jillavenkatesa*

R. David Holbrook

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

(USPTO)

Gladys Corcoran*

Jesus Hernandez*

Jerry Lorengo*

Peter Mehravari*

Department of Defense (DOD)

John Beatty*

Jeffrey DePriest*

Eric W. Forsythe*

Mark H. Griep

Akbar Khan*

Antti J. Makinen*

Heather Meeks

Brian D. Pate

Gernot S. Pomrenke*

David M. Stepp*

Department of Education (DOEd)

(vacant)

Department of Energy (DOE)

Harriet Kung*

George Maracas*

Andrew R. Schwartz*

David Forrest*

Department of Health and Human Services 

(DHHS)

Agency for Toxic Substances and 

Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Deborah Burgin

Candis M. Hunter

Custodio V. Muianga

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Anil Patri*

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Charles L. Geraci*

Vladimir V. Murashov*

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Piotr Grodzinski*

Lori A. Henderson*

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Kumar Babu*

Angela Ervin

Department of the Interior (DOI)

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

Patricia Bright

Michael Focazio

Jeffery Steevens*

Department of Justice (DOJ)

National Institute of Justice (NIJ)

Joseph Heaps*

Department of Labor (DOL)

Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA)

Janet Carter*

Department of State (DOS)

Christopher M. Cannizzaro*

Ken Hodgkins*

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Peter Chipman*

Jonathan R. Porter*

Department of the Treasury (DOTreas)

John F. Bobalek*

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Jeffrey B. Frithsen*

Jeff Morris*

Intelligence Community (IC)

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

Matthew Cobert*

National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA)

Michael A. Meador*

Lanetra C. Tate

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Khershed Cooper*

Fred Kronz

Lynnette Madsen

Mihail C. Roco*

Nora Savage

Charles Ying*

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)†

Brian Thomas*

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Agriculture Research Service (ARS)

James Lindsay*

Forest Service (FS)

World L.-S. Nieh*

National Institute of Food and 

Agriculture (NIFA)

Hongda Chen*

U.S. International Trade Commission 

(USITC)†

Elizabeth R. Nesbitt*
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20502

November 30, 2017

Dear Members of Congress:

I am pleased to transmit the National Nanotechnology Initiative Supplement to the 

President’s 2018 Budget. Under the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), twenty Federal 

departments, independent agencies, and commissions work together toward the shared vision of a 

future in which the ability to understand and control matter at the nanoscale leads to a revolution 

in technology and industry that benefits society.

This document is a supplement to the President’s 2018 Budget Request and serves as the 

Annual Report for the NNI called for under the provisions of the 21st Century Nanotechnology 

Research and Development Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-153, 15 USC §7501). The document

also addresses the requirement for Department of Defense reporting on its nanotechnology

investments, per 10 USC §2358. It summarizes the progress made in achieving the goals of the 

NNI, research and development activities and plans of the participating agencies, and agency 

investments in each program component area. The President’s 2018 Budget requests $1.2 billion 

for the NNI, a continued investment in support of innovation promoting America’s 

competitiveness, economic growth, and national security.

Thank you for your shared support of this important Federal initiative.

Sincerely,

Rachael L. Leonard

General Counsel

Office of Science and Technology Policy

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction and Overview.....................................................................................................................1

Overview of the National Nanotechnology Initiative....................................................................................................1

Progress towards the NNI Goals............................................................................................................................................4

External Reviews of the NNI....................................................................................................................................................8

2. NNI Investments.....................................................................................................................................11

Budget Summary .....................................................................................................................................................................11

Key Points about the 2016–2018 NNI Investments..................................................................................................... 14

Utilization of SBIR and STTR Programs to Advance Nanotechnology.................................................................. 17

Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area ......................................................................19

PCA 1. Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives and Grand Challenges.................................................................. 19

PCA 2. Foundational Research ............................................................................................................................................40

PCA 3. Nanotechnology-Enabled Applications, Devices, and Systems............................................................... 48

PCA 4. Research Infrastructure and Instrumentation................................................................................................. 55

PCA 5. Environment, Health, and Safety .........................................................................................................................59

Appendix B. Abbreviations and Acronyms..............................................................................................71

Appendix C. Contact List...........................................................................................................................73
Image Credits: (a) National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (b) Paul Westerhoff, Nanosystems Engineering Research 

Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment; (c) David Kamm, U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering 

Command; (d) John Rogers, Northwestern University; (e) Joseph Walish, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; (f) Tyler 

Hernandez, Michael Strand, Daniel Slotcavage, and Michael McGehee, Stanford University; (g) David Scaglione. For more 

information on nanotechnology benefits and applications, please visit www.nano.gov/you/nanotechnology-benefits.

What is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology encompasses science, engineering, and technology at the nanoscale, which is about 

1 to 100 nanometers. Just how small is that? A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. For reference, a sheet of 

paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick. Nanoscale matter can behave differently than the same bulk material. 

For example, a material’s melting point, color, strength, chemical reactivity, and more may change at the 

nanoscale. 

Nanotechnology is affecting all aspects of life through innovations that enable, for example (some with images 

shown below), strong, lightweight materials for aerospace applications (a); clean, accessible drinking water

around the world (b); superfast computers with vast amounts of storage; self-cleaning surfaces (c); wearable 

sensors (d) and health monitors; safer food through packaging and monitoring (e); regrowth of skin, bone, and 

nerve cells for better medical outcomes; smart windows that lighten or darken to conserve energy (f); and 

nanotechnology-enabled concrete that dries more quickly and has sensors to detect stress or corrosion in 

roads, bridges, and buildings (g). 
The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 1

1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

Nanotechnology is broadly enabling, with applications that address this Administration’s highest priorities: 

national security, economic growth, and job creation. While still an emerging area of research and 

development, nanotechnology is already having a significant impact on the marketplace, with worldwide 

revenues of nanotechnology-enabled products projected to be $3.7 trillion in 2018.

1Nanotechnology is used 

in areas as diverse as consumer electronics, aerospace, water purification and monitoring, transportation and 

infrastructure, apparel and textiles, energy, agriculture and food safety, sporting goods, and medicine. 

Nanotechnology plays an increasingly important role in many sectors of the economy, especially in what is 

known as “High Tech” or “Knowledge- and Technology-Intensive” manufacturing industries (HT 

manufacturing)—a major driver of growth and job creation. In 2014, HT manufacturing accounted for 15% 

of the global manufacturing sector and added $511 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The HT 

manufacturing industries also created 1.8 million high-paying U.S. jobs in 2014. Further, while only 

accounting for about three percent of U.S. GDP, HT manufacturing industries funded roughly half of all 

business research and development (R&D) in the United States.2 Nanotechnology applications to HT 

manufacturing include the patterning of nanoscale devices in semiconductor manufacturing, 

multifunctional nanomaterial enhancements in sensors and communications equipment, nanoparticle 

formulations in pharmaceuticals and precision medicine, and nanomaterials used in enhanced-strength or 

multifunctional composites in the aerospace and automobile industries. The nanotechnology R&D

underway today will provide the foundation for future applications enabling entirely new capabilities and 

products. From flexible electronics powered by our movements to nerve regeneration, nanotechnology has 

much more to offer.

Overview of the National Nanotechnology Initiative

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), established in 20013 and authorized in 2003 in the 21st Century 

Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (“the Act”),

4 is a U.S. Government R&D initiative. Twenty

Federal departments, independent agencies, and commissions5 work together toward the shared vision of 

a future in which the ability to understand and control matter at the nanoscale leads to a revolution in technology 

and industry that benefits society.

6

The NNI operates within the framework of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the Cabinetlevel council by which the President coordinates science and technology policy across the Federal 

Government. The Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee, chartered under 

the NSTC Committee on Technology, seeks to maintain the U.S. position as a world leader in nanotechnology; 

enhance national security; increase U.S. productivity and competitiveness and promote long-term economic 

 

1 www.luxresearchinc.com/content/nanotechnology-update-us-leads-government-spending-amidst-increasedspending-across-asia-0

2 www.nsf.gov/statistics/2016/nsb20161/#/

3 General note: In conformance with Office of Management and Budget style, references to years in this report are to 

fiscal years unless otherwise noted.

4 15 U.S.C. §7501(c)(4), P.L. 108-153: www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-108publ153/html/PLAW-108publ153.htm

5 Hereafter within this document the Federal departments, independent agencies, and commissions participating in 

the NNI are referred to collectively as “agencies.”

6 www.nano.gov/2016strategicplan, p. 3
1. Introduction and Overview

2 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

growth; achieve energy independence; improve the health and quality of life of the U.S. citizenry; and 

develop a future-focused workforce. The NSET Subcommittee, composed of representatives from the 

agencies participating in the NNI and from the Executive Office of the President, maximizes interagency 

coordination of nanotechnology R&D, enables agencies to avoid duplicative efforts, and establishes shared 

goals, priorities, and strategies that complement agency-specific missions and activities.

Table 1: Federal Departments and Agencies Participating in the NNI

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)†

Department of Commerce (DOC) 

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

Economic Development Administration (EDA)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)*

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Department of Defense (DOD)*

Department of Education (DOEd)

Department of Energy (DOE)*

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)*

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)*

National Institutes of Health (NIH)*

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)*

Department of the Interior (DOI)

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)*

Department of Justice (DOJ)

National Institute of Justice (NIJ)*

Department of Labor (DOL)

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Department of State (DOS)

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)*

Department of the Treasury (DOTreas)

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)*

Intelligence Community (IC) 

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)*

National Science Foundation (NSF)*

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)†

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)*

Forest Service (FS)*

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)*

U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC)†

* Denotes agencies (or organizations within agencies) with budgets dedicated to nanotechnology research and development † Denotes an independent commission that is represented on NSET but is non-voting
1. Introduction and Overview

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 3

The NSET Subcommittee has previously identified areas that require focused interagency attention and 

activity, facilitated by subsidiary working groups or by other mechanisms. NSET currently has two working 

groups—the Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications (NEHI) Working Group and the 

Nanotechnology Innovation and Commercialization Ecosystem (NICE) Working Group. Four coordinators

have also been designated, for global issues; standards development; environmental, health, and safety 

research; and education, engagement, and societal dimensions. 

The agencies work together towards the four long-standing NNI goals: 

1. Advance a world-class nanotechnology research and development program.

2. Foster the transfer of new technologies into products for commercial and public benefit.

3. Develop and sustain educational resources, a skilled workforce, and a dynamic infrastructure and 

toolset to advance nanotechnology.

4. Support responsible development of nanotechnology.

For each of these goals, the NNI’s strategic plan (last updated in 2016) identifies specific objectives aimed at 

collectively pursuing the NNI vision. 

As directed by the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, the NSET Subcommittee 

has also identified R&D investment categories, known as Program Component Areas (PCAs). The five PCAs, 

listed below, include research and development activities that contribute to one or more of the NNI goals:

1. Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives and Grand Challenges.

2. Foundational Research.

3. Nanotechnology-Enabled Applications, Devices, and Systems.

4. Research Infrastructure and Instrumentation.

5. Environment, Health, and Safety.

Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives (NSIs) are designed to accelerate innovation in areas ripe for significant 

advances through close and targeted program-level interagency collaboration. The NSI portfolio is dynamic, 

with NSI topics retired when the additional focus afforded by this mechanism is no longer necessary, and 

new topics added when agencies identify a new area that would benefit from such focus. The NNI agencies 

review and update the technical content of each NSI on a regular basis to address emerging priorities and 

research progress in achieving program goals. NSI topics for 2016 through 2018 are as follows:

• Sustainable Nanomanufacturing: Creating the Industries of the Future (Nanomanufacturing NSI).

• Nanoelectronics for 2020 and Beyond (Nanoelectronics NSI).

• Nanotechnology Knowledge Infrastructure (NKI): Enabling National Leadership in Sustainable 

Design (NKI NSI).

• Nanotechnology for Sensors and Sensors for Nanotechnology: Improving and Protecting Health, 

Safety, and the Environment (Sensors NSI).

• Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology: Nanoscale Solutions for a Global-Scale Challenge

(Water NSI).

A Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenge (GC) is defined as an ambitious but achievable goal that 

harnesses nanoscience, nanotechnology, and innovation to solve important national or global problems and 

that has the potential to capture the public’s imagination. To date, the NNI has established one such grand 

challenge, focused on future computing, which challenges the community to create a new type of computer 

that can proactively interpret and learn from data, solve unfamiliar problems using what it has learned, and 

operate with the energy efficiency of the human brain. Funding associated with this GC is reported for the first 

time in this budget supplement.
1. Introduction and Overview

4 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

NNI R&D activities are also guided by the 2011 Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Strategy, which 

agencies periodically review and remains relevant to current priorities.

7 This strategy supports all four NNI 

goals but is most closely aligned with Goal 4 and PCA 5.

The NNI budget represents the sum of the nanotechnology-related investments allocated by each of the 

participating agencies (the “NNI budget crosscut”). Each agency determines its budget for nanotechnology 

R&D in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of Science and Technology 

Policy (OSTP), and Congress. NNI agencies collaborate closely—facilitated through the NSET Subcommittee,

its working groups and coordinators, and the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)—to 

create an integrated R&D program that leverages resources, including equipment and other infrastructure, 

and knowledge to advance NNI goals and meet individual agency mission needs and objectives. The NNI 

budget supplement this year details agency activities and plans based on the PCAs instead of by goal and 

objective, as structured in recent years, to better align with the required budget reporting as mandated in 

the Act. Chapter 1 provides an introduction and summary of progress towards the goals, and chapter 2 

presents budget information. Detailed technical and programmatic highlights associated with each agency’s

R&D activities under each PCA are included in Appendix A. Appendix B presents a list of abbreviations and 

acronyms used throughout this document, and contact information for representatives from the 

participating agencies, OSTP, OMB, and NNCO is listed in Appendix C.

The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act codified the establishment of NNCO. The 

NNCO provides technical and administrative support to the NSET Subcommittee, including the preparation 

of multiagency planning, budget, and assessment documents; develops, updates, and maintains 

information about the NNI, including the NNI website www.nano.gov; serves as the point of contact on 

Federal nanotechnology activities; provides public outreach on behalf of the NNI; and promotes access to 

and early application of the knowledge, technologies, and innovations derived from NNI activities.

Progress towards the NNI Goals

Goal 1. Advance a World-Class Nanotechnology Research and Development Program

The frontiers of science are ever expanding, and the NNI agencies are committed to supporting basic and 

early-stage applied research at the leading edge, ensuring the development of next-generation 

nanotechnology-enabled innovations. Meanwhile, research results from past NNI investments are being 

broadly applied by the private sector in new commercial products. Continued Federal investments will 

enable future discoveries that build upon and expand the body of knowledge already developed under the 

auspices of the NNI, and ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of nanotechnology and 

realizes the benefits to our national and economic security. NNI agencies fund a diverse R&D portfolio that 

includes strategic and complementary research incorporating intramural and extramural programs 

consisting of single-investigator efforts, multi-investigator and multidisciplinary research teams, and centers 

and networks for focused research. Inherently interdisciplinary, nanotechnology research strengthens the 

intersections of traditional scientific disciplines, and agency investments facilitate convergence of 

knowledge, tools, and domains of nanotechnology with other areas of science and technology, including, 

but not limited to, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive sciences. Nanotechnology R&D is 

benefiting from significant advances in analytical approaches that incorporate simulation, modeling, and 

data analytics to advance materials and device development, evaluation, and testing. The Nanotechnology 

Signature Initiatives and Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenge encompass R&D activities that are more 

 

7 www.nano.gov/2011EHSStrategy
1. Introduction and Overview

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 5 

closely coordinated based on the specific areas of focus identified by the participating agencies. Agency 

activities that support the NSIs and GC are reported under PCA 1, while agency activities supporting 

foundational research are reported under PCA 2. Goal 1 is interrelated with the other NNI goals because 

progress in R&D depends on a robust research infrastructure (availability of a skilled workforce, 

instrumentation, and tools, Goal 3), and on understanding potential implications of nanotechnology and 

laying the foundation for its incorporation into commercial products (Goals 4 and 2). 

Scientists Map All 23,196 Atoms in a Nanoparticle

Using one of the world’s most advanced electron 

microscopes, researchers from Lawrence 

Berkeley National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory, and two universities have 

determined the exact location and chemical 

identity of all 23,196 atoms in an 8.4 nm ironplatinum nanoparticle. 

Mapping the nanoparticle in exquisite detail helps 

scientists understand grain structure and 

magnetic properties at the single-atom level, 

enabling potential future advances in magnetic 

data storage devices. Further, this technique can

be applied to other nanoparticles of interest, 

revealing their precise atomic makeup and 

potentially enabling improvements in areas

ranging from catalysis to disease diagnosis. 

Visualization of atomic composition of an iron-platinum 

nanoparticle. Iron atoms are red and platinum atoms are 

blue. Image credit: Colin Ophus and Florian Niekie, 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 

Goal 2. Foster the Transfer of New Technologies into Products for Commercial and Public 

Benefit 

The science and technology advances supported under Goal 1 form the basis for new materials, devices, and 

systems. Early applications of nanotechnology can already be found in products throughout the 

marketplace, but there is significant potential for the novel properties that exist at the nanoscale to be used 

in entirely new devices and systems in a broad array of applications, from quantum computing to the 

treatment of disease. To realize this potential, the focus of Goal 2 is to facilitate the transfer of 

nanotechnology research and development breakthroughs into applications that the private sector can 

bring to market. Goal 2 encompasses four objectives that detail how the NNI aims to complement private 

sector investments and activities by sharing information, promoting access to user facilities, leveraging 

resources through public-private partnerships, and participating in international standards activities that are 

critical to commercialization. 

As with any new technology, scalable, repeatable, cost-effective, and high-precision manufacturing methods 

are required to move nanotechnology discoveries from the laboratory into commercial products. The 

Nanomanufacturing NSI focuses on research needed to develop next-generation manufacturing processes 

and measurement technologies. NNI participating agencies also have a number of activities specifically

supporting technology transfer and commercialization, including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 

and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs. 
1. Introduction and Overview 

6 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Image credit: iStock

In addition to the NNI agency activities, NNCO conducts outreach activities to engage with and learn from 

the private sector about the barriers to commercializing nanotechnologies. Over the past several years,

NNCO has also expanded the information available on nano.gov relevant to the business community, 

including links to funding programs, user facilities, best practices for safe handling of nanomaterials, and a 

list of frequently asked questions8 covering topics from intellectual property protection to regulation. 

Collaborative Innovations Enable the Development and Deployment of Smart 

Fabrics 

Imagine if your jacket could charge your smartphone by harnessing 

the energy of your body’s movements, or if sensors embedded in the 

fabric of your grandparents’ clothes could detect a fall and notify a 

caregiver. These applications are among a host of possibilities that 

nanotechnology-enabled smart fabrics may make possible. 

Manufacturing USA institutes, including DOD-funded NextFlex and 

Advanced Functional Fabrics of Americia, have created a collaboration 

space for academic institutions, industry partners, and Federal agencies (including NIST) to develop relevant 

technologies, many of which rely on the unique properties of nanomaterials, and to accelerate the 

transition of these technologies from the bench to U.S. manufacturers. 

Goal 3. Develop and Sustain Educational Resources, a Skilled Workforce, and a Dynamic 

Infrastructure and Toolset to Advance Nanotechnology 

To advance a world-class nanotechnology research and development program (Goal 1) and foster the 

transfer of these new discoveries into useful applications (Goal 2), a strong ecosystem must exist that 

leverages the physical, cyber, and human infrastructure. The NNI continues to support the cyber and physical 

infrastructure for nanotechnology through its extensive network of research centers and user facilities that 

provide access to instrumentation for fabrication and characterization, as well asto modeling and simulation 

tools and data. A cornerstone of the physical research infrastructure is the NSF-funded National 

Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI), which is a network of university user facilities that 

provide access to state-of-the-art equipment for characterization and fabrication. This network of 16 nodes 

and their affiliated sites across the country leverages expertise in a vast array of disciplines and over 2,000

tools that support nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. The NNCI is also developing a skilled 

workforce, with student researchers working alongside experts, not only learning to operate the equipment, 

but also learning the methods and techniques needed to make the most of these tools. The NNCI 

complements the resources available at government laboratories, including the DOE Nanoscale Science 

Research Centers (NSRCs), DOD research laboratories, and NIST. In addition to these facilities, the NSF-funded 

Network for Computational Nanotechnology9 provides, through nanoHub, a cyber-platform for sharing 

simulation and education resources, and serves as the focal point for computational nanotechnology 

research, education, and collaboration.

Developing a future-focused workforce is a major objective of NNI-funded academic research. Traditionally, 

the focus has been primarily at the graduate and post-graduate levels, but there are increasing opportunities 

for undergraduates to participate in research through programs such as NSF’s Research Experience for 

Undergraduates (REU) program or similarly structured programs funded by individual universities. In 

addition, community colleges across the country are collaborating with local industries to respond to the 

 

8 www.nano.gov/bizfaqs

9 www.nanohub.org/groups/ncn 
1. Introduction and Overview

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 7 

Image Credit: Amina Khan, NSF

increasing need for skilled workers who understand fundamental nanotechnology concepts. The 

community colleges are working together and leveraging their collective knowledge and facilities. For 

example, the Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge (NACK) Network coordinates workforce 

development programs on behalf of the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program and partners 

with 25 community and technical colleges, 9 universities, and 5 other ATE centers. The network partners 

combine their resources and broaden impact with the Remotely Accessible Instruments for Nanotechnology 

(RAIN) program, in which students access and control equipment over the Internet with technical assistance 

via video conferencing. 

NNCO supports and amplifies the NNI agencies’ education and outreach efforts, including multimedia 

contests10 that encourage college students to communicate the value of their research (“EnvisioNano” and 

“Tiny Science. Big Impacts. Cool Videos.”). “Generation Nano,” a contest developed by NSF and NNCO, 

challenges high school students to explore how nanotechnology might give someone “superhero” 

capabilities. NNCO facilitates the Nano and Emerging Technologies Student Network of undergraduate clubs 

and the Teaching Nano and Emerging Technologies Network for K-12 teachers to share best practices and 

resources. Hundreds of resources for teaching nanotechnology, including lesson plans, demonstrations, and 

laboratory exercises—many of which were developed with NNI funding—are included in a searchable web 

portal as a result of a collaboration between NNCO and nanoHUB.11

Generation Nano: Small Science, Superheroes 

NSF and NNI are collaborating for the third year 

to support a superhero contest. The “Generation 

Nano: Small Science, Superheroes” contest was 

designed to excite students who may not 

already be engaged with science, technology, 

engineering, and math (STEM) topics to learn 

more about nanotechnology. In 2018, 

“Generation Nano: Superheroes Inspired by Science!” motivates students to imagine how applications of 

science, including nanotechnology, can save the day, and asks students to design science-powered gear 

for an original superhero. Students tell their heroes’ stories in comics and videos explaining the technology 

behind the superhero gear. Cumulative submissions from the first two years came from 167 students 

representing 18 different states. In 2017, NSF brought the finalists to a comic convention in Washington, DC, 

and they toured the U.S. Capitol. 

Goal 4. Support Responsible Development of Nanotechnology 

The responsible development of nanotechnology has been a primary goal of the NNI since its inception. An 

understanding of the behavior of nanomaterials with respect to nanotechnology-related environmental, 

health, and safety (nanoEHS) considerations—in addition to potential ethical, legal, and societal implications 

(ELSI)—is essential for establishing public confidence and regulatory certainty so that companies can readily 

bring nanotechnology products to market. Considering the applicability of nanotechnology to a wide variety 

of market segments, well-coordinated nanoEHS research is vital to American innovation and to advancing 

manufacturing and economic competitiveness. 

 

10 www.nano.gov/multimedia-and-contests 

11 nanohub.org/publications/118/ 
1. Introduction and Overview

8 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Artist’s rendering of the process in 

which a laser is used to weld graphene 

flakes together. Image Credit: 

Jonathan Claussen, Iowa State 

The 2011 NNI Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Strategy continues to guide the extramural 

programs and intramural activities within the agencies focused on nanoEHS. The NEHI Working Group and 

the NNI Coordinator for Environmental, Health, and Safety Research provide extensive coordination for these 

efforts across the Federal Government. 

Smart Technology for Food Production

Since the end of World War II, pesticide use has fueled tremendous 

increases in crop yields. However, reducing the impact of these 

chemicals on agricultural and aquatic ecosystems is an ongoing 

priority. Researchers supported by USDA’s National Institute of Food 

and Agriculture are developing a biosensor that can help farmers 

calibrate pesticide use. A team of university scientists has designed a 

graphene-based device to provide real-time, in-the-field 

measurements of pesticide levels in soil or water. The sensor 

technology incorporates graphene ink printed on paper, and the ink 

is welded with a laser to create a three-dimensional nanostructured 

surface. This graphene substrate provides a flexible, low-cost 

platform and potentially could be adapted for use beyond the 

agriculture community in the biomedical, environmental, and food safety arenas.

Over the years, considerable investments in nanoEHS research have resulted in significant advances in the 

state of knowledge and the development of characterization tools. Other regions in the world have also been 

making substantial investments in nanoEHS, and recent collaborations have enabled the sharing of data via

a common format. This data sharing leverages resources and knowledge to accelerate progress in 

understanding the behavior of nanomaterials in the environment and biological systems. This shared 

knowledge also enables developers to design safe products and helps inform regulators, leading to greater 

certainty for companies commercializing nanotechnology. The U.S.–EU (European Union) Communities of 

Research (CORs)12 activity is one vehicle for collaboration and information exchange among nanoEHS 

researchers. The CORs are researcher-led groups of experts who communicate via regular conference calls, a 

shared website, and annual workshops to develop technical work products such as white papers and 

database protocols. The annual COR workshops, which alternate between the United States and the 

European Union, bring participants together to report on scientific progress and plans. These meetings also 

provide a forum for U.S. and EU policy makers to exchange views about science-based regulation of 

nanomaterials. 

External Reviews of the NNI

The 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D Act called for review of the NNI every two years by the National 

Nanotechnology Advisory Panel (NNAP)—historically designated as the President’s Council of Advisors for 

Science and Technology (PCAST)—and every three years by the National Research Council, now referred to 

as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine—National Academies. (Note that the 

 

12 www.us-eu.org
1. Introduction and Overview

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 9

American Innovation and Competitiveness Act,

13 signed into law in January 2017, extended the reporting 

period to every four years for both bodies.) In 2017, both advisory bodies released reports on the NNI.

Triennial Review of the NNI

The National Academies convened a Committee on Triennial Review of the National Nanotechnology 

Initiative tasked to study (a) the mechanisms in use by the NNI to advance focused areas of nanotechnology 

and how those areas are chosen and (b) the physical and human infrastructure needed to realize the benefits 

of nanotechnology in the United States. 

In its 2016 report,14 the Committee recognized the broad applicability of nanotechnology to many other 

areas of national importance and noted that success in these areas hinges upon further advancements in 

nanotechnology. It recommended that NSET strengthen engagement with the leadership in these other 

areas. NNI leadership, through the NSTC and other means, actively participates in synergistic committees 

and activities to strengthen engagement with and leverage efforts related to other national priorities. For 

example, NNCO and the National Coordination Office of the Networking and Information Technology 

Research and Development (NITRD) Program are collaboratively working to bridge their areas of focus 

related to future computing, including efforts in nanoelectronics and low-power cognitive computing. 

With respect to manufacturing, the Committee recommended support for early-stage nanomanufacturing 

research and the formation of a working group to coordinate these efforts. One of the five NNI signature 

initiatives, Sustainable Nanomanufacturing: Creating the Industries of the Future, is focused on priority areas 

of nanomanufacturing, and agency representatives actively collaborate to identify the nanoscale research 

needs for advanced manufacturing. (See Appendix A for more details.) The team also engages with 

representatives from manufacturing centers and institutes where nanotechnology can play a key enabling 

role. 

The Committee emphasized the importance of physical and computational infrastructure and encouraged

agencies to identify funding mechanisms for the acquisition and maintenance of state-of-the-art equipment. 

The Committee also highlighted the value of facilities such as the National Cancer Institute’s 

Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, which serves as a trusted source of information on the safety 

of nanomaterials under development for cancer treatment, and recommended the consideration of other 

areas where this mechanism could be useful. The NNI agencies are exploring the potential for this type of 

laboratory in a number of areas, including the characterization of exposure to nanomaterials from products.

Finally, the Committee encouraged the NNI to find ways to further share educational resources, including by 

incorporating them into the searchable web portal recently established by NNCO and nanoHUB. NNCO is 

actively distributing information about these educational resources, engaging teachers through a K-12 

teachers network and science teachers associations at the state and national levels, and coordinating a 

webinar series for teachers. 

 

13 P.L. 114–329, title II, §204(b)(1), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 2999: www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW114publ329/html/PLAW-114publ329.htm. 

14 www.nap.edu/catalog/23603/triennial-review-of-the-national-nanotechnology-initiative
1. Introduction and Overview

10 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Biennial Review of the NNI

In January 2017, the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel released a brief letter report15 and reaffirmed 

the findings from its 2014 report. The Panel “observed that the NNI has spurred significant scientific discovery 

and understanding of nanoscale phenomena and has deeply integrated nanoscale science and technology 

into R&D portfolios across the Federal government.” It further recognized progress toward the 2014 report’s 

primary recommendation to focus efforts on specific technology goals with the launch of aNanotechnologyInspired Grand Challenge for Future Computing.16 The letter report also acknowledged and emphasized 

support for the recommendations regarding manufacturing and infrastructure from the National Academies 

triennial review of the NNI. The final recommendation—recognizing the recent statutory change to 

quadrennial assessments—wasto have the next Panel review conducted in 2018. This schedule would result 

in an alternating release of NNAP and National Academies reviews every two years.

 

15 www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/pub_resource/pcast_2017_nni_review_final.pdf

16 www.nano.gov/futurecomputing
The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 11

2.NNI INVESTMENTS

Budget Summary

The President’s 2018 Budget provides $1.2 billion for the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a continued 

investment in support of innovation promoting America’s interests, including competitiveness, economic 

growth, and national security. The Budget supports investments in basic research, early-stage applied 

research, and technology transfer efforts that will lead to the breakthroughs of the future. Cumulatively 

totaling over $25 billion since the inception of the NNI in 2001 (including the 2018 request), this support reflects 

the continued importance of investments that advance our fundamental understanding of and ability to

control matter at the nanoscale, as well as the translation of that knowledge into technological breakthroughs 

that serve the American people. The NNI investments in 2016 and 2017 and those proposed for 2018 reflect a 

sustained emphasis on broad, fundamental research in nanoscience to provide a continuing pipeline of new 

discoveries that will enable future transformative commercial products and services. As the fundamental 

understanding of behavior at the nanoscale and the nanomaterial toolbox continue to grow, it is increasingly 

challenging to identify all of the relevant R&D programs, because in some cases nanotechnology may now be

an enabling technology but is not called out as the focus of the overall program. Therefore, it is possible that 

some nanotechnology-enabled R&D investments at Federal agencies are not captured within the $1.2 billion 

documented in this report.

Guided by this Administration’s research and development priorities, agencies continue to prioritize 

investments in nanotechnology to meet their mission needs, including national, cross-agency needs for 

homeland security and defense; innovation in life sciences, medicine, and neuroscience; advanced 

manufacturing; information technology and high-performance computing; and energy conversion and 

storage. Nanotechnology has such a broad impact because it is one of several emerging “general-purpose 

technologies” that—like the steam engine, electricity, and the Internet—will have a universal impact on our 

economy and our society, with the ability to create entirely new industries, generate jobs, and increase 

productivity. The NNI also supports significant investments in research infrastructure and in STEM (science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, both of which are critical to the future prosperity and 

security of the United States.

The President’s 2018 Budget supports nanoscale science, engineering, and technology R&D at 12 agencies. 

The five Federal organizations with the largest investments (representing 95% of the total) are:

• NSF (fundamental research and education across all disciplines of science and engineering).

• DHHS/NIH (nanotechnology-based biomedical research at the intersection of life and physical 

sciences).

• DOE (fundamental and applied research providing a basis for new and improved energy 

technologies).

• DOD (science and engineering research advancing defense and dual-use capabilities). 

• DOC/NIST (fundamental research and development of measurement and fabrication tools, 

analytical methodologies, metrology, and standards for nanotechnology). 
2. NNI Investments

12 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Other agencies and agency components investing in mission-related nanotechnology research are CPSC, 

DHHS/FDA, DHHS/NIOSH, DHS, DOJ, DOT/FHWA, EPA, NASA, USDA/ARS, USDA/FS, and USDA/NIFA.17

Table 2 presents NNI investments for 2016 through 2018 for Federal agencies with budgets and investments 

for nanotechnology R&D. Tables 3–5 list the investments by agency and by NNI Program Component Area 

(PCA) for 2016 through 2018. Table 6 shows the NNI investments within Small Business Innovation Research 

(SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for 2012 through 2015. Figure 1 shows NNI 

annual funding by agency since the inception of the NNI in 2001. Figure 2 shows the breakdown of funding 

by PCA in the 2018 Budget.

Table 2: NNI Budget, by Agency, 2016–2018

(dollars in millions)

Agency 2016 Actual 2017 Estimated* 2018 Proposed

CPSC 2.0 2.0 1.0

DHS 1.0 0.8 0.7

DOC/NIST 82.5 82.4 65.3

DOD 149.3 144.5 139.9

DOE** 333.5 327.5 227.1

DOI/USGS 0.0 0.1 0.0

DOJ/NIJ 1.3 1.4 1.4

DOT/FHWA 1.5 0.5 1.5

EPA 13.9 10.0 4.5

DHHS (total) 420.5 439.6 347.7

FDA 11.7 11.0 10.9

NIH 397.7 417.5 325.7

NIOSH 11.1 11.1 11.1

NASA 13.4 12.0 6.1

NSF 510.4 420.8 388.6

USDA (total) 28.4 28.2 23.7

ARS 3.0 3.0 3.0

FS 6.4 7.2 3.7

NIFA 19.0 18.0 17.0

TOTAL*** 1557.8 1469.7 1207.5

* 2017 numbers are based on 2017 enacted levels and may have changed under

final operating plans.

** Funding levels for DOE include the combined budgets of the Office of Science, 

the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Office of Fossil 

Energy, the Office of Nuclear Energy, and the Advanced Research Projects 

Agency for Energy.

*** In Tables 2–6, totals may not add, due to rounding.

 

17 See Table 1 (p. 2) or Appendix B for explanations of the agency abbreviations used on this page and throughout the 

remainder of this report. DOI/USGS is also reporting investments in nanotechnology, but for 2017 only.
2. NNI Investments

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 13

Figure 1. NNI Funding by Agency, 2001–2018. † 2009 figures do not include American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for DOE ($293 million), NSF 

($101 million), NIH ($73 million), and NIST ($43 million). 

†† 2017 estimated funding is based on 2017 enacted levels and may have changed under final operating 

plans.

††† 2018 Budget.

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009† 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016†† 2017††† 2018††††

DOE

DHHS/NIH

NSF

DOD

DOC/NIST

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

$ Millions

Fiscal Year

USDA/ARS

DOJ

DOT

CPSC

USDA/FS

DHS

USDA/NIFA

DHHS/FDA

DHHS/NIOSH

EPA

NASA

}

DOI/USGS

Figure 2. Breakout of NNI Funding by Program Component Area in the 2018 Budget.

Environ.,

Health,

Safety

(6%)

Signature

Initiatives & 

Grand Challenges

(16%)

Foundational

Research

(39%)

Applications,

Devices, 

Systems

(24%)

Infrastructure &

Instrumentation

(15%)
2. NNI Investments

14 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Table 3: Actual 2016 Agency Investments by Program Component Area

(dollars in millions)

Agency

1. Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives (NSIs) and Grand Challenges (GCs)*1a. Nanomanufacturing NSI1b. Nanoelectronics NSI1c. NKI NSI1d. Sensors NSI1e. Water NSI1f. Future Computing GC2. Foundational Research3. Nanotechnology-Enabled Applications, Devices, and Systems4. Research Infrastructure and Instrumentation5. Environment, Health, and SafetyNNI Total

CPSC 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.0

DHS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0

DOC/NIST 26.2 5.4 13.3 1.3 0.7 0.3 5.3 9.3 5.4 35.7 5.9 82.5

DOD 27.5 0.8 18.3 1.1 4.2 2.2 1.0 90.7 26.1 2.0 3.0 149.3

DOE 5.7 0.0 4.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 178.2 16.8 132.9 0.0 333.5

DOI/USGS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

DOJ/NIJ 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 0.2 0.0 1.3

DOT/FHWA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 1.5

EPA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.9 13.9

DHHS (total) 14.4 1.1 0.0 1.3 11.7 0.0 0.3 82.5 250.4 26.4 46.8 420.5

FDA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.7 11.7

NIH 14.4 1.1 0.0 1.3 11.7 0.0 0.3 82.5 250.4 26.4 24.0 397.7

NIOSH 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.1 11.1

NASA 2.2 0.6 0.6 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 7.8 2.8 0.2 0.4 13.4

NSF 190.9 37.2 67.8 23.9 15.4 15.9 30.8 190.8 54.6 56.5 17.6 510.4

USDA (total) 10.5 5.4 0.1 0.0 4.0 1.0 0.0 4.0 9.0 2.6 2.3 28.4

ARS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 3.0

FS 3.5 3.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.6 0.3 6.4

NIFA 7.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 1.0 0.0 2.0 6.0 2.0 2.0 19.0

TOTAL 277.7 50.6 104.9 27.5 38.0 19.3 37.3 563.3 368.5 256.4 91.8 1557.8

* Abbreviated titles for the Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives and Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenges are used in 

Tables 3–5. See Chapter 1, p. 3, for full titles.

Key Points about the 2016–2018 NNI Investments

• Reductions in overall NNI investments for 2018 relative to 2016–2017 and previous years are 

consistent with the goal of the President’s 2018 Budget to prioritize Federal resources on areas that 

industry is not likely to support, over later-stage applied research and development that the 

private sector is better equipped to pursue.

• The actual NNI investments reported by the participating agencies for 2016 ($1.56 billion) are 

significantly larger than 2016 estimated investments published in the 2017 Budget ($1.43 billion) 

and 2016 requested investments published in the 2016 Budget ($1.50 billion). This change is due 

largely to the fact that an increasing proportion of agencies’ nanotechnology investments are 

coming from “core” R&D programs, where the high success rate of nanotechnology-related 

proposals cannot be anticipated in advance.
2. NNI Investments

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 15

Table 4: Estimated 2017 Agency Investments by Program Component Area

(dollars in millions)

Agency

1. Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives (NSIs) and Grand Challenges (GCs)*1a. Nanomanufacturing NSI1b. Nanoelectronics NSI1c. NKI NSI1d. Sensors NSI1e. Water NSI1f. Future Computing GC2. Foundational Research3. Nanotechnology-Enabled Applications, Devices, and Systems4. Research Infrastructure and Instrumentation5. Environment, Health, and SafetyNNI Total

CPSC 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.0

DHS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.8

DOC/NIST 26.0 4.9 10.7 1.3 0.7 0.3 8.2 10.3 4.4 35.7 6.0 82.4

DOD 24.1 0.6 14.9 0.7 4.7 2.3 1.0 89.7 26.0 1.4 3.4 144.5

DOE 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 180.9 11.4 134.9 0.0 327.5

DOI/USGS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1

DOJ/NIJ 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.2 0.0 1.4

DOT/FHWA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5

EPA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.0 10.0

DHHS (total) 15.1 1.1 0.0 1.4 12.2 0.0 0.4 87.6 262.0 28.1 46.8 439.6

FDA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.0 11.0

NIH 15.1 1.1 0.0 1.4 12.2 0.0 0.4 87.6 262.0 28.1 24.7 417.5

NIOSH 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.1 11.1

NASA 1.9 0.4 0.5 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.0 6.7 3.2 0.0 0.1 12.0

NSF 151.4 32.8 35.3 25.0 11.8 11.4 35.1 172.5 36.6 42.9 17.5 420.8

USDA (total) 12.8 7.6 0.1 0.0 3.0 2.1 0.0 3.0 8.0 2.0 2.4 28.2

ARS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 3.0

FS 5.8 5.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 7.2

NIFA 7.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 2.0 0.0 2.0 5.0 2.0 2.0 18.0

TOTAL 231.8 47.4 61.4 28.4 33.8 16.1 44.7 550.6 353.7 245.2 88.3 1469.7

• Total funding for PCA 1, Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives and Grand Challenges, for 2018 

(nearly $200 million, representing over 16% of the NNI total) reflects the emphasis on focused 

investments in R&D that advances interagency cooperation and public/private partnerships in 

support of national priorities, as a key part of the overall NNI funding strategy. 

• The NNI’s Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenge for Future Computing is a new investment 

category in the President’s 2018 Budget, included for the first time under PCA 1. This challenge 

helps to address renewed international competition for U.S. leadership in semiconductor 

manufacturing and downstream information technology industries. For 2016, agencies are 

reporting over $140 million in investments under the NNI budget crosscut (including related 

research under the Nanoelectronics NSI) in this sector, which is critical for both national security 

and economic competitiveness.
2. NNI Investments

16 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Table 5: Proposed 2018 Agency Investments by Program Component Area

(dollars in millions)

Agency

1. Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives (NSIs) and Grand Challenges (GCs)*1a. Nanomanufacturing NSI1b. Nanoelectronics NSI1c. NKI NSI1d. Sensors NSI1e. Water NSI1f. Future Computing GC2. Foundational Research3. Nanotechnology-Enabled Applications, Devices, and Systems4. Research Infrastructure and Instrumentation5. Environment, Health, and SafetyNNI Total

CPSC 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0

DHS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.7

DOC/NIST 19.2 4.9 10.5 1.3 0.4 0.3 1.9 9.5 3.2 30.5 2.8 65.3

DOD 21.0 0.5 12.9 0.6 3.8 2.2 0.9 88.3 26.5 0.7 3.5 139.9

DOE 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 141.3 5.0 80.6 0.0 227.1

DOI/USGS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

DOJ/NIJ 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.2 0.0 1.4

DOT/FHWA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 1.5

EPA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 4.5

DHHS (total) 11.3 0.8 0.0 1.1 9.1 0.0 0.3 68.4 205.2 22.1 40.7 347.7

FDA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.9 10.9

NIH 11.3 0.8 0.0 1.1 9.1 0.0 0.3 68.4 205.2 22.1 18.7 325.7

NIOSH 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.1 11.1

NASA 0.9 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 3.3 1.7 0.0 0.1 6.1

NSF 135.5 27.8 31.3 19.7 7.3 11.4 38.1 163.1 36.4 42.6 11.1 388.6

USDA (total) 10.2 5.2 0.0 0.0 3.0 2.0 0.0 2.2 7.0 2.0 2.3 23.7

ARS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 3.0

FS 3.2 3.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.3 3.7

NIFA 7.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 2.0 0.0 2.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 17.0

TOTAL 198.6 39.3 54.7 22.7 24.9 15.9 41.1 476.0 288.1 178.7 66.1 1207.5

• The increase in the percentage of total NNI investments in PCA 2, Foundational Research (from 

36% in 2016 to nearly 40% in the 2018 Budget) reflects the Budget’s focus on supporting earlystage R&D, and is consistent with calls by NNI advisory bodies to maintain a pipeline of basic 

research that will lead to the innovations of the future.

• Proportional NNI investments in PCA 3 (Nanotechnology-Enabled Applications, Devices, and 

Systems) hold steady at about 24% of the total NNI investments for 2016–2018, down slightly from 

25% in 2015.

• NNI agencies continue to provide consistent, proportional funding for PCA 4 (Research 

Infrastructure and Instrumentation) for 2016–2018, at 15–16% of the NNI total. The 2018 request 

($179 million, representing about 15% of the NNI total investment) includes sustained support for 

NSF’s National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure network of university-based 

nanotechnology user facilities. The President’s 2018 Budget for DOE requests continued support 

for three of the original five Nanoscale Science Research Centers. PCA 4 also includes research to 
2. NNI Investments

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 17

develop novel or improved instrumentation, which is critical to continued progress in 

nanotechnology and to maintain U.S. competitiveness internationally.

• PCA 5 (Environment, Health, and Safety—EHS) investments are a key element of the NNI’s strategy 

to ensure responsible development of nanotechnology. For 2016–2018, the proportional research 

investments reported under PCA 5 (see Appendix A for definitions) are approximately 6% of the 

NNI total for 2016 and 2017, and 5.5% in the 2018 Budget. In addition to the PCA 5 investments, 

some research reported under other PCAs (e.g., PCA 1 and PCA 4) also contributes to the overall 

EHS research portfolio. 

• The return of the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to the NNI budget 

crosscut in the 2018 President’s Budget is another example of where nanotechnology innovations 

initially funded by basic research agencies are now coming to fruition in R&D programs focused on 

applications, devices, and systems that directly contribute to national priorities. 

• Investments in SBIR and STTR funding by the participating agencies, reported outside of the formal 

NNI funding crosscut tabulated in the budget tables shown above, play a critical role in 

transitioning nanotechnology innovations into products for commercial and public benefit (NNI 

Goal 2), as discussed below.

Utilization of SBIR and STTR Programs to Advance Nanotechnology

As called for by the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, this report includes 

information on use of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer 

programs to support nanotechnology development. Five NNI agencies—DOD, DOE, NASA, NIH, and NSF—

have both SBIR and STTR programs. In addition, DHS, EPA, NIST, NIOSH, and USDA have SBIR programs that 

include funding for nanotechnology. Table 6 shows agency funding for SBIR and STTR awards for 

nanotechnology R&D from 2012 through 2015 (the latest year for which data are available). 

Some NNI agencies (e.g., NSF and NIH) have included nanotechnology-specific topics in their SBIR and STTR 

solicitations. The NSF SBIR program has an ongoing nanotechnology topic included within its advanced 

materials, manufacturing, electronics, and biotechnology solicitations. Some agencies have had topical or 

applications-oriented solicitations for which many awardees have proposed nanotechnology-based 

innovations. SBIR/STTR data for 2004 through 2015 indicate that the NNI agencies have funded over 

$1.1 billion of nanotechnology-related SBIR and STTR awards, in addition to the funding reported under the 

NNI PCAs. A complete listing by year (including data from 2004 through 2011) can be found at a download

link in the Overview section of nanodashboard.nano.gov.
2. NNI Investments

18 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Table 6: 2012–2015 Agency SBIR and STTR Awards

(dollars in millions)

2012 2013 2014 2015

Agency SBIR STTR Total SBIR STTR Total SBIR STTR Total SBIR STTR Total

DHHS/NIH 21.7 3.9 25.6 22.9 1.9 24.8 26.9 3.2 30.1 21.8 3.2 24.9

DHHS/NIOSH 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

DHS 1.3 0.0 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 4.0 0.0 4.0

DOC/NIST 0.4 0.0 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.6 0.7 0.0 0.7 0.2 0.0 0.2

DOD 25.4 7.6 33.0 22.6 5.5 28.1 11.1 6.5 17.6 24.6 2.8 27.4

DOE 7.8 1.7 9.5 3.9 2.3 6.2 15.1 2.5 17.5 20.5 4.0 24.5

EPA 0.7 0.0 0.7 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.9 0.0 0.9 0.9 0.0 0.9

NASA 17.0 3.9 20.9 5.7 1.3 7.1 2.1 1.9 4.0 3.3 0.9 4.2

NSF 18.0 2.5 20.5 17.9 0.9 18.9 22.1 3.6 25.8 19.6 3.8 23.4

USDA 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 1.5 0.0 1.5

TOTAL 92.8 19.6 112.4 74.5 11.9 86.4 79.3 17.7 97.0 96.4 14.7 111.0
The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 19

APPENDIX A.NNI RESEARCH BY PROGRAM COMPONENT AREA

The budget details presented in Chapter 2 encompass a broad array of National Nanotechnology Initiative 

(NNI) research and development activities. This appendix highlights examples of agency accomplishments 

and plans arising from the investments in each of the Program Component Areas(PCAs). For each PCA, 2016 

and 2017 accomplishments are provided for individual agencies, as well as for collaborative activities among 

NNI agencies and with external entities. 2018 plans for individual agency and collaborative activities are also 

summarized for each PCA.

PCA 1. Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives and Grand Challenges

Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives (NSIs) serve to spotlight topical areas of national importance that 

exhibit particular promise for significant advances through close and targeted program-level interagency 

collaboration. The NSIs define the shared vision of the participating agencies for accelerating the 

advancement of nanoscale science and technology from research through commercialization in their 

respective areas. The NSI portfolio is intended to be dynamic, with topical areas rotating and evolving over 

time. 

A nanotechnology-inspired grand challenge (GC) is an ambitious but achievable goal that harnesses 

nanoscience, nanotechnology, and innovation to solve important national or global problems and has the 

potential to capture the public’s imagination. The current grand challenge topic was chosen based on 

extensive input from the private and academic research sectors, with the goal of stimulating additional 

public and private sector interest and collaboration in developing low-power cognitive computing 

capabilities far beyond what is currently possible.

These PCA 1 categories include both foundational research and nanotechnology-enabled applications, 

devices, and systems within each NSI or GC, as appropriate. Instrumentation that is specifically developed in 

support of a confined topical area covered by one of the NSIs or GCs is included here, but otherwise the 

development or acquisition of more broadly applicable instrumentation (as well as resources devoted to 

facilities) falls under the separate PCA on Research Infrastructure and Instrumentation. Most research on 

Environment, Health, and Safety falls within the separate Program Component Area (PCA 5) described below, 

but activities directly pertinent to specific NSIs or GCs are reported in this section instead. Note that the NSIs 

and GCs are focused on the thrust areas as described below, and that activity falling outside these areas is 

classified under other PCAs.

1a. Sustainable Nanomanufacturing: Creating the Industries of the Future

Overview

The Nanomanufacturing NSI supports R&D to establish advanced manufacturing technologies for 

integrating nanoscale building blocks into complex, large-scale systems. The initiative has two thrust areas: 

(1) design of scalable and sustainable nanomaterials(such as those derived from wood and other renewable 

resources), components, devices, and processes; and (2) nanomanufacturing measurement technologies.
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

20 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

The agencies participating in the Nanomanufacturing NSI continue to make progress toward the goals 

identified in the foundational white paper,18 and highlights of these accomplishments are provided in a 

summary document available on nano.gov.19 The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) 

continues to support interagency coordination and engagement among agency representatives and 

relevant entities in the private sector. For example, a Technology Pathways Workshop was held in November 

2017, and provided case studies in nanotechnology commercialization from small and large companies for 

the benefit of current entrepreneurs seeking to scale up and commercialize their own nanotechnology 

businesses.

20

Agency Progress and Plans

DOD/Army: The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is conducting a multiscale research program to 

investigate low-cost, high-performance reinforcement of transparent composites using cellulose-based 

nanomaterials derived from renewable bioresources. Target applications include lightweight films and 

composites for use in ballistic protection and structural applications, with particular interest in reducing 

mechanical failure of transparent laminates. Significant accomplishments include development of new 

processes for drying nanocellulose to increase surface area and processes for dispersing the nanocellulose 

particles in transparent engineering polymers. Epoxy nanocomposites have demonstrated significant 

reduction in optical haze and improved clarity with the new particles compared to standard freeze-dried 

nanocellulose, and a significant increase in tensile strain-to-failure providing greater toughness compared 

to the neat epoxy. Surface modifications were also developed; in one case they were used to change the 

failure mechanism in poly(methyl methacrylate) films and substantially increase elongation and toughness, 

and in another case to improve the strain-to-failure in bulk epoxy samples. ARL plans to continue to optimize 

formulations of nanocellulose in epoxy to validate and improve upon the results to date, and to elucidate 

the mechanisms for improved toughening. ARL will also be exploring alternative, non-particulate 

reinforcement architectures.

DOD/Army, USDA/FS, and academia: The Army has coordinated its nanocellulose activities with relevant 

leaders in preparation and processing, especially focusing on critical challenges in developing optimized 

nanocellulose-based fibers and composites. ARL has collaborated with the USDA Forest Service’s Forest 

Products Laboratory in probing the effects of nanocellulose drying methods, surface chemistry, and 

microstructure on composite properties; and with several universities on better understanding and 

manipulating fundamental properties of cellulose nanocrystals as well as developing improved materials 

and techniques for secondary processing. 

DOD/Army and academia: The Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has initiated a 

new collaborative research program with a university focusing primarily on nanoscale modification of 

polymeric materials and cement-based materials with nanocellulose. The primary goal of this research is to 

produce structural materials for force protection and projection applications wherein the mechanical 

properties can be tailored by the addition of nanocellulose materials. Along with materials development, 

advanced nanoscale characterization methods will be applied to guide synthesis and material model 

development.

NASA: NASA continues to advance the technology maturation of structural carbon nanotubes (CNTs). 

Material property targets that guided the rapid advancement of CNT materials development drove the 

 

18 www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/pub_resource/nni_siginit_sustainable_mfr_revised_nov_2011.pdf

19 www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/pub_resource/Nanomanufacturing_NSI_Highlight_Document.pdf

20 www.nano.gov/TechPathwaysWorkshop
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 21

maturation of CNT composite processing and fabrication. The processing method was scaled up for 

implementation on a commercial filament winder, and a CNT composite overwrapped pressure vessel was 

flight tested in the summer of 2017.

Furthermore, NASA funded an effort to develop ultralightweight cores for efficient load-bearing structures 

and their applications. The project, supported by the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game 

Changing Development Program, focused on the maturation and development of scalable methods to 

manufacture ultralightweight core materials as lower-mass alternatives to traditional honeycomb or foam 

cores in composite sandwich structures. 

The processing method used to produce the CNT composites described above was developed in 

collaboration with an industry partner. 

NASA, Air Force, academia, and industry: NASA has awarded a grant to a university to establish a Space 

Technology Research Institute focused on Ultra-Strong Composites by Computational Design (US-COMP).

21

This grant will support efforts focused on enabling accelerated advancement of structural nanomaterials 

through computational guidance. Additional partners in US-COMP include several other universities, 

industrial partners, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

NIST: NIST continues to develop and deploy nanomanufacturing measurement technologies. The agency is 

developing accurate and precise nanoparticle measurement methods to be used as quality-control tools in 

manufacturing. Efforts include the development of quantitative, high-resolution tomography methods that 

can provide input data for nanocomposite models, and new fluorescence microscopy methods, using 

specially functionalized dyes, to elucidate failure mechanisms and identify particle-matrix interactions in 

nanocellulosic composites. NIST improved measurements of volume with the development of a validated 

fundamental measurement model for non-spherical nanoparticles, and NIST improved the production of 

well-controlled carbon nanotube populations through the demonstration of advanced separation and 

processing strategies. A patent was assigned to NIST on Fractionating Nanomaterials by a Liquid Multiphase 

Composition.22 These efforts will enable the research and industrial communities to optimize the design, 

processing, and application of nanomaterials for manufacturing applications. 

NIST will continue to advance nanoparticle manufacturing by developing new measurement methods to 

enable high-throughput quality control at every stage of the manufacturing process, as well as specialized 

tools to elucidate the fundamental phenomena occurring during nanoparticle formation and 

functionalization. NIST intends to advance translational processing capabilities so that production 

bottlenecks for high-value populations of carbon nanotubes are eliminated.

NIST, academia, and industry: NIST has worked with collaborators at a university to build comprehensive 

models of carbon nanotube composites that predict mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, using 

high-resolution tomography data obtained at NIST. NIST also will continue interactions with several 

companies for potential commercialization of a scalable separations technology for carbon nanotubes.

NSF: NSF is supporting research in novel processes and techniques throughout NSF directorates for 

continuous and scalable nanomanufacturing, directed (physical/chemical/biological) self-assembly 

processes leading to heterogeneous nanostructures with the potential for high-rate production, 

nanobiomanufacturing, modular systems, and principles and design methods. The NSF Nanomanufacturing

(NM) Program and other ongoing core programs fund fundamental research projects and have contributions 

 

21 www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-proposals-for-first-ever-space-technology-research-institutes

22 US 20140174991 A1 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

22 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

in carbon-based nanomaterials, optical metamaterials, cellulosic nanomaterials, composite nanomaterials, 

and nanosystems. Examples include the following:

• The NM Program23 in the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) supports fundamental research in 

novel methods and techniques for batch and continuous top-down (addition/subtraction) and 

bottom-up (directed self-assembly) processes leading to the formation of complex heterogeneous 

nanosystems. The program supports basic research in nanostructure, nanodevice, and process 

design principles; integration across length scales; and system-level integration. The program 

leverages advances in the understanding of nanoscale phenomena and processes (physical, 

chemical, electrical, thermal, mechanical, and biological), nanomaterials discovery, novel 

nanostructure architectures, and new nanodevice and nanosystem concepts. It seeks to address 

quality, efficiency, scalability, reliability, safety, and affordability issues that are relevant to 

manufacturing. To address these issues, the program encourages research on processes and 

production systems based on computation, modeling, and simulation; use of process metrology, 

sensing, monitoring, and control; and assessment of product quality and performance. NM focuses 

high-risk research on the discovery and invention of novel nanoscale processes, methods, and 

techniques that have the potential to translate into new manufacturing platforms. The NSF NM 

Program is a core basic research program that resides in ENG and is renewed every year. Other 

nanomanufacturing projects are supported by open competition in other NSF program areas.

• A program solicitation on scalable nanomanufacturing (SNM)24 has had seven competitions from 

2011 to 2017, where the expectations have changed and integrated systems have become an 

inherent part of the call. The emphasis of the SNM solicitation has been on multidisciplinary 

research to overcome the key scientific and technical barriers that prevent the production of useful 

nanomaterials, nanostructures, devices, and systems at an industrially relevant scale, reliably, and 

at low cost and within environmental, health, and safety (EHS) guidelines. SNM is a collaboration of 

multiple divisions in NSF’s ENG and Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) directorates. The 

current Scalable Nanomanufacturing for Integrated Systems (SNM-IS) solicitation has made awards 

in 2017 for projects that will continue for four years. The emphasis of SNM-IS is on research in new 

nanoscale manufacturing concepts and integration methods to realize complex integrated 

systems based on nanotechnology. The goal of the SNM-IS is to study and formulate the 

fundamental principles of scalable nanomanufacturing and integration for nanotechnology-based 

integrated systems towards the eventual manufacture of useful nanotechnology-enabled 

products. An additional goal is to investigate mass customization concepts for nanotechnologyenabled integrated systems. SNM-IS has synergy with the other activities focused on accelerated 

materials development, including the Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our 

Future (DMREF) program.25

• Several nanotechnology Engineering Research Centers provide support for nanomanufacturing 

research and education in the areas of nanoelectronics, nanosensors, and energy applications. One 

example is the Nanosystems Engineering Research Center (NERC) for Nanomanufacturing Systems 

for Mobile Computing and Mobile Energy Technologies (NASCENT), which was funded in 

September 2012 for five years, renewable based on merit review for another five. The center 

develops high-throughput, high-yield, reliable, and versatile nanomanufacturing systems to take 

nanoscience discoveries from the lab to the marketplace. Its mission is to create these 

nanomanufacturing systems and associated processes through transformative research, education 

23 www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13347

24 www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505265

25 www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505073
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 23

of leaders, and global and industrial engagement that will revolutionize future generations of 

mobile computing and energy devices. NASCENT is a partnership between several universities and 

has strong industry engagement.

• The final report of the NSF-sponsored international study on Nanomodular Materials and Systems 

by Design (NMSD) was published in September 2016. Related activities will continue in 2018.

NMSDs are materials and systems put together in a modular manner with nanoscale building

blocks. The structures and functions of these nanoscale architectures are guided by design and 

computation. A suite of nanoelements such as quantum dots, CNTs, two-dimensional (2D) atomic 

layer materials, etc., and a range of precision methods, both top-down lithography and bottom-up 

self-assembly, are available to construct these multi-component units. These functional blocks are 

then used to form large-scale architectures and higher-order systems towards the design and 

production of high-performance devices.

• Additional activities are being organized for 2017 and 2018 in the Directorate for Biological 

Sciences and the ENG Directorate aimed at researching biology at the nanoscale for advanced 

manufacturing.

• NSF infrastructure investments also support nanomanufacturing. The NSF National 

Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) user facilities are a resource for the 

nanomanufacturing community. A new node of the Network for Computational Nanotechnology 

for modeling and simulation research dedicated to nanomanufacturing was established at the end 

of 2017, for a five-year interval. More information is provided under PCA 4.

NSF, other NNI agencies, and Manufacturing USA: Dear Colleague Letter (DCL): Advanced Manufacturing 

Research to Address Basic Research Enabling Innovation at Manufacturing USA Institutes (2017: NSF 17-030):26

On November 18, 2016, NSF announced interest in research proposals to address critical fundamental 

research needs in advanced manufacturing, including nanomanufacturing, especially proposals that will 

enable innovations in one or more of the Manufacturing USA institutes’ focus areas, and that will leverage 

the facilities, infrastructure, and member companies of an institute. The resulting knowledge can, in turn, 

enable new technologies that feed into the innovation pipelines of one or more of the Manufacturing USA 

institutes. For example, the NextFlex manufacturing institute will develop manufacturing platforms for 

flexible hybrid electronics, where nanotechnology and nanomanufacturing will play a major role. This DCL 

signifies NSF’s collaboration with Manufacturing USA, which is a multi-agency effort. Proposals to this DCL 

will be reviewed along with the regular unsolicited proposals.

USDA/FS: The USDA Forest Service continues to participate in Federal initiatives such as the National 

Nanotechnology Initiative, Manufacturing USA, and Bioeconomy to contribute to national goals with 

nanotechnology research, and will develop partnerships in nanotechnology research with other Federal 

agencies. A Forest Service expert-led International Organization for Standardization (ISO) cellulose 

nanomaterials terminology standard-development project was ballot-approved and published as ISO 

Technical Specification TS 20477, Standard terms and their definitions for cellulose materials in August 2017. 

USDA/FS, public-private partnership, academia, and local governments: In 2016, the USDA Forest 

Service continued to collaborate with a public-private partnership named P3

Nano to co-invest in cellulose 

nanomaterials research. To foster commercialization, P3Nano selects its projects with industry input, and the 

project teams require collaboration between Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory researchers and 

university researchers. A project review meeting took place at the Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory 

in Madison, Wisconsin, to review projects from past investments ($4 million total, $2 million from FS, $2 

million from the partner). Project teams at the review meeting reported several major accomplishments. The 

26 www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17030/nsf17030.jsp
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

24 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

concrete performance-enhancement project team continued to identify the effectiveness of different types 

of cellulose nanomaterial for concrete strength improvement. The project team is exploring the possibility 

of collaborating with Yreka, California on a concrete bridge demonstration project. In bioplastics composites, 

the project team reported laboratory data showing that cellulose nanocrystals maintain their form in 

extrusion-blown cellulose nanocrystal-polylactic acid composites and have improved barrier properties 

suitable for packaging applications. In fruit preservation, the research team has demonstrated that a 

cellulose nanocrystal coating can preserve the freshness of fruits. The team will continue to conduct research 

on post-application length of service. The non-formaldehyde-emitting wood adhesives team reported that 

it was able to produce laboratory-scale particleboard with cellulose nanofibril as the adhesive that meets 

industry standards. The team will continue to investigate the adhesion mechanism of cellulose nanofibril on 

wood substrate. In 2016, P3

Nano issued a request for proposals for a new round of investment. The total 

amount of the new investment is $2.25 million ($1.5 million from FS, $750,000 from the partner). P3Nano 

received 64 proposals totaling almost $18 million in response to the request. The proposals have been 

reviewed and are awaiting final selection.

USDA/NIFA: NIFA’s current focus in sustainable nanomanufacturing is on nanobiomaterials derived from 

crops, woods, and other biomass-based by-products. The Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems

program in the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational area supports novel uses and 

high-value-added products of nano-biomaterials from agricultural and forest origins for food and non-food 

applications. There are ongoing research efforts in synthesis of carbon-based nanomaterials, development 

of cost-effective production methods, functionalization and characterization of nanobiomaterials, and 

exploration of applications such as piezoelectrics, renewable nanocomposite polymers, food packaging, 

barrier films, and energy and fuels. In addition, the Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts program in the 

AFRI Challenge Area 2017 request for applications (RFA) invites research applications in nanocellulosic coproducts from biomass feedstocks. This program intends to create, enhance, or optimize biological, chemical, 

and/or thermochemical processes to produce value-added products or industrial polymers through 

nanocellulosic technologies.

NIFA-supported research projects have advanced knowledge in novel applications of cellulosic 

nanomaterials. Nanocellulose and hyper-branched polymers (HBP) were covalently bound to make dendritic 

polymers. These hybrid nanostructures, of rod-spring elements (wherein rod refers to nanocellulose and 

spring refers to HBP) preserve the high stiffness and strength of nanocellulose while also providing impact 

energy absorbability through HBPs. This combination will transform the undervalued natural cellulosic 

nanomaterialsinto high-value advanced bio-renewable reinforcement materials for the automotive industry 

and beyond. Another significant development is to thermally transform lignocellulosic biomass into highly 

ordered mesoporous carbon (HOMC) using the natural plant cell structures as templates. HOMCs obtained

have demonstrated a high capacitance and may become a promising material to fulfill the current needs of

low-cost, facile, and renewable energy storage materials.

USDA/NIFA and USDA/FS: NIFA’s plan in broad nanocellulose materials research complements well the 

USDA Forest Service’s research plan in woody biomass-based nanocellulose.

1b. Nanoelectronics for 2020 and Beyond

Overview

The Nanoelectronics NSI supports R&D on discovery and use of novel nanoscale fabrication processes and 

innovative concepts to produce revolutionary materials, devices, systems, and architectures to advance the 

field of nanoelectronics. The initiative has five thrust areas: (1) exploring new or alternative “state variables” 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 25

for computing; (2) merging nanophotonics with nanoelectronics; (3) exploring carbon-based 

nanoelectronics; (4) exploiting nanoscale processes and phenomena for quantum information science; and 

(5) expanding the national nanoelectronics research and manufacturing infrastructure network.

There are considerable research and development activities across the participating agencies that support 

the goals of the Nanoelectronics NSI. A summary of recent accomplishments is provided in a highlights 

document available on nano.gov.27 The agencies participating in this signature initiative are working 

together to identify future directions and focus areas in this rapidly evolving field. They are also coordinating 

closely with other Federal entities and activities, such as the Networking and Information Technology R&D 

(NITRD) Program and agencies engaged more broadly in future computing research. 

Agency Progress and Plans 

DOD/Air Force: AFRL is continuing to explore nanotechnologies related to fielding power for our soldiers, 

airmen, and sailors, including nanotechnology-enabled creasable and printable batteries. Flexible energy 

storage is a necessity to power the next generation of portable and flexible electronic devices such as 

sensors, smart skins for human performance monitoring, radio frequency ID tags, and wearable electronics.

It was found that by replacing traditional metal foil current collectors with a porous, conductive, nonwoven,

multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) mat, high-performance bendable and even creasable Li-ion 

batteries could be prepared without losing energy storage performance. The improvements in mechanical 

performance can be explained by the interwoven network of long MWCNTs. This network leads to better 

active material adhesion and electrolyte wetting. Additionally, the team has been able to develop both 

printable Li-ion battery electrodes and electrolytes centered around carbon nanofibers and nanoscale 

alumina, respectively. Printing is an enabling step toward direct integration of flexible power in confined 

areas and can potentially revolutionize the way flexible devices are manufactured. (This activity also supports 

the Nanomanufacturing NSI, PCA 1a.) 

DOD/Navy: The U.S. Navy’s Nanoscale Computing Devices and Systems (Nanoelectronics) program has 

pursued aggressively the bottom-up chemical synthesis approach to building carbon-based nanoelectronic 

devices and circuits with atomic precision. In the last few years, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) launched 

two major initiatives: an ONR internal Basic Research Challenge (BRC) program entitled “Carbon Molecular 

Electronics” is in its last year, and a 2016 Multi-University Research Initiative (MURI) project entitled “Synthetic 

Electronics” kicked off in October of 2016. ONR-funded researchers in these projects and other individual 

grants have succeeded in building a plethora of atomic-precision graphene nanoribbon (GNR) 

heterostructures, either by variation of widths or by atomic precision placement of heteroatoms such as 

nitrogen and boron into the pure carbon GNRs. 

The ONR Power Electronics Program seeks to develop graphene nanoribbon-based power electronics. As 

part of this effort, a university team completed molecular dynamics simulations of different aspects in GNR 

chirality, studied the effect of stone-wall defects on the failure of armchair and zigzag GNRs, and studied the 

unravelling of armchair and zigzag GNRs. This work is important to lay an analytical foundation, including 

developing an understanding of failure mechanisms, for the application of these materials to power 

electronics applications with the potential to greatly improve power density. 

The ONR Nanoelectronics Program will begin to design and synthesize functional devices and circuits that 

are amenable to atomic precision characterization, primarily with state-of-the-art scanning probe 

techniques. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) plans in quantum systems include creating a new paradigm for 

manipulating quantum systems by trapping ultracold atoms in the evanescent field of SiN waveguides. This 

advancement will enable chip-scale quantum information systems. NRL also plans to use quantum 

27 www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/pub_resource/Nanoelectronics_NSI_Highlights_April2017.pdf
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

26 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

coherence and entanglement for improved measurement sensitivity using quantum dots in mechanical 

systems. In particular, this program will make use of an entangled spin system to perform sensitive 

measurements of mechanical motion at the quantum limit.

DOD/DARPA, NIST, NSF, academia, and industry: The Semiconductor Technology Advanced Research 

Network (STARnet) Program28 has built a large, multi-university research community to explore beyond 

current evolutionary directions and make discoveries that drive technology innovation beyond what can be 

imagined for electronics today. This public-private partnership is organized into six multi-university centers, 

each focused in a specific challenge area. Researchers in these centers are advancing R&D in physics theory, 

materials, processes, circuits, and related areas (design, off-chip communications, etc.) for new devices that 

operate using unique information tokens due to physical phenomena that occur at the nanoscale. STARnet 

is jointly funded and managed by member companies and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 

(DARPA). DARPA routinely shares the results with NSF and the other DOD component organizations.

A semiconductor industry technology research consortium has worked with NIST and NSF in a public–private 

partnership (called the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative—NRI—before December 2016 and 

nanoelectronic COmputing REsearch—nCORE—after January 2017) to address key national priorities. 

Through research investments in centers across the United States, NRI/nCORE seeks the next device that will 

propel computing beyond the limitations of current technology

Via the NRI and STARnet public–private partnerships, NIST, DARPA, NSF, and U.S. member companies 

continue to support nine major interdisciplinary research teams at academic institutions across the Nation. 

Benchmarking of new devices in order to optimize the selection of future technology is a component of 

these programs. The new nCORE program, with support from NSF beginning in 2018, has been developed 

based on learning from the NRI. A new DARPA program, Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP), 

is slated to begin in 2018, and is anticipated to include research in next-generation cognitive 

nanoelectronics. 

NASA: Through the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development Program, NASA 

is currently funding an effort to develop methods to either coat or wrap carbon nanotube wires with polymer 

aerogels to replace the polymer dielectric layer. The project has successfully demonstrated flexible, uniform 

coating of CNT wires with polyimide aerogels with negligible loss in conductivity on the CNT conducting 

wires.

NASA is funding a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project to develop lightweight, flexible 

cables for aerospace vehicles. The plan is to replace metal braids with carbon nanotube films and improve 

the performance of CNT electromagnetic interference shields to meet specifications.

NASA has done pioneering work in creating nanoscale vacuum field emission transistors (VFETs) on 200 mm 

wafers, by combining the best of vacuum electronics and silicon integrated circuit manufacturing. A record 

low drive voltage of 2 V gives a high current of 3 μA and 35 μs transconductance per emitter. These values 

can be increased by an array of emitters in the pad. The devices also showed immunity to gamma and proton 

radiation.

NASA and Air Force: NASA will continue the Si-based fabrication of the VFETs to explore further scaling, 

building circuits and potential applications in THz electronics. NASA will collaborate with AFRL to fabricate 

VFETs using other material systems with more favorable work functions and robustness.

 

28 www.src.org/program/starnet/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 27

NIST: NIST efforts underway that support the nanoelectronics NSI include the following: 

• NIST is developing new measurements to elucidate the behavior of spin waves, new methods to 

control the interaction of magnetic multilayers in nanoscale devices, and new ways to image 

magnetic devices that will support the development of next-generation low-energy-consumption, 

nonvolatile electronics.

• Several NIST research teams are working on projects competitively awarded through the 

intramural Innovations in Measurement Science program. These efforts include a project to 

develop atom-based electronic devices that rely on precisely placed individual atoms for use in 

traditional and quantum information processing, and a team that is developing nanoscale 

superconducting devices (Josephson junctions) to extend quantum voltage standards into the 

microwave communications frequency range, laying the foundation for more energy-efficient 

computing.

• The NIST laboratories are enabling devices for classical and quantum information handling at the 

ultimate limits of today’s silicon-based (Si-based) electronics by developing atomically precise 

manufacturing methods for single-atom-based electronic structures and by creating ultrapure, 

highly enriched nanomaterials for Si quantum electronics and ultrapure material standards. 

Furthermore, NIST is developing Si-based nanodevices for single-electron high-precision electrical 

current metrology.

• Research efforts to support future nanoscale memory device concepts, including resistive random 

access memory and an emerging effort in molecular (or DNA) memory, are aimed to take memory 

cell design to extreme nanometer scales and beyond to support the information economy.

• NIST’s analytical metrology techniques help to assure the reliability and determine failure 

mechanisms in nanoelectronic devices; for example, NIST has demonstrated high-definition 

electron spin resonance (ESR) with a 10,000-fold improvement in sensitivity beyond previous 

cavity-based ESR.

• NIST intends to continue current efforts to support the measurement science needed by the U.S.

nanoelectronics industry. For example, NIST is building an ultrafast coherent diffractive microscope 

that promises unprecedented lateral, depth, and time resolution and that will be capable of 

providing vital information about the performance of nanoscale semiconductor devices and 

magnetic memories.

NIST and industry: NIST, together with a magnetic data storage manufacturer, developed ways to image 

nanoscale magnetism in magnetic recording heads.

NIST spectroscopically measured magnetic spin dynamics in individual nanoelements to provide 

fundamental understanding of materials for computer memory applications and enable the development of 

new, ultralow-power computer memory.

NIST and leading U.S. semiconductor manufacturers: NIST is developing innovative high-resolution 

optical methods, working directly with industry to characterize and identify deep sub-wavelength defects 

critical to 14 nm node device fabrication and beyond. 

NIST and academia: NIST is developing “lens-less,” time-resolved, nanoscale imaging by use of ultrafast 

sources of extreme-ultraviolet radiation. Such an imaging system will be of great utility in the development 

of ultralow-power magnetic memory for “Internet of Things” applications. NIST plans to extend ongoing 

work on lens-less “coherent diffractive imaging” by developing imaging reference standards and a public 

database to facilitate quantitative applications of the technology, such as critical-dimension metrology 

needed to quantify and thus ensure performance of nanoscale semiconductor circuits and devices.
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

28 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

NIST discovered a material with extremely low dissipation of quantum-mechanical spin at microwave 

frequencies. The material is very effective in reducing the power consumption of a nanoscale magnetic 

memory replacement for silicon-based dynamic random-access memory (DRAM).

NSF: NSF-funded research in this area aims to discover and use novel nanoscale principles and processes to 

produce revolutionary materials, devices, systems, and architectures to advance the field of electronics.NSF’s 

request will fund grants to advance semiconductor devices, computation, information processing, sensor 

technologies, and communications beyond the physical and conceptual limitations of current technologies.

The primary focus of the NSF Nanoelectronics NSI investment is on upstream, exploratory research in the 

following areas: new alternative “state variables” for logic and memory components and suitable computer 

architectures, computer-based research on new devices, integration of nanoelectronic and nanophotonic 

components into new systems, and new quantum information system components and systems. 

Several core programs cover this thrust, including the Electronic and Photonic Materials Program and the 

Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Program within MPS’s Division of Materials Research 

and Division of Chemistry, respectively; and the Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices Program within 

ENG’s Division of Electrical, Communications, and Cyber Systems. Examples of center activities include the 

Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs), the Science and Technology Centers (STCs), 

the Engineering Research Centers (ERCs), and the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers (NSECs). 

Center efforts supported within the Division of Materials Research include: (1) the Center of Excellence in 

Materials Research and Innovation for Photonic and Multiscale Nanomaterials; (2) MRSEC: Polarization and 

Spin Phenomena in Nanoferroic Structures (P-SPINS); (3) MRSEC: Center for Precision Assembly of 

Superstratic and Superatomic Solids; and (4) MRSEC: Quantum and Spin Phenomena in Nanomagnetic 

Structures. One STC example is the Center on Quantum Materials and Devices.

The ENG Directorate supports two exploratory research areas in Advancing Communication Quantum 

Information Research in Engineering (ACQUIRE); and New Light, EM (Electronic) and Acoustic Wave 

Propagation (NewLAW): Breaking Reciprocity and Time-Reversal Symmetry.

29 (These also are in support of 

the Future Computing Grand Challenge—see PCA 1f, below.) NSF will also continue to support the new NNCI

program with a diverse portfolio of capabilities for research, including in nanoelectronics (see PCA 4 section 

below for details).

NSF and industry: The Energy-Efficient Computing: from Devices to Architectures (E2CDA) program30 has 

resulted in nine four-year awards made by the NSF Directorate for Computer and Information Science and 

Engineering (CISE), ENG, and industry partners in 2016. (This program is also directly in support of the Future 

Computing Grand Challenge, PCA 1f; see below.)

NSF, IARPA, and industry: Beginning in 2018, NSF will collaborate with a semiconductor industry 

technology research consortium and the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) in

supporting a three-year exploratory research program on “Semiconductor Synthetic Biology for Information 

Processing and Storage Technologies” (SemiSynBio).

USDA/FS: University researchers have successfully produced a working computer chip on a cellulose 

nanomaterial substrate using cellulose nanomaterials developed by FS scientists.31

 

29 See www.nsf.gov/pubs/2016/nsf16612/nsf16612.htm for information on both ACQUIRE and NewLAW.

30 www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf17531

31 www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8170
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 29

1c. Nanotechnology Knowledge Infrastructure (NKI): Enabling National Leadership in 

Sustainable Design

Overview

The goal of the NKI NSI is to provide a stakeholder-driven, practical knowledge and data infrastructure to 

accelerate nanotechnology discovery and innovation. The NKI NSI has four thrust areas that focus efforts on 

cooperative interdependent development of: (1) a collaborative, multi-sector community of practice; (2) an 

agile modeling network coupling experimental basic research, modeling, and applications development; 

(3) a cyber-toolbox for nanomaterials design; and (4) a robust digital nanotechnology data and information 

infrastructure.

The nanoinformatics community—including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Cancer Informatics 

Program Nanotechnology Working Group, the European Union (EU) NanoSafety Cluster’s Databases 

Working Group, and the U.S.-EU Communities of Research—remains extremely active and vibrant. NNCO 

and agencies participating in the NKI NSI monitor and engage as appropriate in a variety of community-led 

nanoinformatics activities, such as the ongoing development of an international informatics roadmap and 

revisions to the ISA-TAB-Nano data templates. The NKI NSI released a document in March of 2017 

highlighting progress towards the goals outlined in the white paper,32 as well as the expansion and 

maturation of the nanoinformatics community.33 A significant recent advancement is the agreement by both 

U.S. and EU entities to utilize the ISA-TAB-Nano specification for data curation, enabling better comparisons 

between datasets. Data from EU programs are being entered into a university database, and U.S. data will be 

welcome in a new database being established by the European Chemicals Agency. Assess to commonly 

formatted data enables richer datasets for researchers and modelers. Future plans include renewed focus on 

use of these data in developing modeling and simulation tools, and development of stronger connections 

with the materials communities.

Agency Progress and Plans

DOD/Air Force: Researchers at AFRL are exploiting recent advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, data 

sciences, and high-throughput experiments to advance the production capabilities of so-called chiralspecific carbon nanotubes. Nanomaterials are an important contributor to the development of future 

capabilities, and yet the process of discovery and development for nanomaterials is slow. CNT materials and 

devices in particular suffer from availability of affordable and pure materials with the structure and quality 

needed for broad application. In general, current research is human-centered, where human researchers 

design, conduct, analyze, and interpret experiments, and then they decide what to do next. To accelerate 

this process, this program utilizes robotics, artificial intelligence, data sciences, and high-throughput in situ

techniques to alleviate bottlenecks in experimental design, execution, and analysis. The Autonomous 

Research System (ARES)34 represents a first-of-its-kind research robot that integrates these tools and is 

capable of closed-loop iterative autonomous materials experimentation. ARES leads to more efficient 

interpretation of experiments, scheduling, and resource allocation. For example, ARES recently studied the 

synthesis of CNTs and demonstrated that it is able to learn to grow CNTs at targeted growth rates.

Furthermore, it helped researchers optimize growth conditions for chiral-specific CNT manufacturing, which 

is a crucial step to ultrapure CNTs for electronics and optics. Overall, ARES has broad implications for the roles 

 

32 www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/pub_resource/nki_nsi_white_paper_-_final_for_web.pdf

33 www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/NKI_NSI_Highlights_2017_FINAL.pdf 

34 www.wpafb.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/981505/disrupting-the-research-process-changing-materialsscience-with-robotics-ai-and/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

30 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

of human and research robots in the materials research process, where optimized human-machine 

partnering can accelerate progress in research and scientific understanding, and will be a valuable part of 

the nanomaterials production toolkit moving forward.

While ARES has proven itself in carbon nanotube growth, autonomous research robots have the potential 

for use in a number of scientific research areas. The ARES team at AFRL is working to program the AI software 

to allow ARES to be a generic research tool, enabling it to work on other materials research problems. In the 

future, the direction of ARES will be to explore chemical and physical phenomena autonomously.

DOD/Air Force, academia, and industry: AFRL will continue to partner on ARES efforts with industry and 

academic partners. The tools and analysis incorporated into ARES can assist a wide variety of materials 

science and nanomaterials research efforts, and further coordination is planned with the NNI and other 

activities focused on accelerated materials development. 

DOD/Navy and academia: The Navy has worked with a research team at a university to develop DAEDALUS 

(DNA Origami Design Algorithm for User-defined Structures), which automatically computes the singlestranded DNA sequences needed to fold an arbitrary three-dimensional DNA nanostructure starting from a 

three-dimensional geometric representation of the final shape of the object. The software is now freely 

available online,35 along with a synthesis strategy to self-assemble DNA nanostructures, offering the 

potential for numerous applications in biomolecular science and nanotechnology. Another Navy-sponsored 

team at the same university developed Matriarch (for “Materials Architecture”) for designing hierarchical 

protein materials. This computational tool allows users to combine and rearrange material building blocks, 

and it can be used in combination with molecular dynamics simulations for structure and function analyses, 

which then informs the design process, so biologically inspired materials can be designed based on their 

desired functionality.

NIH: Various NIH nanotechnology programs and projects address the goals of the NKI through data sharing. 

This data sharing includes continued NIH/NCI support for the cancer Nanotechnology Laboratory portal 

(caNanoLab), a web portal and data repository for annotating and sharing information on the 

physicochemical, in vitro, and in vivo characterization of nanomaterials relevant to cancer prevention, 

diagnosis, treatment, and control. The agency has a standardized data sharing policy that applies to all 

funded research, and has placed special terms and conditions on awards for IT infrastructure and modelingspecific initiatives, including NIH/NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology for Cancer grants. All Alliance awards have 

a designated data coordinator who has been trained to enter data into caNanoLab. NIH/NCI also supports 

continued development of the caNanoLab software and architecture. CaNanoLab Release 2.2 went live in 

January 2017.36

Future strategies to enhance knowledge through greater data collection, sharing, and tool development

include the establishment of policies and funding opportunity announcement (FOA) requirements that 

ensure the dissemination and reporting of results in databases such as caNanoLab and clinicaltrials.gov.

NIH, NIOSH, NSF, academia, and industry: NIH/NCI and NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health 

Sciences (NIEHS) are actively engaged in this NSI and jointly supported the Nanomaterial Registry with 

NIH/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) beginning in 2012. This registry is 

designed to become the definitive cross-disciplinary resource for nanoparticle characterization data for 

health, toxicity, and industrial concerns. It draws inputs from existing curated databases, including 

caNanoLab, and currently includes over 1,300 particle entries. Entries are populated on the web portal 

 

35 daedalus-dna-origami.org/about/

36 wiki.nci.nih.gov/display/caNanoLab/caNanoLab+2.2+Installation+Guide
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 31

through curated data extraction using a Minimal Information About Nanomaterials (MIAN) characterization 

vocabulary architecture. MIANs capture the physicochemical characteristics, biological interactions, and 

environmental interactions of given particles. This homogenized vocabulary enables searches and 

comparisons based on MIAN similarity. The registry team is also working on integrating modeling and 

simulation tools through a portal between the Nanomaterial Registry and nanoHUB, an online simulation 

resource for nanotechnology supported by NSF.

NIH/NCI, NIOSH, academia, industry, and European partners: The NIH/NCI National Cancer Informatics 

Program (NCIP)37 continues to support the Nanotechnology Working Group,

38 an NCIP interest group 

comprised primarily of external and academic researchers who develop and promote best practices in 

nanoinformatics. The working group remains active, and its members are participating in the development 

of a Nanoinformatics 2030 Roadmap through the U.S.-EU Communities of Research (CORs). The working 

group is also collaborating with NIOSH on a book, “Nanoinformatics Principles and Practices.” 

NIST: In 2016, NIST released a prototype of the NIST Materials Resource Registry, an information tool to 

bridge the gap between existing resources and end users by allowing resources to be registered with 

associated metadata to aid in search and discovery. Also in 2016, the NIST-hosted Materials Data Repository, 

a concrete mechanism for the interchange and re-use of research data on materials systems, including 

nanomaterials, had reached approximately 150 gigabytes of highly heterogeneous data, spanning 25 

individual research communities, with participation of 125 distinct organizations across academia, 

government, and industry.

NIST plans to continue to advance the availability of tools for predicting the physicochemical properties of 

nanomaterials. NIST efforts will include, for example, an upgrade of the NIST Materials Resource Registry and 

the development of new high-throughput methods to generate large quantities of processing-structureproperties data. 

NIST, industry, and academia: In 2017 and 2018, NIST will continue to support the Center for Hierarchical 

Materials Design (CHiMaD), a NIST center of excellence led by a university in partnership with Argonne 

National Laboratory (ANL) and other contributing organizations. CHiMaD is integrating computation, data, 

and experiment for the design of new materials through an array of projects including many with a focus on 

nanotechnology, such as directed self-assembly for nanomanufacturing, 2D nanoscale materials, and 

organic electronics.

NSF: NSF supports modeling, simulation, and informatics projects in nanoscale science and engineering, 

including databases and networking. The Network for Computational Nanotechnology has been recompeted for five years in 2017, and has established three nodes dedicated to nanoelectronics, 

nanobiotechnology, and nanomanufacturing. Other efforts that are focused on targeted solicitations, 

Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science and Education (CIF21) and Software Infrastructure 

for Sustained Innovation (S2I2), have contributed significantly to data infrastructure, software advances, and 

high-throughput computation.

NSF’s future plans in support of the NKI NSI include investments in nanoscale modeling and simulation, 

database networking, nanoHUB, and Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation initiatives within its 

Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science and Engineering—activities such as Software 

Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation. NSF will also contribute to the foundations of this NSI by means of 

specific databases for nanoscale materials and processes, transformative thinking about models for linkage 

 

37 cbiit.nci.nih.gov/ncip/ncip-home

38 nciphub.org/groups/nanowg
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

32 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

of properties and behaviors at different scales, extension of computational and statistical techniques to 

support development and use of the nanotechnology cyber toolbox to accelerate discovery and 

manufacturing of nanomaterials and nanodevices, advances in fundamental theory and modeling, 

techniques across ranges of scales (from first principles to coarse-graining and phase-field modeling), and 

education by integrating the cyber toolbox into the fabric of next-generation science and the training of the 

next-generation modeling community.

NSF, NIOSH, other NNI agencies, industry, and academia: NSF and NIOSH will continue collaborations 

that started in 2014 and 2015 with the Nanoinformatics Consortium, which includes Federal partners NCI, 

NIH, NIST, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and DOD, and many other university and industry 

partners. 

1d. Nanotechnology for Sensors and Sensors for Nanotechnology: Improving and 

Protecting Health, Safety, and the Environment

Overview

The goals of the Sensors NSI are to support research on nanomaterial properties and the development of 

supporting technologies that enable next-generation sensing of biological, chemical, and nanoscale 

materials. The two thrust areas for the Sensors NSI are to: (1) develop and promote adoption of new 

technologies that employ nanoscale materials and features to overcome technical barriers associated with 

conventional sensors; and (2) develop methods and devices to detect and identify engineered nanomaterials 

across their life cycles in order to assess their potential impact on human health and the environment.

The Sensors NSI continues to focus on building community among agency representatives and with the 

research and development community in the academic and private sectors. Outreach to the community has 

included technical presentations at a variety of conferences and events in 2017. NNCO also hosted the 

Nanosensor Manufacturing: Finding Better Paths to Products workshop in June 2017.39 Conversations at this 

workshop examined key research elements needed to achieve production-scale manufacturing of 

nanotechnology-enabled sensors. The workshop also surveyed the ecosystem for taking a nanosensor from 

the research lab to production and examined important issues related to manufacturing, such as fabrication, 

testing, and product performance. The report for the workshop is under development. Future plans include 

an internal assessment of key goals and objectives for the NSI and the development of a public document 

highlighting the key accomplishments and successful collaborations that were catalyzed by the Sensors NSI.

Agency Progress and Plans

DOD/Air Force: AFRL has established significant efforts to develop nano-bio reporters. These biosensors 

could be used in vivo to help detect and defeat a broad base of pathogens or other harmful chemicals. This 

new program is targeted to integrate sensing, targeting, payload delivery, and recovery into a single 

package. These nano-bio reporters will have applications from healthcare and geo-exploration to warfighter 

monitoring, para-rescue triage, and airbase monitoring. Key to this effort is the Air Force-funded Center of 

Excellence for Advanced Bioprogrammable Nanomaterials (C-ABN). 40

DOD/DTRA: The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has explored the use of nanowire/nanoribbon 

field-effect biosensors that could be used in a variety of nanoscale sensor applications. Recent DTRA-funded 

academic research has outlined the performance limitations for using these field-effect transistor based 

 

39 www.nano.gov/NanosensorManufacturing

40 www.iinano.org/center-of-excellence-for-advanced-bioprogrammable-nanomaterials
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 33

systems, and introduced a universal performance metric that will ultimately enable these sensors to reach 

their full potential and bring them into clinical applications. Another DTRA-funded effort is examining how 

nanohybrid materials can be used for ultrasensitive radiation detection. Researchers at another university 

have shown improvements in the amount of light that is emitted in specific nanocrystals when exposed to 

gamma radiation, demonstrating the potential of such nanocomposite systems in the development of highperformance, low-cost spectroscopic gamma detectors.

DOD/Navy: NRL has demonstrated reconfigurable DNA structures that alter their conformation in response 

to the addition of biological processes such as enzymes. Dyes attached to the DNA provide a real-time readout enabling monitoring of the system. Learning how to construct these responsive DNA systems will enable 

the future construction of "smart" nanomaterials able to sense, respond, and report from inside living 

systems. The long-term goals are centered on sensor applications, and especially the ability to monitor 

warfighter health in vivo in the field.

NRL has successfully achieved the development of a nanoparticle-based optical probe for imaging brain 

activity with substantially greater sensitivity than possible with currently available materials or techniques. 

The nanoscale optical probe visualizes the activity of neurons in the brain with 20- to 40-fold greater 

sensitivity than current brain imaging probes. The immediate impact of this accomplishment is the 

availability of value-added brain imaging probes for detecting/diagnosing brain conditions of critical interest 

to DOD, including traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, concussion, and depression.

NRL plans include creating bio/inorganic voltage-sensitive nanoprobes for the real-time imaging and control 

of neuronal signals, and using nanoprobes to detect cellular signaling in 3D-printed artificial wounds to 

better understand and control wound healing. NRL plans to construct “intelligent” molecular-scale machines 

that can sense, amplify, evaluate, and act on local, in-situ bioinformation, and to create and understand 

artificial enzymatic nanosystems with enhanced performance.

DOD/Army: The Army ERDC has developed a new research program (2017–2019) on development of 

environmental sensors called Chemical Collection, Refinement and Adsorption Beacon (ChemCrab) that will 

develop a sensor platform combining passive and active sensing capabilities to enable real-time detection 

of aqueous contaminants in the field. Current analytical capabilities are limited to field sampling and 

shipping to analytical labs, which is expensive and time-consuming at fixed Army facilities and impossible 

for real-time reconnaissance in the field. The program proposes using passive sampling and selective 

membrane materials to screen out interfering compounds, followed by functionalized nanomaterials (e.g., 

carbon nanotubes) adsorbing target contaminants to alter electrical circuit properties that can be measured 

using near-field communication technology from a cell phone. The ultimate intended Army impact and payoff is a rapid chemical sampling platform at very low cost that could be used for a variety of sensing 

applications.

DOD/Navy and DOD/DTRA: Researchers at NRL, in conjunction with the DTRA, have shown that enzyme 

activity and long-term stability can be substantially enhanced by attaching the enzyme to nanoparticles. 

Working with phosphotriesterase, which is uniquely capable of degrading organophosphate nerve agents, 

they showed that catalysis could be enhanced four-fold by alleviating the enzyme’s rate-limiting step. This 

approach is geared towards the development of new, more robust catalytic and bioremediation materials 

for protecting the warfighter in the field.

DOD/Air Force and academia: The Air Force C-ABN has funded efforts in three thrust areas, including: (1) 

Materials and Methods Development; (2) Functional Substrates; and (3) Advanced Bio Sensing. This effort, 

planned to run through 2021, will build collaborative, discovery-based research projects aimed at the 

development of bioprogrammable nanomaterials that will meet both military and civilian needs.
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

34 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

DOE: The DOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE) is supporting projects aimed at the development of 

nanotechnology-based fiber optic sensors for fossil energy applications. For example, FE-supported 

researchers have demonstrated that overlayers of silica or another suitable “filter layer” can substantially 

reduce the reactive evaporation of noble and precious metal nanoparticles typically used in hightemperature sensing, including Au and Ag. Through silica overcoating, reduced mass loss of Au 

nanoparticles in Au/TiO2 and Au/SiO2 functional sensing layers has been demonstrated, even in applicationrelevant fuel gas streams containing H2S contamination for exposures of up to one week at 800 °C. This 

technique extends the expected useful temperature and chemical environment range for these 

nanoparticle-based gas sensors.

DOE/FE plans the continued support of projects aimed at the development of thin-film oxides and metal 

oxide nanocomposites for sensing in high-temperature harsh environments. Functional materials fabricated 

by sol-gel and sputter coating methods will be tested for durability at temperatures above 750 °C, and 

calculations will be performed of stability of various noble metals and noble metal nanoparticles under 

relevant fuel gas stream conditions.

NASA, DOE, and industry: NASA has developed several nanomaterials capable of selectively responding to 

1 ppm levels of methane. The technology is currently being used by an industry partner in a joint effort to 

print the sensors for developing low-cost systems for detecting natural gas leaks from gas wells and pipes 

under an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) project.

NASA and industry: NASA has developed, in collaboration with industry, an acetone sensor using 

nanomaterials that can detect down to 1 ppm levels. The device is integrated into a breath analysis unit for 

healthcare diagnostics.

NIH: The NIH investment in sensors has not changed significantly in 2016–2017, due to the balance between 

ongoing and incoming awards. Sensor-related R&D is supported throughout the various NIH institutes and 

thus covers several disease areas (cancer, dental, cardiac, infections, etc.). Researchers have targeted the

development of nanotechnology-enabled sensors in the form of in vitro devices and in vivo indicator 

materials that can be used for disease detection and diagnosis, including molecular profiling of disease sites 

to inform treatment choice and course. These sensors can also be used for basic studies of the biological 

processes and mechanisms underlying disease progression or therapeutic activity as illustrated below: 

• NIH/NCI has supported university research on a magneto-nanosensor, which led to the 

development of an improved assay for interactions between the immune checkpoint receptor PD1 and its ligands PD-L1, PD-L2, and B7-1. The PD-1 receptor is crucial to an important class of 

cancer immunotherapy, but its receptor-ligand interactions have not yet been fully elucidated.41

• NIH/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) reported significant advances in 

2016–2017 due to a new RFA entitled “Biosensors in the Oral Cavity.” This program supports the 

development of biosensors aimed to assess and monitor health and disease states in the oral 

cavity and in the whole body. It also includes support for the development/adaptation of new and

existing biosensors for noninvasive, dynamic, real-time monitoring of physiological processes in 

the human body using the oral cavity as the sensing site. Meritorious applications received in 

response to this RFA were awarded in 2017 for 2–5-year durations. The research proposals take 

advantage of recent progress in wireless technologies, dissolvable nanotechnology-based 

electronics, microfabrication, and nanofabrication, as well as improved sensing and drug delivery.

These biosensors cover a broad range of areas in nanotechnology and nanomaterials to address 

mechanical, chemical, and microbial challenges imposed by the oral environment. Development of 

 

41 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4961847/ (doi: 10.1038/ncomms12220)
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 35

these biosensors will include design verification and validation activities, as well as preclinical 

safety testing to facilitate the translation of the oral biosensors into clinical practice.

NIH will continue to support research on in vitro devices and materials for in vivo imaging and disease 

detection that address current needs. NIH is also planning a workshop devoted specifically to cancer 

applications for identifying opportunities in wearable sensors. The workshop, organized by NIH/NCI, is 

intended to bring together several NIH/NCI divisions, private sector developers, NIH-funded extramural 

investigators, and several Federal agencies—including DOD, DOE, NASA, and DHS—to identify common 

areas of scientific interest that may lead to further collaborations. NIH also plans to identify points of shared 

interest in wearable sensors (e.g., measures of disease/therapeutic fatigue) that could lead to co-funding of 

new initiatives or program announcements.

NIST: NIST is developing measurements toward the goals of this NSI. In 2016, NIST demonstrated 

measurement capabilities of graphene-modified nanoantenna structures for detection of gas-phase species 

of relevance to medical breath analysis. NIST studied the performance of polyaniline-gold interfaces for 

coupled electrochemical and surface-enhanced Raman biosensing. NIST is developing nanophotonic 

sensors on a chip that have maximum sensitivity for small temperature and humidity changes, and chipscale optomechanical force sensors to improve optical power calibration and small mass determination. NIST 

research efforts are providing foundational measurements to allow sensor designers to determine 

performance-limiting phenomena and improve the reliability of monolithic three-dimensional (3D)

integrated “More-than-Moore” devices in which sensors are co-integrated into 3D devices.

Future plans include design and fabrication of nanomaterials and platforms for chemical and biochemical 

sensors that use optical, spectroscopic, and electrochemical measurement methods for environmental, 

biomedical, and security applications. New nanoscale hole and pillar configurations will be developed for 

photonic sensing of gases and solution-phase biomolecules. Electrochemical microplatform prototypes will 

be further developed into array formats for efficient, stability-based studies of DNA and protein modification. 

NIST plans to develop methods for fabricating and measuring small-footprint, wearable, and flexible sensors 

based on semiconductor nanowires and 2D semiconductor layers that detect environmental pollutants and 

explosives.

NIST and industry: NIST will work with a small company to develop silver nanoparticle-containing, inkjetprinted sensor substrates for ultrasensitive detection of illicit narcotics and explosives. This work includes the 

establishment of optimal protocols for sensor production as well as nanometer-scale surface chemical 

characterization of the as-prepared sensor surfaces. 

NIST will collaborate with a small company to scale up a NIST-developed, top-down process of dry and wet 

etching to fabricate gallium nitride (GaN) nanowire arrays for low-power, high-selectivity chemical and 

biochemical sensors.

NIST and NIH: NIST is developing and testing nanoscale sensor field-effect transistors made with twodimensional materials for identifying and measuring biomolecule concentrations.

NSF: Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), ENG, and MPS (Division of Materials Research and Division of 

Chemistry) programs support fundamental research in developing nanoscience, including 

nanobiotechnology, for sensor applications. NSF is funding research on the creation of new nanobiosensors 

and novel uses of nanosensors for nanotechnology-related EHS research.

Through its Nano-Biosensing, Biophotonics, and other programs, NSF is supporting development of novel 

sensitive, discriminative, low-cost, and easy-to-operate biosensing systems; innovative ideas in the 

development of novel biorecognition strategies; multifunctional nanomaterials and interfaces with 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

36 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

predefined physical, chemical, or biological characteristics for biosensing applications; and fundamental 

studies of biomacromolecule confinement and orientation at the micro- and nanoscale interfaces for 

biosensing applications. NSF also supports the development of sensors to detect engineered nanoparticles 

in a variety of environmental matrices.

NSF, NIOSH, NIH, FDA, NIST, DOD, NASA, USDA/NIFA, and EPA: NIOSH and NSF participate with other 

agencies in an initiative to develop nanotechnology-enabled sensors and sensors for nanomaterials for EHS

research applications. The objective of the initiative is to identify opportunities for the development and

commercialization of sensors that will enable more specific tracking of engineered nanomaterials 

throughout their life cycles. This detection and measurement capability will support the efforts of privatesector companies to demonstrate responsible development. In 2018, NSF and NIOSH plan to continue their

efforts in detection of airborne nanoparticles into specific applications in the areas of detection of 

nanomaterials in biologic systems to evaluate and predict biological behavior and translocation between 

organ systems.

USDA/NIFA: NIFA is utilizing multiple funding authorities to support development of nano-biosensors for 

more sensitive, specific, and robust detection of pathogens, toxins, and contaminants in food to ensure food 

safety and biosecurity. The Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems program in the AFRI 

Foundation area supports research projects in nanoscale sensing mechanisms and smart sensors for reliable 

and cost-effective early detection of pathogens, allergens, insects, diseases, chemicals, and contaminants in 

food, plant, and animal production systems, and in water, soil, and the agricultural production environment. 

The program also supports research in monitoring physiological biomarkers for optimal crop or animal 

productivity and health. The program seeks to develop cost-effective, distributed sensing networks for 

intelligent and precise application of agricultural inputs (e.g., fertilizer, water, and agrochemicals) using the 

Internet of Agricultural Things (i.e., cyber-physical systems). NIFA has also been providing leadership to a 

multistate research committee (NC1194: Nanotechnology and Biosensors),

42 funded by the Hatch Multistate 

Formula Program, which has been effective in advancing nanoscale science and engineering for nanosensor 

development and commercialization.

Among the university grants funded in 2016, one project is developing a rapid, sensitive test to detect 

Salmonella typhimurium to enhance food supply safety. Previously funded grants include development of a 

low-cost and disposable biosensor that is made out of nanoparticle graphene and can detect pesticides in 

soil. The biosensor also has the potential for use in the biomedical, environmental, and food safety 

fields. NC1194 presented a special technical session at a 2017 international innovation conference to 

highlight a number of impressive accomplishments of its members in discovering novel sensing 

mechanisms, developing sensor prototypes, and exploring a global pathogen detection network to ensure 

food safety.

1e. Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology: Nanoscale Solutions for a Global-Scale 

Challenge

Overview

The goal of the Water NSI is to take advantage of the unique properties of engineered nanomaterials to 

generate significant breakthroughs in addressing our Nation’s water challenges. The three thrust areas are 

 

42 www.nimss.org/projects/17756
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 37

to: (1) increase water availability using nanotechnology; (2) improve the efficiency of water delivery and use 

with nanotechnology; and (3) enable next-generation water monitoring systems with nanotechnology.

In support of this NSI, NNCO organized a series of webinars to introduce the initiative and to engage with 

stakeholders on the technical thrusts of the activity.43 “Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology: A 

Federal Perspective” was the first webinar in the series, and it included presentations from four Federal 

representatives on their agencies’ programs and priorities. The next two webinars, “Increasing Water 

Availability” and “Enabling Next-Generation Water Monitoring Systems,” featured technical presentations 

from Federal and non-Federal experts. The group is working with the stakeholder community to develop a 

series of case studies that outline the current capabilities and shortfalls of the current technologies used in 

the application areas described in the white paper.44 Future plans include additional webinars and continued 

stakeholder engagement through appropriate technical meetings and conferences.

Agency Progress and Plans

DOD/Army: ARL has demonstrated the use of nanofiber liquid filtration membranes made from recycled 

polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) plastic bottles. PET nanofiber membranes were formed via solution 

electrospinning with fiber diameters as low as ca. 100 nm. Good filtration efficiency was shown, and to 

reduce biofouling, the mats were functionalized with quaternary ammonium and biguanide biocides. The 

biguanide-functionalized mats were effective against both gram negative and gram positive bacteria. The 

mats could be used in microfiltration applications such as a prefilter in a wastewater treatment system.

DOD/Army, NSF, industry, and academia: The Army ERDC is a board member and innovation partner with 

the NSF-funded Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment Systems (NEWT) Engineering Research Center. 

ERDC is working with university partners and multiple industry members to develop nanotechnology water 

treatment solutions within the water-energy nexus.

NASA: There is a small NASA effort to look at whether boron nitride nanotubes can be used as ultrafast 

membranes for filtration.

NIST: NIST efforts to support this NSI focus on the detection, separation, and quantification of specific 

nanoparticles that are relevant to consumer and industry stakeholders, and on developing advanced broadspectrum organic, inorganic, and biological measurement capabilities for assessing water quality. In 2016, 

NIST demonstrated surface complexation models to predict the reactivity of nanoparticles (e.g., graphene 

oxide) with heavy metal contaminants in groundwater. A workshop was held at a March 2016 professional 

society meeting to demonstrate these new tools to environmental chemists and identify data sets needed 

by the community to implement this approach in environmental remediation.

NIST models were successfully transferred to the environmental remediation community in 2016, and NIST 

intends to acquire chemical reactivity data for graphene and iron oxide nanoparticles to support the 

implementation and use of these tools.

NSF: Programs in BIO, ENG, and MPS (Division of Materials Research and Division of Chemistry) support basic 

research in advancing nanoscience to enable more efficient water filtration applications. One targeted area 

of investment for the ENG (particularly the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems 

Division); BIO; MPS; and Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences (SBE) directorates is in the initiative: 

Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems. The NSF NEWT NERC was launched in August 

2015. The NEWT ERC aims to develop high-performance and easy-to-deploy water treatment systems that 

 

43 www.nano.gov/publicwebinars

44 www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/pub_resource/water-nanotechnology-signature-initiative-whitepaper-final.pdf
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

38 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

will: (1) broaden access to clean drinking water from a variety of unconventional sources (briny well water, 

seawater, wastewater) for use on scales ranging from a household, to a neighborhood, to a remote town;

and (2) enable industrial wastewater reuse at remote locations such as oil and gas fields. NSF plans to 

continue support for the NEWT ERC through 2020.

USDA/FS: In 2017, FS has been investigating if there is a role for nanotechnology on water issues in forests 

and watersheds.

USDA/NIFA: The Water for Food Production Systems program in the AFRI Challenge Area invited 

applications in 2017 to employ systems approaches that lead to solutions for water challenges in U.S. 

agricultural and food production. These solutions must be feasible and simultaneously take into 

consideration a broad spectrum of kinds of agricultural producers, competing industries, consumers,

communities, and other relevant stakeholders. The impacts will be measured as appropriate changes that 

are needed by water users, consumers, and policy makers to improve resolution in conflicts over water 

supplies by reducing water use or increasing water use efficiency for the next several decades or more. The 

top priorities include use of transformative discoveries such as breeding, genomics, nanotechnology, 

sensors, modeling, microbiome manipulation, and data-driven decision tools to develop drought- and floodtolerant cultivars, intensify food production, improve crop and livestock health, or reduce overall water use

across food production systems.

With an AFRI grant, university researchers used engineered water nanostructures to inactivate pathogenic 

microorganisms on the surface of fresh produce. The potential of this new intervention technology for 

ensuring food safety has caught the attention of the global food industry for commercialization. NIFA has 

also supported research projects in water treatment and water quality monitoring. A project conducted by 

researchers at another university created a sponge that uses nanotechnology to quickly absorb mercury, as 

well as bacterial and fungal microbes, from polluted water. The sponge can be used on tap water, industrial 

wastewater, and in lakes. It converts contaminants into nontoxic waste that can be disposed in a landfill. 

Other academic researchers have developed a novel enzymatic bioelectrocatalytic device that is a highly 

sensitive and selective self-powered biosensor for detecting a variety of toxicants such as arsenic in crop 

production field and irrigation water.

1f. Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenge for Future Computing

Overview

This grand challenge brings together scientists and engineers from many disciplines to look beyond the von 

Neumann computing architecture as implemented with transistor-based processors, and chart a new path 

that will continue the rapid pace of innovation beyond the next decade to enable low-power cognitive 

computing. Specifically, the challenge is to “create a new type of computer that can proactively interpret and 

learn from data, solve unfamiliar problems using what it has learned, and operate with the energy efficiency 

of the human brain.” It is a coordinated and collaborative effort across multiple levels of government, 

industry, academia, and nonprofit organizations. R&D focus areas for Federal R&D investments in support of 

this goal include: (1) materials; (2) devices and interconnects; (3) computing architectures; (4) brain-inspired 

approaches; (5) fabrication/manufacturing; (6) software, modeling, and simulation; and (7) applications.

In support of this grand challenge, NNCO organized a series of meetings and conference calls in 2016 to 

coordinate the development of a white paper45 outlining the technical priorities shared by multiple Federal 

agencies, the challenges and opportunities associated with these priorities, and a guiding vision for the 

 

45 www.nano.gov//FutureComputingWhitePaper 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 39

research and development needed to achieve key near-, mid-, and long-term technical goals. Subsequent to 

the publication of the white paper, NNCO worked with the NITRD National Coordination Office to organize 

a meeting of representatives from the participating agencies to discuss and exchange ideas about relevant 

current and planned activities within their agencies and to identify areas for collaboration. Future plans will 

include technical Federal-only meetings to inform cooperation among the agencies as well as additional

outreach to the broader computing and nanotechnology research communities and industry. NNCO will also 

continue to work with the participating agencies to help coordinate with other related national priorities 

and interagency initiatives, including NITRD, semiconductor manufacturing, strategic computing, research 

on the brain, and the NNI’s Nanoelectronics NSI. 

Agency Progress and Plans

NIST: NIST is developing measurement science to support future computing technologies in the “beyond 

complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)” arena with a focus on the in-operando characterization 

of 2D heterostructure devices, and metrology for high-performance superconducting computing. NIST is 

also creating characterization techniques and measurement science for alternative computing paradigms 

including neuromorphic and quantum computing. NIST has developed high-speed, sub-micrometer, 

superconducting Josephson junctions and stacked Josephson junctions that will be used for future energyefficient computer logic. NIST is advancing quantum information and communication technologies through 

activities such as fabrication of nanoscale superconducting devices and development of epitaxial 

semiconductor quantum dots. 

Future research plans include demonstrating an integrated photonic circuit with both few-photon source 

and detector, which will serve as a foundational device for a photonic neuron for use in a prototype 

neuromorphic system.

NIST and international collaborators: NIST developed a theory of neuromorphic computing with 

nanomagnetic oscillators in partnership with researchers from France.

NIST and academia: In collaboration with university partners, NIST has developed measurements 

elucidating resistive switching mechanisms in memristor-based artificial synapses for neuromorphic 

computing applications. Future plans include developing neuromorphic circuits based on the integration of 

memristive artificial synapses with CMOS neurons to provide a test bed for new nanoscale neuromorphictype measurements.

NIST research in partnership with a university is demonstrating early examples of perfect quantum state 

converters (quantum transducers) by using the quantum properties of microresonators, including the first 

cooling to the quantum ground state of a macroscopic object (microresonator consisting of 1019 atoms), the 

first electrical-optical-electrical signal conversion perfectly conserving quantum states, and the world’s 

highest efficiency in quantum state conversion between electrical and optical signals.

NIST, IARPA, and industry: NIST is working with IARPA and industry partners in its Cryogenic Computing 

Complexity (C3) program in the development of spin-based nanoscale cryogenic memory and logic for 

energy-efficient exascale computing.

NIST, DARPA, industry, and academia: NIST and partners are developing nanoscale, high-frequency 

oscillators for rapid, low-energy processing of images in computer hardware instead of software. 

NSF: The main NSF support for this GC is in three directions: highly energy efficient semiconductor devices 

aiming at “beyond Moore’s Law,” neuromorphic engineering, and brain-like computing. The NSF Science 

and Technology Center on Integrated Quantum Materials (which involves several universities) is currently 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

40 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

working on graphene, topological insulators, and nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond, as well as their 

integration. Developing materials, techniques, and simulation methods for controlled evolution of quantum 

mechanical states of multiple to many qubit systems is one of the emphasized topics for the upcoming 

competition of the Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers.

46

Three ENG solicitations in support of this grand challenge in 2016 and 2017 are: Two-Dimensional Atomiclayer Research and Engineering (2-DARE);

47 Advancing Communication Quantum Information Research in 

Engineering (ACQUIRE); and New Light, EM (Electronic) and Acoustic Wave Propagation (NewLAW): Breaking 

Reciprocity and Time-Reversal Symmetry.

NSF and industry: NSF, in collaboration with a semiconductor industry technology research consortium, 

has supported two competitions (in 2016 and 2017) under the E2CDA program.48Nine four-year awards were 

made by CISE, ENG, and the industry consortium in 2016. Future plans for this collaboration include 

solicitations in 2018 that address grand challenges in biological computing and semiconductor synthetic 

biology for information processing and storage,

49 and will include continued funding under the E2CDA 

program.

NSF, DARPA, and industry: NSF sponsored the October 2016 workshop: “Intelligent Cognitive Assistants” 

with semiconductor industry groups. The report is available on the NSF website.50 The goal is to create 

systems that are highly useful to humans, specifically on the topics of harnessing machine intelligence to 

augment human cognition and mimic human problem-solving capabilities—e.g., research that drives 

towards intelligent cognitive assistants. NSF has been participating in a working group together with 

industry consortia and 11 companies to explore opportunities for co-funding research on these topics 

beginning in 2018. DARPA has also begun to engage with NSF in this area, with the goal of determining 

potential areas for cooperation. Research will focus on exploring scenarios for developing the novel

architectures, concepts, and algorithms that will be required for “assistants” to perceive, compute, and 

interact in an energy-efficient manner, and in this way to provide actionable information and informed 

advice to their human users. Further collaboration is planned with industry groups developing hardware 

(with a focus on a “beyond Moore” system architecture and corresponding devices) and software (with a 

focus on artificial intelligence).

PCA 2. Foundational Research

Overview

The foundational research under PCA 2 includes: (1) discovery and development of fundamental knowledge 

pertaining to new phenomena in the physical, biological, and engineering sciences that occur at the 

nanoscale; (2) elucidation of scientific and engineering principles related to nanoscale structures, processes, 

and mechanisms; (3) research aimed at discovery and synthesis of novel nanoscale and nanostructured 

materials and at a comprehensive understanding of the properties of nanomaterials ranging across length 

 

46 www.nsf.gov/pubs/2016/nsf16545/nsf16545.htm

47 www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15502/nsf15502.htm

48 www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf17531

49 www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17557/nsf17557.htm

50 www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/nano/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 41

scales, and including interface interactions; and (4) research directed at identifying and quantifying the 

broad implications of nanotechnology for society, including social, economic, ethical, and legal implications.

Agency Progress and Plans 

DOD/Army: ARL has recently made significant progress in the science (and related processing) of stable 

nanocrystalline materials. ARL developed a divergent, bulk nanocrystalline copper–tantalum alloy that is 

able to achieve and retain high strength and creep resistance—a combination unexpected based on 

conventional wisdom. These published results51 will lead to advances in designing nanocrystalline alloys 

with many simultaneously enhanced high-temperature properties, similar to those exhibited by creepresistant single crystals, but with the additional benefit of much higher strengths. Critical to the success of 

this work was the aim from the outset to design thermodynamically stable, nanoscale microstructures. It is 

this inherent stability of the nanoscale grain structure that ultimately results in these excellent properties. 

ARL also recently produced bulk samples of iron-based nanocrystalline alloys.

ARL plans to extend its work in stable nanocrystalline materials to new alloy systems for a variety of 

applications. Some alloys under consideration are directed towards high-strength applications, some toward 

high temperature resistance, and others towards unique portable energy applications. A key component is 

the establishment of world-class powder processing and consolidation facilities at ARL, targeted to a broad 

range of nanometallic systems.

ERDC has completed basic research studies that developed wet cell nanoindentation methods to determine 

mechanical properties of materials at the nanoscale in realistic states of hydration. This work is particularly 

critical to the successful investigation of properties of hydrous materials such as geomaterials, biomaterials, 

polymers, and cement-based materials. The project focused on measurements of a variety of Army-relevant 

hydrous materials to determine the impact of hydration state on measured properties, and these results are 

being used to modify inputs for nanoscale and microscale material modeling and simulation activities.

ERDC has initiated a new basic research project to study how flexible fabrics and coatings can incorporate 

electromagnetically active nanoparticles whose mechanical properties can be controlled through directed 

energy. These materials, while still at the basic research stage, have potential uses for adaptable/controllable 

materials for force protection and projection systems. 

DOD/Navy: NRL has developed techniques to dope atomically thin crystals and to modify surface energies 

of atomically thin crystals to induce material phase changes. These accomplishments could impact the DOD 

if successfully implemented in advanced electronic devices, through reducing power consumption and 

increasing device performance.

NRL has also developed a fundamental understanding of surface phonon polaritons, which provide the 

means to confine light to nanoscale dimensions using polar crystals such as silicon carbide. NRL 

demonstrated that highly anisotropic (so-called “hyperbolic”) materials do not follow Snell's law; instead, the 

confined light will reflect at angles dictated by the anisotropic material properties. These results provide the 

basis for compact infrared optics that are desired for thermal imaging, sources, chemical and biological 

threat agent detection, and free-space communications.

DOD/Army, industry, and academia: The Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN), an Army-sponsored 

University Affiliated Research Center, is structured as an alliance between academia, industry, and the Army. 

The Army, through ISN, is scaling up nanograin aluminum alloys produced through electroforming processes 

with a commercial partner. The lightweight alloys are also relatively thermodynamically stable, and have 

 

51 www.nature.com/nature/journal/v537/n7620/abs/nature19313.html (doi:10.1038/nature19313) 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

42 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

excellent mechanical properties. Other recent accomplishments from the ISN include the detailed

understanding of how to develop complex structures out of shape memory alloys to obtain superior 

superelasticity, advances in understanding effects of nanoparticle shapes and materials of construction on 

light extinction to achieve enhanced smoke obscuration, and new understanding of the dynamics of 

supersonic impact of microparticles on elastomers. 

A unique ISN multimaterial optoelectronic fiber-devices technology became the basis for a university-led

national partnership that resulted in the recently announced Advanced Functional Fibers of America, a new 

DOD-funded Manufacturing USA institute. Army, academic, and industry partners in ISN share their expertise 

on how to convert promising outcomes of fundamental research into practical products that work in 

harmony with other soldier technologies.

DOD/Army, academia, and international partners: ERDC has initiated new work through its International 

Research Offices with UK universities focused on developing advanced nanocomposite materials using ice 

templating methods to produce ceramic scaffolds, combined with chemical vapor deposition of carbon 

nanomaterials to produce toughened ceramic nanocomposites. University researchers are partnering with 

ERDC to perform characterization and mechanical measurements of developed materials. ERDC is also 

working with a U.S. university on research focused on advanced nanoscale simulation tools and materials 

development for metallic, cement-based, and polymeric materials. The goals of these studies vary, but 

largely focus in the long term on force protection and force projection systems.

DOD/Navy, DOD/Army, NSF, DOE, NIH, academia, and international partners: ONR has sponsored work 

at a university laboratory to use DNA origami to install fluorescent molecules into microscopic light sources 

using a novel technique. This technique allows for the precise positioning of DNA origami (within a margin 

of error of just 20 nanometers) on almost any surface used in the manufacture of computer chips, 

establishing that there is no longer a hurdle of large-scale integration of molecular devices on chips. While 

the initial work was focused on electronics, the findings facilitate the development of hybrid nanophotonic 

devices, hybrid nanoelectronic devices, and any heterogeneous fabrication wherein molecular or 

nanoparticulate components are integrated with microstructures. Other sponsors of work at this laboratory 

include the Army Research Office, NSF, DOE, NIH, and other domestic and international life sciences research 

partnerships. 

DOD/Air Force, academia, and industry: The Air Force will continue to lead and work directly with the 

Nano-Bio Manufacturing Consortium.52 The mission of the consortium isto bring together leading scientists, 

engineers, and business development professionals from industry and universities in order to work 

collaboratively in a consortium, and to mature an integrated suite of nano-bio manufacturing technologies 

to transition to industrial manufacturing.

DOD/multiple services, industry, academia, and international partners: The Department of Defense has 

initiated a new program entitled “Synthetic Biology for Military Environments” as part of its Applied Research 

for the Advancement of S&T Priorities program. This program represents a joint-service DOD effort in 

synthetic biology that applies basic advances in synthetic biology and knowledge of how biological systems 

function to establish laboratory tools and systems tailored to meet unique defense needs. This effort will 

integrate existing and grow new foundational capabilities, leverage state-of-the-art academic and industrial 

innovations, and develop additional unique tools necessary to engineer microbes and components for DODunique materials, sensors, and warfighter health and performance monitoring. The team will use synthetic 

 

52 www.nbmc.org/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 43

biology approaches to create classes of nano/biomaterials. Collaborators include academic, industry, and 

international partners.

DOD/Navy and academia: ONR has initiated a BRC program on electrically assisted materials 

manufacturing of lightweight alloys (e.g., aluminum and titanium alloys) and ultrahigh melting point 

ceramics with increased hardness and low density (e.g., B4C). This BRC supports two university-based 

multidisciplinary teams. This significant basic research effort will provide a comprehensive scientific basis 

along with predictive modelling tools of nanoscale phenomena defining macroscopic material properties.

DOE: The DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) supports fundamental research in materials science, 

chemical science, geoscience, and bioscience, with the goal of understanding, predicting, and ultimately 

controlling matter and energy at the level of electrons, atoms, and molecules. This broad and diverse 

research provides the foundation for future new energy technologies and supports the DOE mission in 

energy, environment, and national security. For example, research on electron and atom displacement is 

increasing our understanding of both unusual and common mechanisms of energy transformation, and 

advanced instrumentation and innovative methodology are critical to achieving these insights, as 

demonstrated by the following projects:

• To generate electricity in organic solar cells, negative and positive charges must be separated over 

relatively large distances to avoid recombination. Using new terahertz microwave detection 

methods, researchers have found that the charges remained separated in a nanostructure only 

when the electron is delocalized over an ordered domain. These results suggest that ordered 

molecular nano-domains play an essential role in efficient organic solar cells. 

• Scientists have confirmed experimentally and with high accuracy the long-held hypothesis that the 

structure of platinum catalyst nanoparticles, supported on alumina, changes during the catalytic 

conversion of ethylene to ethane. They designed a miniature reactor to collect nanoscale structural 

images simultaneously with synchrotron x-ray absorption spectra. This approach provides precise 

atomic-scale dynamic information to refine models and improve design of supported metal 

catalysts.

BES will continue broad support for fundamental nanoscience research in areas such as the following: 

• Nanostructured materials for electron and ion transport in next-generation batteries and fuel cells.

• Nanoscale quantum materials for future energy technologies.

• Fundamental understanding of nanoscale defects that will enable predictive design of materials 

with superior mechanical properties and radiation resistance.

• Elucidation of the elementary steps of light absorption, charge separation, and charge transport in 

nanostructured materials and chemical systems for improved solar energy conversion.

• Atomically precise materials for molecular electrocatalysts that efficiently convert electrical energy 

into chemical bonds in fuels.

• Enhanced computational capabilities for the simulation of chemical and geochemical processes at 

the molecular- and nanoscales.

• Structural and dynamic studies of atoms, molecules, and predictive understanding at the 

nanoscale of the basic chemical and physical principles involved in chemical separations systems.

The DOE Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) 

has advanced the fundamental understanding of platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts at the atomic 

scale through the ElectroCat Consortium.53

 

53 www.electrocat.org/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

44 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

The DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) in EERE will support R&D on alloy anode materials for advanced 

batteries based on silicon nanowires, nanoflakes, nanorods, and nanoscale silicon oxide materials to reduce 

particle cracking during cycling and enhance power capability. VTO will support R&D on carbon nanotubes 

to improve cathode rate (power) capability and to enable higher voltage battery operation.

DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) in EERE will support kilogram-scale R&D on carbon covetic 

conversion processes at the National Energy Technology Laboratory and fundamental studies of structure 

and process physics at ANL for advanced conductors.

DOE and NIST: AMO has supported development of atomic-resolution images of carbon covetic 

nanomaterials through ANL, a university, and NIST, revealing the atomic-scale processes and behavior in 

advanced conductor applications.

DOE, DOD, NASA, and industry: AMO, ANL, and the National Energy Technology Laboratory plan to work 

with ARL, NASA Glenn Research Center, several companies, and a university on carbon covetic 

nanomaterials.

DOE and industry: DOE plans continuation of the ElectroCat Consortium involving FCTO, Los Alamos 

National Laboratory (LANL), ANL, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the National Renewable Energy 

Laboratory, with funding for nanotechnology-centric catalyst projects at universities, PNNL, and two 

companies.

DOE will support the Hydrogen Materials Advanced Research Consortium,

54 involving FCTO, Sandia National 

Laboratory (SNL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), 

and industry collaborators to advance nanomaterials for hydrogen storage.

NASA: There is funding from NASA’s Internal Research and Development (IRAD) program to look into 

various ways of inducing bonding between carbon nanotube bundles in order to enhance load transfer 

between tubes. This work involves both modeling and experimental processing and testing.

NASA and Air Force: NASA currently funds grants under its Early Stage Innovation (ESI) program to look at 

mesoscale modeling of structural carbon nanotubes. This effort was co-funded by AFOSR. The grant 

completed its first year in March 2017.

NIH: NIH is reporting $88 million in Foundational Research investments for 2017, the second-largest area 

within NIH’s NNI investments. This investment reflects the discovery and understanding of scientific 

principles in medical research supported throughout the NIH institutes. NIH has provided funds for 

nanotechnology-related proposals covering all the major diseases (e.g., cardiac, cancer, diabetes, kidney, 

etc.). For example, the NIH/NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer supported the Innovative Research in 

Cancer Nanotechnology (IRCN) U01 program55 through 2017. The IRCN program supported multidisciplinary 

and transformative research in cancer biology and/or oncology, with each project expected to emphasize 

fundamental understanding of nanomaterial interactions with biological systems and/or mechanisms of 

their delivery. See below for a series of accomplishments that resulted in new insight or greater 

understanding at the nanoscale. 

 

54 energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hymarc-hydrogen-materials-advanced-research-consortium

55 grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-14-285.html
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 45

Recent advances from NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-supported research include the 

following: 

• Five-gene RNA interference (RNAi) reduce inflammatory response in post-MI mice. Myocardial 

infarction (MI) leads to a systemic surge of vascular inflammation resulting in secondary ischemic 

complications and high mortality. As a potential therapy, researchers developed a nanoparticlebased RNA interference (RNAi) approach56 that silences five cell adhesion molecules involved in 

recruiting inflammatory cells to the infarction site. This five-gene RNAi reduced the recruitment of 

inflammatory cells and breakdown of extracellular matrix after MI in mice. 

• Nanoparticle thrombin inhibitor treats atherosclerosis in mice. Thrombin contributes to 

atherosclerosis by promoting inflammatory and coagulant pathways. To counteract these effects, 

researchers developed nanoparticles containing a powerful thrombin inhibitor.57 Treatment of 

atherosclerotic mice with the nanoparticles for one month resulted in lower expression of proinflammatory and pro-coagulant markers, lower pro-coagulant activity, restoration of vascular 

endothelial integrity, and slower plaque progression. 

Recent advances from NIH/NCI-supported research include a project in which scientists at a university 

medical school developed gold nanoparticles that mimic mutant Salmonella strains to limit membrane 

protein P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity. P-gp, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, is used by some 

cancer cells to expel chemotherapy agents. Researchers found that the nanoparticle could reduce P-gp levels 

in a human colon cancer cell line and plan to move forward with preclinical testing.

NIH plans to support R&D in this area through currently active, prearranged re-issuances, and new FOAs 

where nanotechnology is an integral component. Areas of ongoing interests include pediatric formulations 

and drug delivery, immunotherapy, and vaccine research, to name a few, including the Pediatric 

Formulations and Pediatric Drug Delivery Systems FOAs (PAR-17-191/192/193) at NIH’s National Institute of 

Child Health and Human Development. In addition, NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 

held a second workshop on “Nanotechnology for HIV, RNA, Infectious Diseases, and Vaccine Delivery” in 

2017. 

NIST: NIST has made significant progress toward foundational measurements for a range of nanoscale 

systems and applications: 

• A number of accomplishments in the area of 2D materials include the discovery of whispering 

galley modes and Berry phase anomalies in circular graphene resonators, furthering the 

understanding of electronic properties of graphene using scanning tunneling microscopy, and 

foundational research exploiting the coupling of photons to phonons and electrons through 

nanoscale materials and devices. 

• NIST has developed a number of new tools for improved microscopy and spectroscopy 

measurements of nanoscale materials of interest to areas such as high-performance computing, 

solid-state lighting, and compact power sources. These tools include environmental sample cells 

with atomically thin membranes for high-throughput measurements that enable the study of 

catalytic reactions in aqueous environments, and gallium nitride nanowire LEDs for nondestructive scanning probe microscopy that enables quantitative probing of optical and electrical 

properties. 

• NIST has developed foundational measurements of nanoscale biological processes such as a 

unique technology to rapidly produce and characterize fluorescent proteins optimized to sense 

 

56 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27280687

57 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26769047
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

46 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

chemical and biological processes within living cells, without disturbing or destroying those cells. 

NIST also developed the world’s most stable atomic force microscope (AFM) to measure and 

research for the first time the complex folding and unfolding of individual biomolecules. 

• NIST has demonstrated broadly applicable, quantitative, traceable, nanoscale measurement 

methods for applications of AFM in forensics on four types of evidence: trace evidence, questioned 

documents, impression and pattern evidence, and explosive materials. Overall, it was found that 

AFM addressed needs in forensic science as defined by several Federal agencies, in particular an 

improved ability to expand the information extracted from evidence and to quantify its evidentiary 

value.

In 2018, NIST will make available nanomechanical property reference materials (RMs) and standard reference 

materials (SRMs)—RM 8191 for measuring strain and SRM 3461 for calibrating cantilever stiffness in atomic 

force microscopes—that will enable accurate determinations of mechanical performance and reliability of 

nanodevices. NIST intends to extend nanoscale microscopy methods by developing a combined atomic 

force and scanning tunneling microscopy instrument that operates in an ultrahigh-vacuum, millikelvin 

environment to enable atomic-scale measurements for future electronic devices, and to demonstrate waferscale fabrication of scanning probe tips instrumented with GaN nanowire LEDs. In 2018, NIST will look to 

quantify the reproducibility of AFM nanoscale measurements to provide a measure of the probability that 

an AFM-measured quantity represents a particular material. Such quantification requires more detailed 

statistical studies on specific forms of evidence, and will be performed in concert with several Federal 

agencies and local forensics consultants. The first such in-depth study will focus on the physical properties 

of surface-modified cloth fibers.

NIST, DOE, and industry: In 2016, NIST and DOE worked with SBIR-supported companies to complete the 

infrastructure for two beamlines that will deliver photons to measurement instruments at the new DOE 

synchrotron facility, National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II),

58 which is designed specifically for 

nanoscale measurements. NIST has completed development of two novel synchrotron imaging instruments 

to be coupled to these beamlines: a large-area imaging near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) 

microscope that provides high-efficiency measurements of thousands of compositional samples in parallel, 

and an x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) microscope that provides full 3D mappings of nanomaterials 

and nanodevices, combining nanometer-scale spatial resolution with chemical and electronic state 

specificity.

NIST will continue to work DOE and industry to couple the two novel synchrotron imaging instruments to 

the NSLS-II beamlines and commission these instruments. The resulting suite of synchrotron instruments will 

provide the capability to measure all elements in the Periodic Table. In addition, NIST is designing and 

developing an x-ray scattering capability on the NEXAFS instrument for simultaneous determination of 

average size, shape, and local molecular structure of carbon-based nanomaterials.

NIST and ORNL: In collaboration with ORNL, NIST developed a microwave-based method to image reactive 

and biological samples at nanoscale spatial resolution under realistic operating conditions.

NSF: Nanotechnology research is prevalent throughout core programs in the BIO, ENG, and MPS directorates 

at NSF. Research into quantum materials is essential for preparing future scientists to implement the 

discoveries of the next quantum revolution into technologies that will benefit the average consumer. There 

will be strong connections to industry, Federal agencies, and international partners. The Quantum Leap: 

Leading the Next Quantum Revolution topic in the NSF Big Ideas report59 is NSF’s approach to identifying 

 

58 www.bnl.gov/ps/nsls2/about-NSLS-II.php

59 www.nsf.gov/about/congress/reports/nsf_big_ideas.pdf
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 47

and supporting research in this arena. It will address fundamental questions about quantum behavior and 

the manipulation of quantum systems. Investments will enable next-generation technologies for sensing, 

computing, modeling, and communicating that will be more accurate and efficient.

NSF supports a wide range of research aimed at gaining fundamental understanding of phenomena in 

nanoscale biosystems, including: (1) understanding of electron and bioenergy transfer in ubiquitous 

biological energy conversion systems, the thylakoid systems of plant chloroplasts, and the respiratory 

complex of mitochondria; (2) understanding of the relationship between structure and function of chromatin 

as it relates to epigenetic control of gene expression; and (3) development of technologies that take 

advantage of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing discoveries that enable the facile engineering of synthetic 

organisms that will lead to applications in food, energy, healthcare and the environment that benefit the 

Nation.

The Division of Social and Economic Sciences in the SBE Directorate supports research on the social and 

ethical implications (SEI) of nanotechnology at four nodes of the recently formed NNCI. At a recent NNCI PI 

meeting, SEI researchers associated with these nodes developed plans to coordinate efforts, and to seek 

ways to include other nodes in SEI research on nanotechnology. The overarching goal is to foster the 

integration of social science research with nanoscale science and engineering (NSE) to promote socially 

responsible innovations at all nodes in the NNCI, and thereby serve as a national resource for all 

nanotechnology stakeholders seeking expert assistance with NSE/SEI issues.

In 2018, NSF will expand the current research in new areas in response to the NSF Big Ideas, including 

research related to human-technology co-evolution, quantum information systems, the rules of life, and 

convergence.

Chromatin and epigenetic engineering is a new area that will begin in 2018. It consists of modulating and 

control of chromatin and its nano-environment, leading to changes in cellular characteristics, with relevance 

to healthcare and biotechnology. 

NSF will focus nanomanufacturing research on creating larger atomic structures, using modeling and 

simulation for design or manufacturing processes, and convergence with cybermanufacturing and 

biomanufacturing.

NSF, NIH, and AFOSR: NSF plans to collaborate with NIH and AFOSR in 2018–2019 on a research solicitation 

in the chromatin and epigenetic engineering topic discussed above.60

USDA/Forest Service, DOE national laboratories, and academia: To accelerate innovations in new forest 

products development, Forest Service scientists, in collaboration with university and DOE national laboratory 

researchers, have been investigating ways to understand and control, at the nanoscale, mechanical 

properties, moisture-induced swelling, and chemical transport in wood. The collaborative research team has 

developed tools to study these nanoscale properties and phenomena in wood, including nano-indentation 

to study mechanical properties (Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory), small-angle scattering to study 

moisture-induced swelling (ORNL), and synchrotron micro x-ray fluorescence microscopy to study chemical 

transport (ANL). For the first time, these discoveries have provided researchers with specific nanoscale 

mechanisms in the effort to develop forest products with improved properties.

USDA/NIFA: NIFA continues to advance the frontiers of interdisciplinary nanoscale science, engineering, 

and technology for solving significant societal challenges facing agriculture and food systems. NIFA 

investments in nanotechnology research, education, and extension are reflected in multiple portfolios 

including sustainable agricultural production systems, the bio-based economy, food safety and quality, 

60 www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17578/nsf17578.htm
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

48 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

human nutrition, environmental systems, natural resources, water quality, and climate variability. The 

Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems program in AFRI supports discovery and characterization 

of nanoscale phenomena, processes, and structures relevant and important to agriculture and food. It also 

encourages new platforms of nanotechnology in the area of higher-order assembled systems, and more 

complex systems that include the exploitation of bio-nano interfaces, hybrid bioinorganic systems, systems 

biology, and additive manufacturing technology. Public deliberation, social acceptability, and risk 

perception, management, and communication about nanotechnology and nanotechnology-enabled food 

or non-food products by agricultural stakeholders (including consumers) using appropriate social science 

tools are within the program scope.

PCA 3. Nanotechnology-Enabled Applications, Devices, and Systems

Overview

PCA 3 covers research and development that applies the principles of nanoscale science and engineering to 

create novel devices and systems, or to improve existing ones. It includes the incorporation of nanoscale or 

nanostructured materials and the processes required to achieve improved performance or new functionality, 

including metrology, scale up, manufacturing technology, and nanoscale reference materials and standards. 

To meet this definition, the enabling science and technology must be at the nanoscale, but the applications, 

systems, and devices themselves are not restricted to that size.

Agency Progress and Plans 

DOD/Army: The Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) has developed 

a nanothermite formulation to eliminate hazardous materials in many ammunition applications, and has 

demonstrated pilot-scale production methods of these compounds.

ERDC has completed development of a series of novel materials combining photocatalytic nanomaterials 

and toughening nanofibers in a biopolymer and synthetic polymer matrix as part of basic research studies. 

This work focuses on development of materials and coating systems with combined toughening capability 

for improving the high strain rate performance of brittle construction materials as well as imparting selfcleaning and integrated chem-bio defense capabilities.

DOD/Navy: ONR has developed a shipboard in situ repair tool for Cu-Ni piping in heat exchangers, fire 

suppression mains, etc., utilizing electrodeposited nanoalloys. This program adapted existing electroplating 

technology to produce a single-step nanostructured Cu-Ni repair coating for shipboard systems.

Another ONR-funded university program has examined the dielectric breakdown strength of nanoclay-filled 

epoxy. These nanostructured epoxies may be used on winding insulation for electric propulsion motors. 

Success to date includes improving alternating current dielectric strength by 50% and thermal conductivity 

by a factor of seven. 

NRL has investigated nanoscale optical materials that include both transparent nanoceramics as well as 

nanolayered gradient-index (GRIN) materials. The transparent nanoceramics have shown considerable 

hardness improvements, and may find applications in radomes and armor materials. The nanolayered GRIN 

optics and design tools, developed in a collaboration with ARL, provide a unique way to control chromatic 

aberration in many optical systems.

DOD/Army, DOD/Navy, and academia: DOD has examined boron carbide at the nanoscale in several 

efforts. Researchers from the Army, Navy, and several universities are working to control the microstructure 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 49

and deformation processes of nanocrystalline boron carbide, at the nanoscale. The goals of these efforts are 

to improve the performance and reduce the cost of armor for soldier protection.

DOD/Army and NIST: ERDC has a new research program that will test several different nanotechnologies, 

advanced materialstechnologies, and additive manufacturing (3D printing) processes through collaboration 

with ARDEC (which will supply materials) and NIST (which will provide characterization and release methods). 

The technologies tested will include energetics, force protection, and construction materials applications.

DOD (multiple services), other NNI agencies, industry, and academia: DOD will continue to collaborate 

with a broad range of industrial and academic partners to address specific applications of nanotechnology. 

Many of these partners have been mentioned in prior sections of this report, and include the Institute for 

Soldier Nanotechnologies, the Advanced Functional Fibers of America Manufacturing USA institute, the 

Nano-Bio Manufacturing Consortium, the Center of Excellence for Advanced Bioprogrammable 

Nanomaterials, and a university laboratory, not to mention the other NNI participating Federal agencies. 

DOE: The DOE Office of Nuclear Energy investments in nanotechnology-related experiments are executed 

via competitive Nuclear Science User Facilities Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research facility access 

awards and Rapid Turnaround Experiment awards to researchers at U.S. universities and national 

laboratories, as well as through the Office of Nuclear Technology research and development programs. 

Recent research topics include radiation effects on engineered nanostructured features of cladding, 

structural component materials, and fuels towards increased performance, including advanced 

manufacturing techniques; understanding the effects of radiation-induced nanoprecipitate and nanocluster 

formation on the performance of cladding and structural component materials; and understanding the 

mechanical properties of cladding, structural component materials, and fuels employing nanoscale 

measurement technologies. Significant accomplishments have been made in designing and stabilizing

nanostructured features in ferritic/martensitic alloys to enhance radiation resistance and mechanical 

properties. Advanced nanoscale material characterization techniques have also been developed to inform 

modeling and simulation efforts and to maximize utilization of small ion- or neutron-irradiated samples.

ARPA-E has supported a broad range of early-stage, potentially disruptive energy technology projects that 

involve both applications of current nanotechnology and applied R&D in new areas of nanotechnology. For 

example, the Integration and Optimization of Novel Ion Conducting Solids (IONICS) program was launched 

in 2016 to develop solid ion conductors with transformational potential for solid-state lithium batteries, lowcost chemistries for grid-scale flow batteries, and alkaline fuel cells. Across all applications, program teams 

are drawing upon recent advances in nanomaterials, including organic-inorganic composites and 

nanoporous polymer membranes, to develop and demonstrate high-performance, scalable components for 

electrochemical cells.

FCTO plans to advance the development of low-PGM catalysts and advanced electrode nanomaterials 

through the ElectroCat consortium. AMO plans to support the development of advanced conductor wire 

with carbon nanotubes.

DOJ/NIJ: The Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has invested in research to apply 

nanotechnology to forensic science and in the development of nanoantennas for multi-band radios. These 

investments have the potential to make important contributions to criminal justice, the safety and 

effectiveness of our first responders, and national security.

DOT/FHWA: The Federal Highway Administration is pursuing nanotechnology-enabled solutions to enable 

a state of good repair for the Nation's highway system. Nanomaterials efforts focused on conventional and 

alternative cementitious materials have expanded the fundamental understanding of cement hydration 

kinetics by developing novel nanoscale interrogation and characterization techniques to complement 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

50 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

advanced models. Building on prior work on cementitious materials, multifunctionality for structural health 

monitoring, and advanced coatings, new investments in 2018 will seek to improve the performance, 

durability, and resiliency of transportation infrastructure.

NASA: NASA has developed an atmospheric pressure plasma jet printing technique, which is a dry 

alternative to inkjet printing of nanomaterials on flexible and 3D substrates. The technique does not need 

the post-deposition sintering or annealing steps commonly encountered in aerosol jet printing. Printing of 

conducting, semiconducting, dielectric, and other materials on paper, plastic, kapton, cotton, thin metal foils, 

and 3D objects has been demonstrated.

There is separate IRAD funding to investigate the application of boron nitride nanotubes for thermal 

protection systems needed in entry, descent, and landing for Mars entry. 

There is an activity to explore the development of high-strength hybrid nanocomposites for lightweight 

space vehicle structures, including a Phase 2 SBIR to develop composites with enhanced interlaminar 

properties.

A collaboration between two NASA centers will demonstrate printable gas/vapor sensors, biosensors, 

ultracapacitors, and triboelectric power generators.

NIH: Nanotechnology-enabled applications, devices, and systems is the largest PCA within the NIH-reported 

NNI investment portfolio—$262 million in 2017. Programs and projects in PCA 3 include medical devices, 

nanotherapeutics, drug delivery systems, and novel radiotherapeutics supported through several FOAs 

renewed in 2016–2017. Systems being studied in IRCN awards include nanoscale core-shell coordination 

polymers developed by university researchers, which are being used for synergistic chemo- and 

photodynamic therapy that stimulates the immune system and enhances response to immunotherapy. The 

combination therapy leads to regression of both treated and distant, untreated, tumors.61 Other systems and 

devices were developed through Image-guided Drug Delivery R01 awards62 and the Innovative Molecular 

Analysis Technology program.63

In 2016, significant accomplishments in dental research were supported by NIH/NIDCR via the Design and 

Development of Novel Dental Composite Restorative Systems cooperative agreement program. The goal of 

this program is to enable design and development of novel dental composite materials that demonstrate 

superiority in material properties and durability in the oral environment over the currently utilized dental 

composites. Researchers demonstrated improvement in mechanical performance of dental materials by 

combining nanoparticle-based biomaterials with a variety of polymer resins. These newly developed dental 

materials exhibit valuable features such as self-healing and anti-microbial properties. Further development 

of these biomaterials is expected to generate dental composites with superior biocompatibility, ease of 

clinical handling, and durability. 

Recent advances from NIH/NIBIB-supported research have shown that nanovaccines could enhance cancer 

immunotherapy. Researchers have created a nanovaccine that could make a current approach to cancer 

immunotherapy more effective while also reducing side effects. The nanovaccine helps to efficiently deliver 

a unique DNA sequence to immune cells—a sequence derived from bacterial DNA and used to trigger an 

 

61 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4992065/

62 grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-16-044.html

63 imat.cancer.gov/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 51

immune reaction. The nanovaccine also protects the DNA from being destroyed inside the body, where DNAcutting enzymes are pervasive, as well as outside of the body when exposed to warm temperatures while 

being stored or transported. The researchers successfully tested the nanovaccine on melanomas in mice.

64

In 2017–2018, NIH/NCI isreplacing the expired IRCN PAR with a FOA with similar goals and purpose. In 2018, 

NIH plans to host strategic workshops aimed at mapping future directions for cancer nanotechnology 

research, and also to identify emerging areas of research that are complementary to nanotechnology and 

likely to be areas of fruitful collaboration for nanotechnology researchers. The findings of these workshops 

will inform future funding opportunities and programs in nanotechnology. One of these workshops will be 

comprised entirely of researchers within 10 years of their terminal degree, and also will seek to establish 

mechanisms for supporting collaborative research among early career investigators. 

In 2017, NIH/NIDCR launched Stage 2 of a three-stage effort to support establishing multidisciplinary 

Resource Centers (RCs) for the Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration Consortium (DOCTRC). This 

effort extends over a period of 8–9 years to include the Planning Stage (Stage1), the RC Development Stage 

(Stage 2), and the Consortium Stage (Stage 3). Stage 2 of the DOCTRC will build on the activities of Stage 1, 

which was launched in 2015. By integrating the clinical, scientific, industrial, and regulatory expertise of the 

teams of investigators, the RCs will deliver technical support, research capacity, administrative infrastructure,

and regulatory expertise for the DOCTRC. The RC also facilitates the advancement of promising strategies,

including nanotechnology-based strategies, into clinical trialsfor regeneration and reconstruction of dental, 

oral, and craniofacial (DOC) tissues. The overall outcome of DOCTRC will be the development of tissue 

engineering and regenerative medicine products, including combination products, biologics, and/or devices 

and associated protocols ready for the initiation of Phase 1 clinical trials. It is expected that many individual 

DOCTRC projects will utilize nanotechnology-based strategies, thus facilitating introduction of 

nanotechnology into clinical practice. Examples of such products/devices include tissue regenerationenhancing scaffolds, drug delivery systems, and “smart materials” that respond to cues from the tissue 

microenvironment, as well as nanomaterial-based imaging modalities and biosensors.

NIH and non-profit organization: The Startup Challenge in Cancer (NSC2) is an open innovation startup 

collaboration between a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and NIH—including NCI, NIBIB, and NHLBI—to 

commercialize nanotechnology inventions originally conceived at NIH. Twenty-eight teams were accepted 

to participate in the cancer challenge at Phase1.65 Of those, the top 10 teams advanced past stage 2.66 The 

final phase of the challenge will involve the NIH Office of Technology Transfer evaluating the startups’ 

licensing applications to determine the viability of commercialization and development plans.

NIH and NIST: An ongoing multi-year interagency agreement (IAA) between NIH/NIDCR and NIST supports 

development of performance-based, clinically relevant standards for dental materials, including 

nanomaterials for applications in the oral environment. Additionally, this IAA allows the design of new 

analytical instrumentation for characterization of nanomaterial-based dental composite restorative systems. 

In this collaboration, NIST develops measurement strategies, standard methods, and reference materials,

while NIH/NIDCR provides funds and expert scientific and clinical advice. NIH/NIDCR also provides guidance 

to ensure that these materials and instrumentation are designed for routine and reliable use with adequate 

reproducibility and rigor. 

Recent advances made under this NIH/NIDCR-NIST IAA have resulted in the development of the NIST 

Standard Reference Instrument 6005 Polymerization Stress Tensometer (SRI 6500 PST). This new instrument

 

64 nibib.nih.gov/news-events/newsroom/nanovaccine-could-enhance-cancer-immunotherapy-reduce-side-effects

65 www.prweb.com/releases/2016/04/prweb13312920.htm

66 www.prweb.com/releases/2016/07/prweb13575946.htm
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

52 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

allows inter-comparability testing during development of nanomaterial-based dental composites. The SRI 

6500 PST instrument is commercially available and has been procured by national and international 

stakeholders involved in dental materials research. Future work will involve broader research applications of 

the SRI 6005 PST instrument for the development of new dental composite materials. This new instrument

is expected to be broadly applied across the dental materials research community and to receive ISO 

certification. Other accomplishments under this IAA include advances towards the development of a 

nanoscale carbonated apatite material mimicking human dental enamel that may find use as a standard 

reference material, and assessing the feasibility of using cellulose nanocrystals to restore bone volume to

support teeth and dental implants. Results from this work suggest that cellulose nanocrystal-based scaffolds 

may offer a promising strategy for bone regeneration.

NIH, FDA, and NIST: NIH/NIDCR has been leading five participating NIH institutes on the “Forum on 

Regenerative Medicine,” organized under the auspices of the National Academy of Medicine of the National 

Academies. In addition, FDA, NIST, and other regenerative medicine stakeholders from academia, industry, 

patient advocacy groups, and private foundations are participating in this effort. Many of the regenerative 

medicine strategies that are currently being developed involve nanotechnology, and the forum aims to 

engage the different participating stakeholders in a dialogue about challenges, opportunities, and ethical 

aspects of translating regenerative medicine strategies to the clinic. In October 2016, NIH/NIDCR, along with 

the other forum partners, participated in a forum workshop entitled “State of the Science in the Field of 

Regenerative Medicine: Challenges and Opportunities for Cellular Therapies.” Plans are currently underway 

to define the goals and objectives of the next series of forum activities, where NIH/NIDCR will play a 

prominent role.

NIH, DOD, government laboratories, academia, and industry: In 2017 and 2018, NIH/NIDCR will continue 

to support and provide programmatic guidance for the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine 

(AFIRM) in collaboration with two other NIH institutes (NIBIB and the National Institute of Arthritis and 

Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases). AFIRM is a DOD-led interdisciplinary multi-institutional consortium that 

supports a network of academic institutions, Federal laboratories, and commercial partners to develop lifesaving tissue/organ regeneration strategies for wounded warriors. AFIRM investigators have been utilizing 

numerous nanotechnology strategies from the inception of the AFIRM program in 2008. AFIRM research 

focus areas include projects in NIH/NIDCR mission areas geared toward craniofacial regeneration and 

reconstruction. 

NIH and FDA: NIH/NIDCR investigators will continue to optimize the nanoscale properties of their candidate 

dental composites in 2017 and 2018, and will initiate interactions with FDA with a goal of bringing these 

restorative systems to market.

NIH, DOD, FDA, and industry: In 2017 and in the next 2–5 years NIH/NIDCR will be participating in a new 

trans-NIH RFA led by NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences entitled “The 

Microphysiological Systems for Disease Modeling and Efficacy Testing.” This initiative will support studies to 

develop micro- and nanoscale in vitro microphysiological system platforms (also known as tissue chips) and 

to validate these platforms for their ability to mimic physiological functions of human tissues and organs. It 

will also support studies to demonstrate the functional utility of the tissue chips for disease modeling to 

understand disease mechanisms and to identify novel therapeutic targets and treatments to inform design 

of clinical trials. This nanomedicine effort leverages previous NIH investments in 2016 and in earlier years in 

this field that have been conducted in partnership with DOD, FDA, and the pharmaceutical industry. 

Technologies developed under the previous and the current 2017 initiatives utilize multidisciplinary 

approaches combining an array of nanotechnology-based strategies across fields of bioengineering, 

biology, microfluidics, materials science, "omic" sciences, and clinical science, among others. NIH/NIDCR 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 53

intends to support meritorious applications for development of tissue chip platforms relevant to the 

institute’s mission areas.

NIST: NIST measurement science programs to support PCA 3 include efforts for photonic circuits, polymer 

membranes, energy-efficient electronics, and reliability for advanced microelectronics. NIST has continued 

to perform pioneering quantum optomechanics experiments that use quantum-correlated phonons as a 

means of realizing an absolute temperature scale, and is harnessing the unique properties of graphene to 

develop improved quantum resistance reference standards. The NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and 

Technology (CNST) user facility developed and introduced advanced nanofabrication techniques to medical 

and other bioscience researchers who were unaware of these techniques but can greatly benefit from them. 

By training bioscience and biomedical researchers in nanofabrication techniques and offering remote 

services when possible, NIST ensures that these researchers have access to tools and devices that are a 

catalyst for their existing projects and have helped inspire new innovative ideas. 

Future plans include establishing a program to develop radiation-resistant, nanoscale calorimetric sensors 

based on photonic sensors that could eventually lead to direct realization of the SI (Le Système International 

d’Unités, or International System of Units) unit of dose (Gy) with unprecedented sensitivity and spatial 

resolution. NIST also plans to continue work to identify materials, architectures, and physical mechanisms for 

developing nanoscale sensors with a tunable radiation sensitivity that could be used as secondary standards 

or field-deployable cumulative dosimeters.

NIST and SNL: In collaboration with SNL, NIST demonstrated fast electrochromic switching devices enabled 

by plasmonic structures, offering a new technology opportunity for reflective and transmissive displays and 

sensors.

NSF: NSF invests in R&D that applies the principles of nanoscale science and engineering to create novel 

devices and systems, or to improve existing ones. This R&D includes the incorporation of nanoscale or 

nanostructured materials and the processes required to achieve improved performance or new functionality, 

including metrology, scale up, manufacturing technology, and nanoscale reference materials and standards. 

An example is the NEWT NERC, which has been investigating distributed water filtration methods.67 Another 

example is the NERC, Center for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies, 

focusing on using nanosensors for health and the environment.68

The Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in ENG plans to focus on the following areas

for 2017–2018: processing-structure-property relationships in structural and functional nanomaterials;

nanostructures; nanocomposites; metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials; nanotribology; nanoscale 

routes to energy manufacturing and additive manufacturing using nanoparticles to make bulk shapes; 

nanomechanics and its implications for structural performance; and 3D nanoprinting.

USDA/ARS: The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has been researching a number of novel 

applications of nanotechnology in the agriculture and food sector. Examples include the following:

• Food containers with antimicrobial surfaces. Containers are used for harvesting fruits and vegetables 

in the field and for storage, display in stores, and during transportation; however, they can be 

easily contaminated with foodborne pathogens. When a contaminated container is in contact with 

food, pathogens transfer from the container to the food, hence, the importance of having a 

pathogen-free container. ARS researchers in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, developed methods and 

coating formulas to produce food containers with an antimicrobial surface. Scientists used 

 

67 See above under Water NSI (PCA 1e) for more details.

68 assist.ncsu.edu/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

54 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopowders, which are ingredients in food coloring, with polymers to 

form an antimicrobial coating on the container surface. The surface coatings are activated by 

visible light to inactivate E. coli O157:H7, and in validation tests, reduced the pathogen by 99.7%. 

Studies further demonstrated that the developed methods and coating formula could be applied 

to different types of containers made of various materials such as metal, wood, plastics, or 

paperboard, and for a variety of foods, especially for fruits and vegetables. An invention disclosure 

and patent for the technology has been submitted to facilitate licensing by industry.

• Value-added products from agro-industrial residues for sustainability and pollution reduction. 

Industries such as textiles, leather, rubber, plastics, and food use synthetic dyes such as methylene 

blue (MB) to color their products, and discharge the ensuing colored wastewater into the 

environment. These effluents cause significant problems including increased chemical oxygen 

demand, toxicity due to their carcinogenic properties, and hindering light penetration (because 

they are highly colored, affecting the photosynthetic processes in aquatic plants). Removal of MB 

from wastewater, therefore, is very important to protect the environment and to reduce the dye 

hazard to biotic communities. ARS scientists from Bowling Green, Kentucky, utilized agro-industrial 

residues as a biomass source for silica extraction, and residual ash as a low-cost adsorbent for the 

removal of MB from an aqueous waste stream. The results show that a high percentage of pure 

amorphous nanosilica could be obtained from industrial waste via the acid dissolution–

precipitation process, and residual ash is an effective adsorbent for dye removal from waste 

streams. The research team has found a potential eco-friendly and sustainable method to 

transform agro-industrial wastes to value-added starting materials for industrial applications, as 

well as adsorbent materials for treatment of chemical pollution from agricultural wastes. This new 

method of extracting adsorbent materials from renewable biomass, especially from agricultural 

wastes, will help farmers and producers to be more sustainable.

• Plant starch nanoparticles for improved and lower-cost packaging films. Currently, polyvinyl alcohol 

(PVOH) film has excellent properties that make it practical for use in food packaging, textile sizing 

agents, paper coatings, and fibers. However, it is expensive to manufacture and slow to 

decompose in landfills. ARS scientists in Peoria, Illinois, have blended PVOH film with starch 

nanoparticles prepared from inexpensive plant starch using the economical commercial process of 

steam-jet cooking. Studies determined that incorporating up to 50% of starch nanoparticles into 

PVOH films does not affect the breaking point of the films during stretching. Additionally, since 

starch biodegrades rapidly, incorporation of starch-based nanoparticles into PVOH films and other 

products prepared from PVOH will reduce the harmful buildup of these materials in the 

environment and reduce the cost of production by at least 30%. 

For 2017–2018, ARS is planning a number of continuing and new research projects that involve 

nanotechnology. Topics covered by these projects include the following:

• Integrated process and packaging technologies. Development of novel food processing and 

packaging technologies to improve appearance, nutritional value, or product quality; antibacterial 

packaging to control pathogens and minimize loss of product quality and value; and evaluation of 

potential environmental, health, or safety concerns arising from novel non-thermal food 

processing interventions.

• Technologies for value-added cotton-based products. Development of new commercial cotton 

products, including cotton-containing nonwoven materials; cotton-based products with enhanced 

flame retardant and moisture control properties; body-contacting materials for use in biomedical, 

biosensor, and hygienic applications; and processes involving supercritical fluids, microwaves,

ultrasound, or ionic liquids for production of cotton-based products.
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 55

• Biophotonics in animal research and production systems. Development of advanced imaging 

technologies (including use of nanoparticles) to improve understanding of health and fertility in

food animal reproduction systems, and to track pathogens (e.g., Salmonella, Mycobacterium avian 

paratuberculosis) in avian and livestock hosts using photon-emitting sentinels in the animal 

system and/or environment; and development of pathogen mitigation strategies.

• Bioproducts from agricultural feedstocks. Use of biopolymers to develop sustainable technologies 

and bioproducts that will not negatively impact food reserves, and use of nonfood fibers and crop 

waste to create new bioproducts and to help improve efficiency in utilizing agricultural 

commodities. Plans include exploring the use of conventional and novel processing technologies 

to produce and characterize nanofibers from biopolymers and investigate potential applications, 

and the use of biopolymers to encapsulate/deliver beneficial soil microbes that improve crop 

production. This program also includes research to enable new commercial materials based on 

biopolymers and bio-based fillers, e.g., fiber-reinforced composite materials, and value-added 

bioproducts from torrefied crop waste and from almond, grape, and citrus waste.

USDA/NIFA: The NIFA nanotechnology program supports innovative, early-stage applied research to 

develop nanotechnology-enabled applications, devices, and systems for a wide range of national priorities. 

These priorities include improving global food and nutrition security and sustainability, adaptation and 

mitigation of agricultural production systems to climate variability, early detection and effective intervention 

for ensuring food safety and biosecurity, more effective therapies to improve animal health and wellness, 

development of the biology-based economy, and protection for natural resources, the environment, and 

agricultural ecosystems. Applications, especially those with potential near-term commercial impact, are 

encouraged to include socioeconomic analyses of anticipated benefits to agriculture, food, and society and 

to identify the factors that may contribute to, or hinder, adoption. For 2018, NIFA proposes to invest in the 

Sustainable Agricultural Systems programs69 to support large integrative projects that address major 

outcomes of agricultural systems. This component of AFRI will build on the advances made in research, 

education, and extension priority outcomes through the former AFRI Challenge Areas such as water, 

resiliency and adaptation to climate variability, food safety, childhood obesity prevention, bioenergy, and 

food security. Sustainable Agricultural Systems will address these challenge topics comprehensively and 

collectively, rather than in isolation. This integration will enable NIFA’s goal of advancing the convergence 

of agricultural sciences with engineering, nutritional and food sciences, social sciences, and other disciplines 

(including nanotechnology, computational sciences, and advanced manufacturing) to generate new 

scientific discoveries, new products, new markets, and consequently new high-skilled jobs.

The USDA SBIR program housed within NIFA has supported nanotechnology R&D aiming at 

commercialization. Topics of the NIFA SBIR projects have included nanotechnology-enabled sensor 

technologies for detection of microbial pathogens, insects, and crop environmental stresses; nanoscale 

delivery of antimicrobial agents; and nanocellulose composites to improve polymer functionalities.

PCA 4. Research Infrastructure and Instrumentation

Overview

PCA 4 supports the establishment and operation of user facilities and networks, acquisition of major 

instrumentation, workforce development, and other activities that develop, support, or enhance the Nation’s 

physical, cyber, or workforce infrastructure for nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. It includes 

R&D pertaining to the tools needed to advance nanotechnology research and commercialization, including 

 

69 nifa.usda.gov/sustainable-agricultural-production-systems
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

56 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

informatics tools and next-generation instrumentation for characterization, measurement, synthesis, and 

design of materials, structures, devices, and systems. While student support to perform research is captured 

in other categories, dedicated educational efforts ranging from curriculum development to advanced 

training are included here as resources supporting the workforce infrastructure of the NNI.

Agency Progress and Plans

DOE: BES has continued to operate five Nanoscale Science Research Centers (NSRCs), which are national user 

facilities for interdisciplinary R&D at the nanoscale that serve as the basis for a national program that 

encompasses new science, new tools, and new computing capabilities. These are the Center for Functional 

Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies at LANL and 

SNL, the Center for Nanoscale Materials at ANL, the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL, and 

the Molecular Foundry at LBNL. The NSRC laboratories contain cleanrooms, nanofabrication resources, oneof-a-kind signature instruments, state-of-the-art electron microscopy, and other instruments not generally 

available except at major user facilities. Operating funds enable scientific staff that perform cutting-edge 

research and provide technical support through the user programs at these facilities, which are made 

available to academic, government, and industry researchers with access determined through external peer 

review of user proposals. The NSRCs provide training for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in 

interdisciplinary nanoscale science, engineering, and technology research. Each center has particular 

expertise and capabilities in selected theme areas, such as synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials; 

catalysis; theory, modeling, and simulation; electronic materials; nanoscale photonics; soft and biological 

materials; imaging and spectroscopy; and nanoscale integration. Information about capabilities at all five 

centers is on the NSRC Portal.70

In 2018, BES plans to continue support for three of the five NSRCs at 6% below the 2016 enacted level. 

NASA: NASA currently supports student research in nanotechnology under the NASA Space Technology 

Research Fellowships. These graduate fellowships train students in technical disciplines related to 

nanotechnology and familiarize the students with capabilities in government laboratories that constitute 

some of the infrastructure that supports the advancement of nanotechnology. A total of about six students 

working in nanotechnology-related fields are usually supported every year, with maximum support being 

provided for four years if the student is in a PhD program. Six is a “rolling” number since students are at 

different phases of their graduate study, with about two students entering the pipeline, while two graduate, 

every year.

NIH: NIH provides funds for centers in cardiac, cancer, dental, and other clinical research areas. For instance, 

NIH/NCI has continued to support five Cancer Nanotechnology Training Centers dedicated to providing 

graduate and post-graduate training to researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds in the use of 

nanotechnology as an enabling tool for cancer biology and oncology research. 

NIH, NIST, and FDA: NIH/NCI supports the Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCL) at the 

Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, founded as an agreement between NIH/NCI, NIST, and 

FDA. NCL has developed a comprehensive assay cascade to characterize nanomaterials intended for use in 

cancer care, including protocols available on its website, and regularly publishes its findings on the 

physiological behavior of nanoparticles.71

 

70 nsrcportal.sandia.gov

71 ncl.cancer.gov/resources
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 57

NIST: NIST has several facilities that support PCA 4, including CNST and the NIST Center for Neutron Research 

(NCNR) user facilities, serving industry, academic, and government researchers on NIST’s Gaithersburg 

campus, and the MicroFabrication Facility located at NIST’s Boulder campus, which houses nanofabrication 

tools for electronics and other applications. NIST continues to sustain and update the capabilities and 

capacity in these facilities, each providing essential resources for nanoscale measurements. CNST is NIST’s 

dedicated nanotechnology user facility, providing rapid access to world-class nanoscale measurement and 

fabrication methods and technology. The CNST NanoFab provides users with access to a state-of-the-art 

commercial tool set at economical hourly rates, supported by a dedicated, full-time technical support staff. 

In 2016 NIST issued the CNST Nanolithography Toolbox,

72 a platform-independent computer-aided design 

software package, to help users of the CNST NanoFab design their nanoscale devices. CNST also 

implemented a web-based digital knowledge base that disseminates the cumulative nanofabrication 

knowledge collected by the NanoFab staff and users to form a crowd-sourced means of sharing 

nanofabrication technologies and processes. The CNST NanoLab provides a collaborative research 

environment to create and use the next generation of nanoscale measurement instruments. The CNST 

NanoLab recently developed a new form of ion source for focused ion beams based on laser-cooled atoms, 

creating a new tool for nanoscale imaging, fabrication, and battery research.

Some planned developments include a multimodal measurement instrument combining electron 

microscopy with an atomic force microscope and a focused lithium ion beam. This CNST instrument will 

enable new research on battery materials and other ionic transport phenomena. Installation of two new 

NCNR instruments, VSANS (Very Small Angle Neutron Scattering)

73 and CANDOR (Chromatic Analysis 

Neutron Diffractometer or Reflectometer),

74 will finish in 2017 and 2018, respectively. VSANS will allow 

researchers to measure the characteristic size of material structures across five orders of magnitude, down 

to the nanoscale. This capability is critical to a broad range of real-world problems; for example, it can be 

used to measure the size distribution of voids that determine the shock resistance of explosives or the 

integrity of concrete used in nuclear waste storage. VSANS is a very small angle neutron scattering 

diffractometer that will collect data at rates 100 times faster than comparable instruments, making possible 

the study of nanoscale feature evolution in real time. Similarly, CANDOR is a reflectometer/diffractometer 

that will provide at least a ten-fold gain over existing instruments used to study nanostructured materials 

such as proteins, magnetic storage devices, and solar cells; it will enable kinetic studies as a function of 

temperature or magnetic field. 

NIST and industry: In collaboration with a company, NIST developed a cold atomic beam ion source with 

twelve times the brightness of existing sources, enabling higher-resolution milling for applications such as 

next-generation circuit editing.

NIST and NSF: The CNST NanoFab collaborates with the NSF-funded Advanced Technological Education 

(ATE) centers in a program consisting of three 16-week terms per year that provides advanced training in 

nanofabrication. The program, open to two-year and four-year college graduates, has successfully provided 

nanotechnology companies with skilled workers.

 

72 www.nist.gov/services-resources/software/cnst-nanolithography-toolbox

73 www.ncnr.nist.gov/expansion/individual_instruments/vSANS053007.html

74 www.ncnr.nist.gov/expansion/individual_instruments/CANDOR053007.html
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

58 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

NSF: Nanoscale science and engineering often requires expensive equipment and specialized expertise, and

user facilities alleviate the lack of these resources in smaller academic institutions, as well as in the small to 

medium-size commercial sector. NSF has supported a network of nanotechnology user facilities for the past 

forty years: initially, the National Nanofabrication Facility (1977–1993), followed by the National 

Nanotechnology Users Network (NNUN, 1993–2003), and then the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure 

Network (NNIN, 2004–2015). Recently, after rigorous competition, NSF established the National 

Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) program75 that consists of 16 university user-facility sites 

across the Nation, with a new coordinating office, and a diverse user facility portfolio for nanobiotechnology, 

nanoelectronics, nanomanufacturing, and other areas. The facilities for research and development support 

both academic research and product and process development. NNCI sites have experience supporting 

technology innovation and commercialization, for start-ups as well as larger and more established 

companies.

Research to develop the practical and computational tools to predict, design, and experimentally test the 

function of designed changes in the internal organization of cells, and to create the tools for building 

multicellular structures, is being supported through a new (2016) NSF-funded Center for Cellular 

Construction (annual award of approximately $5 million). This center will create high-throughput and 

modular tools for nanoscale cell engineering, and will assemble a set of core resources and instruments for 

the community, including high-throughput and quantitative imaging systems, gene synthesis, and nextgeneration sequencing. Center researchers will work with counterparts in commercial companies to develop 

cellular machines with real-world applications, and to train a new generation of researchers at 

undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels.

In 2016, NSF also funded the Engineering Biology Research Consortium, a public-private partnership that 

brings together leaders in the field of synthetic biology from academia and industry. This consortium will 

provide leadership in development of workshops and strategic plans for the field as it applies engineering 

approaches of modular design, interoperability, and control theory to nanoscale biological systems, to 

enable the development of robust and reproducible biomanufacturing platforms.

NSF, NNCO, and media: In 2016 and 2017 NSF sponsored a series of videos: “Nanotechnology - Super Small 

Science” (together with a major commercial broadcasting network) in collaboration with NNCO.76

NSF, NNCO, and high schools: In collaboration with NNCO, NSF sponsors a student competition,

“Generation Nano,”77 that challenges high school students to imagine novel superheroes who use the power 

of nanotechnology to solve crimes or tackle a societal technical challenge. 

USDA/NIFA: NIFA provides funding to support universities to acquire research instruments, improve 

research facilities, and develop the future workforce. For example, NIFA's 1890 Facilities Program supported

a university to improve its agricultural and food sciences facilities and equipment, so the university can more 

effectively train students in the food and agricultural sciences and engineering. This program provides the 

state-of-the-art equipment critically needed for the university’s newly constructed and renovated 

laboratories. One of these laboratories focuses on research in nanotechnology applications in food crops and 

bioproducts development from biomass such as algae and agricultural waste byproducts. The equipment 

purchases for these laboratories help the school attract and retain faculty, and allow them to deliver up-to-

 

75 www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=136211

76 www.nbclearn.com/nanotechnology

77 www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/gennano/
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 59

date instructional aides and hands-on experiential learning opportunities for students to prepare them for 

studies at the graduate and professional levels supporting agricultural needs in the region.

NIFA is proposing to invest in a new program focused on maximizing the value of data-driven research in 

specific foundational domains of agricultural science, as a part of the Food and Agriculture Cyberinformatics 

and Tools (FACT) initiative. The availabilityof big data provides unprecedented opportunitiesforsynthesizing 

new knowledge, for making predictive decisions, and for fostering data-supported innovation in agriculture.

NIFA’s Education and Literacy Initiative (ELI) program will continue to focus on building institutional capacity 

and enhancing the pipeline for producing more STEM graduates to meet the projected shortfall in 

agriculture-related fields. Intended outcomes are to enhance agricultural literacy in schools and to bridge 

the current 40% annual gap in available workforce with more graduates in agriculture or allied disciplines 

with skills and/or expertise needed for entering employment or higher education or both. NIFA’s higher 

education programs support competitive grants to universities for developing nanotechnology curricula for 

undergraduate and graduate students in agriculture and food science and technology.

PCA 5. Environment, Health, and Safety

Overview

PCA 5 includes research and development primarily directed at understanding the potential environmental, 

health, and safety impacts of nanotechnology development, and at assessing, managing, and mitigating the

corresponding risks.

Agency Progress and Plans

CPSC: The CPSC staff works to expand knowledge on the commercialization of nanomaterials and 

nanotechnology-enabled products (NEPs). Staff members are identifying new uses of nanomaterials in 

emerging technologies such as additive manufacturing, and are determining responsible utilization in these 

new technological areas. 

CPSC is supporting a multi-investigator international research project on the risk of silver nanowires in 

touchscreen displays. This research consortium is not only addressing the risk of toxicity to human and 

environmental health, but also has a goal of determining how silver nanowires can be synthesized to 

minimize harm to people and the environment. 

CPSC, other NNI agencies, and standards developing organizations (SDOs): The CPSC staff engages with 

Federal partners and voluntary standards groups to develop robust methods and tools for toxicity testing 

and exposure assessment research. CPSC has developed a number of interagency agreements with Federal 

partners, including EPA, FDA, NIOSH, and NIST, to conduct studies quantifying and characterizing the 

presence of nanomaterials in consumer products. These interagency collaborations have resulted in the 

development of methods, with one endpoint being incorporation of the methods into voluntary standards 

such that stakeholders can ensure the safety of their products. Areas of research include the release of

nanosilver from treated textile products and nanoscale metals used in paint and floor finishes. 

DOD/Army: ERDC is the DOD lead organization for understanding the EHS impacts of nanotechnology 

development. ERDC recently published methods and standard operating procedures for the preparation, 

characterization, release, fate, and hazards of nanomaterials. This information is critical to support robust 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

60 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

data generation for risk-informed management and regulatory decisions, including nanotechnology-specific 

EHS considerations.78 Some of these methods were disseminated as video demonstrations on LabTube.79

ERDC has published a tiered-based framework80 for EHS testing and for assessing the potential for release of 

nanoscale materials from DOD and commercial NEPs with consideration to characterization, categorical 

testing exclusions, relevance, release potential, fate, and hazards. The framework is being integrated into the 

Office of the Secretary of Defense revised data collection guidance document to support DOD systems 

acquisitions. The framework also was developed into a beta version of a visual basic software program called

NanoGRID (Nanomaterials Guidance for Risk Informed Deployment). Additionally, ERDC has developed and 

published a value of information framework for prioritizing risk research of nanomaterials. This approach 

utilizes control banding and decision analysis to quantify the contribution of different research strategies to 

hazard classification. This contribution, evaluated alongside the relative costs of each research strategy, 

serves as a basis from which to focus efforts to classify nanomaterial risk. This work provides DOD researchers 

with a mechanism to identify combinations of experiments that lead to the greatest improvement in hazard 

classification at the lowest cost.81

ERDC has developed a new research program (2017–2020) on Advanced and Additive Materials: 

Environmental Sustainability in Army Acquisitions that will support acquisition and fielding of advanced 

materials technologies, including nanotechnologies, by improving the science of and navigation through 

EHS requirements. The ERDC solution is to improve materials EHS assessment science, develop and 

standardize a transparent EHS assessment process, disseminate the enhancement of the EHS assessment 

science through decision support framework tools (such as Advanced Materials-GRID) and environmental 

models (such as NanoTrack), and develop novel analytical methods for detecting difficult to quantify 

materials in complex matrices. The ultimate intended DOD impact and pay-off is smoother technology 

acquisition and fielding due to reduced regulatory ambiguity for materials.

DOD/Army and academia: ERDC, with academic collaborators, published a methodology82 demonstrating 

the integration of life-cycle assessment (LCA) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for assessing the 

sustainability of emerging photovoltaic technologies. The framework was validated in a hypothetical case 

study in which a Federal acquisition manager evaluates and decides between emergent photovoltaics that 

employ either nanoscale materials or conventional materials. Findings from the hypothetical case study 

demonstrated that a combination of LCA and MCDA increases the usability of LCA in assessing the 

sustainability of NEPs, and can help identify areas in which either engineering controls or further data 

collection may be necessary.

DOD/Army and NIOSH: ERDC is working with NIOSH to define and categorize advanced materials, 

nanomaterials, and additively manufactured materials in an EHS context to speed the reformed Toxic 

Substances Control Act prioritization process and foster technology acquisition by navigating through 

regulatory requirements.

DOD/Army, EPA, NIST, academia, OECD, and ASTM: These organizations are developing internationally 

recognized testing and assessment standards: ERDC is leading or participating in the development of five 

standardized guidance documents and methods to advance acquisition of consistent, high-quality data for 

 

78 pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b04173 (doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04173)

79 www.labtube.tv/channel/ERDC-Nano-EHS

80 link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11051-015-2943-3 (doi:10.1007/s11051-015-2943-3)

81 www.nature.com/nnano/journal/v11/n2/full/nnano.2015.249.html (doi:10.1038/nnano.2015.249)

82 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/risa.2016.36.issue-10/issuetoc (doi: 10.1111/risa.12539)
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 61

nanomaterials and products. These standard methods were a joint collaboration with the government 

organizations listed above and with several universities. The methods are expected to begin review with the 

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and ASTM International, with anticipated 

completion by 2019.

DOD/Army, academia, and industry: ERDC, ARDEC, a university, and a company are organizing a series of 

workshops to define the decision process for evaluating potential EHS implications of nanomaterials, 

advanced materials, and additive manufacturing. Separate workshops will include DOD, regulatory, and 

international focus groups. The anticipated results will include a categorization regime for defining 

advanced materials, understanding constraints to technology acquisition/commercialization, and 

addressing regulatory and liability uncertainty in order to paint a clearer path forward for nanotechnology

and other advanced materials technologies. The first workshop (EMERGE—Emergency Management of 

Emerging Technologies and Advanced Manufacturing) took place in 2017.83

DOI/USGS: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Columbia Environmental Research Center is supporting the 

development and implementation of a framework for evaluating the safety of advanced materials. 

Nanotechnologies have been extensively researched in the past two decades, with a wide variety of 

commercial applications on the horizon. However, the potential impacts and risks associated with these 

technologies, including EHS issues throughout their life, are not fully understood. The goal of USGS’s work 

in this field is to address potential obstacles to commercializing nanotechnologies due to limited knowledge 

and or misperceptions by the general population.

DOI/USGS, other NNI agencies, industry: USGS partners with private industry and Federal agencies by 

providing expertise in fate, toxicity, and risk analysis of advanced materials, including nanomaterials. USGS 

is providing technical expertise to support (1) sensor development; (2) risk analysis and life cycle assessment;

(3) nanoparticle release testing; and (4) risk assessment tools for navigating regulatory and liability problems 

with nanotechnology innovation and commercialization. USGS is uniquely positioned to conduct this 

research because of the potential application of nanotechnology-enabled sensors within the USGS mission 

that includes collecting environmental data. USGS also has expertise in risk assessment, management, and 

communication of results through intergovernmental organizations such as the NNI.

EPA: Methods are required to characterize nanomaterials in simple and complex media and to evaluate the 

release of nanomaterials from consumer products, and alternative testing approaches are needed to 

evaluate adverse outcome pathways of nanomaterials. Accurately predicting impacts of engineered 

nanomaterials (ENMs) used in real-world conditions will depend on properties of both the ENMs and the 

matrices. EPA research evaluates nanomaterials across a life cycle of product use ranging from manufacture 

to use and end-of-life disposal and will consider the release, fate, transport, and transformations of 

nanomaterials as they age.

EPA research on ENMs is conducted within the agency’s Chemical Safety for Sustainability research program. 

In 2015, EPA published the Chemical Safety for Sustainability Strategic Research Action Plan 2016–201984

describing new objectives and outputs for EPA research on implications of ENMs. A key scientific issue for 

EPA nanomaterialsresearch is the complexity of relating nanomaterial features directly to risks. An important 

avenue of investigation focuses on identifying critical intermediate properties of ENMs that are predictive of 

potential risks. Another key issue is understanding the interactions between ENMs and biological or other 

complex media. 

 

83 www.ictas.vt.edu/EMERGE2017/schedule.php

84 www2.epa.gov/research/chemical-safety-sustainability-strategic-research-action-plan-2016-2019
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

62 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

EPA also has funded the creation of the EPA Science to Achieve Results(STAR) Center for Organotypic Culture 

Models, a Predictive Toxicology Center for Organotypic Cultures and Assessment of AOPs (adverse outcome 

pathways) for Engineered Nanomaterials. The overall goal of this center is to develop innovative organotypic 

culture systems to better evaluate the potential for cellular and organ toxicity following exposure to ENMs 

within an AOP model. The funding period for this center is December 2014–November 2018.85

In 2017, EPA researchers published a review article outlining a comprehensive framework for evaluating the 

health and safety implications of ENM releases into the environment, including purposeful releases such as 

for antimicrobial sprays or nanotechnology-enabled pesticides, and inadvertent releases as a consequence 

of other intended applications.86 EPA plans for 2018 include development of decision support tools 

incorporating data on physiochemical transformations, exposure, and effects of ENMs.

EPA and CPSC: EPA and CPSC are nearing completion of a collaborative research project evaluating 

potential release of copper from pressurized copper-treated commercial wood products. The composition, 

particle size distribution, leaching, bioavailability, and exposure to micronized copper have been evaluated. 

Reports are now available to the public.87 EPA has entered into a new research collaboration with CPSC on 

application and utilization of the CPSC wipe method for comparison across (product) matrices and with 

different emerging nanomaterials; characterization of the nanomaterial products either in development or 

currently available in the marketplace; evaluation of the potential for exposure from the use of the products 

identified through oral and inhalation exposure routes using in vitro assays; characterization of the aerosol 

formation from application of emerging nanomaterials to surfaces; and determining the pulmonary, 

cardiovascular, and neurological responses to inhalation of the emerging nanomaterials during applications 

and throughout the life cycle.

EPA and NSF: EPA and NSF have partnered in support of a 2014–2017 university grant entitled “Network for 

Characterizing Chemical Life Cycle: Life Cycle of Nanomaterials.” This project is evaluating the trade-offs 

between using nanomaterials to improve the functionality of consumer products and the potential risk to 

humans and the environment.

88

FDA: In 2016, FDA centers continued to provide research funding for regulatory science projects related to 

the products under their purview. This funding includes research projects for medical products such as 

devices, new drugs and generic drugs, foods, feeds, sunscreens, and food contact material. The FDA Office 

of the Chief Scientist funded several cutting-edge projects focused on cross-agency nanotechnology-related 

issues through the Collaborative Opportunities for Research Excellence in Science grants program. With 

funding beginning in 2006, over 36 research projects have led to the development of vital regulatory science 

tools such as biological and toxicological assays, assessment methodologies, and test protocols that FDA 

staff members use when reviewing the safety and efficacy of nanotechnology in FDA-regulated products. 

Additionally, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research supported over 20 individual projects on drug 

products containing nanomaterials in 2016. The projects encompassed characterization, pharmacology and 

toxicology, efficacy, manufacturing, quality assurance, and equivalence issues for drug products containing 

nanomaterials. Examples include the following:

• Establishing a robust particle counting technique to improve regulatory review of drug products 

containing nanomaterials.

 

85 cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.abstractDetail/abstract/10443/report/0

86 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28661217 (doi: 10.1080/10408444.2017.1328400)

87 nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=P100LJWI.txt

88 cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.abstractDetail/abstract/10212/report/0
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 63

• Advanced characterization and modeling of complex formulations and dosage forms for drug 

products containing nanomaterials.

• Continuous manufacturing of drug products containing nanomaterials.

• Bioequivalence of colloidal iron products.

FDA will continue to support agency-wide collaborative nanotechnology research in 2018.

FDA and CPSC: In 2014, FDA collaborated with CPSC through an interagency agreement on assessing 

whether current methods for determining migration of conventional additives are applicable to the 

evaluation of nanomaterial migration from solid and semi-solid materials used in consumer products that 

contact food. This work continued through 2017.

FDA, NIH, and SDOs: The NIH/NIEHS National Toxicology Program (NTP) and FDA are actively collaborating 

in toxicological research to understand the health hazards of nanomaterials (hazard assessment) and to 

develop novel methods and approaches for detection of nanomaterials in FDA-regulated products. This 

collaboration has included physicochemical characterization and standards development processes to 

enable responsible development of nanotechnology. The National Center for Toxicological Research-Office 

of Regulatory Affairs Nanocore at FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) is involved in 

collaborative consensus-based standards development with support from NTP, and is co-developing 

standards with SDOs. Examples of these collaborative activities include the following:

• In 2016, a cryo-transmission electron microscopy standard guide for liposome evaluation was 

proposed as a work item at the ASTM E56 subcommittee on Nanotechnology. Additional relevant 

standards are under consideration for co-development.

• Collaborative research with between NIEHS and NCTR/FDA led to the Global Summit on Regulatory 

Science (GSRS16): “Nanotechnology Standards and Applications” that was held in collaboration 

with other governments, industry, and academic stakeholders to prepare a prioritized list of 

standards needed for regulation of nanotechnology-enabled medical products. 

• NIH/NIEHS–FDA collaboration led to the development and validation of test methods for three 

assays from the “NCL assay cascade.”

FDA, NIH, and NIST: FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), in collaboration with the 

NIH/NCI NCL and NIST, is characterizing blood and vascular toxicity of engineered and biologic nanoparticles.

This collaboration will continue with characterization of immunological properties of nanoparticles, with a 

focus on engineering biologic nanoparticles for optimum safety and efficacy profile.

NIH: EHS activities at NIH are led by NIH/NIEHS. NIH/NIEHS research efforts are designed to gain a 

fundamental understanding of the molecular and pathological pathways involved in mediating responses 

to engineered nanomaterials. Towards this goal, comprehensive biological response profiles are needed to 

gain detailed molecular understanding of the interactions between ENMs and biological systems. 

To continue the success achieved with a small library of ENMs in the recently concluded NIH/NIEHS Centers 

for Nanotechnology Health Implications Research (NCNHIR) consortium, the Nanotechnology Health 

Implications Research (NHIR) consortium was established in September 2016 through two funding

opportunities (RFA-ES-15-013 and RFA-ES-15-012, issued in October 2015). This consortium consists of nine 

academic research laboratories across the United States. The NHIR consortium had its first meeting and 

developed plans to prioritize the criteria for selection of sets of ENMs (present in consumer products as well 

as emerging 2D and 3D materials) to be investigated by using a wide range of test systems reflecting 

physiologically relevant models.
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

64 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

The NHIR consortium investigators have started working on an initial set of ENMs, using diverse routes of 

exposure (inhalation, ingestion, and ocular). The engineered nanomaterials resource and coordination core 

at one of the participating universities is organizing a series of training sessions and webinars as an outreach 

program of the NHIR consortium. 

The NIH/NIEHS NTP completed a short-term evaluation of the immune system impact of inhalation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in rodent models to better understand the potential health effects from low-dose 

exposures in workers. This research complements exposure assessment of nanomaterial manufacturing 

facilities conducted in collaboration with NIOSH.

One example of recent advancesfrom NIH/NIEHS-supported research is a project in which it was determined 

that aerosolized citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) produce a delayed, short-lived inflammatory 

pulmonary response in rats. Ag NPs are increasingly being used to produce disinfectants due to their 

antimicrobial properties. New methods are being developed to produce more uniform Ag NPs through 

chemical reactions, and these reactants are present as contaminants or coatings on the Ag NPs. The 

responses peaked at day 7, and inflammation was resolved by day 56. Smaller Ag NPs persisted for longer 

and to a greater degree than the larger Ag NPs. While it is unclear whether Ag NPs or their coatings will 

adversely affect human health, this study provides information on the potential health effects of inhaling 

citrate-coated Ag NPs with consideration to recovery time and particle size. 

In 2018, NIH/NIEHS is planning a FOA to initiate a program to develop tools for monitoring personal exposure 

to ENMs in the environment. The institute’s small business program is also planning to invest in the 

development of high- to medium-throughput assay systems for toxicity testing of ENMs. Meanwhile, NTP

has initiated a two-year chronic toxicity evaluation of MWCNTs in rodent models to better understand the 

potential health effects from low-dose “lifetime” exposures. This work will continue into 2018. The NHIR 

consortium will also be funded through 2021.

NIOSH: During 2016 NIOSH researchers published 132 peer-reviewed journal articles, published Building a 

Safety Program to Protect the Nanotechnology Workforce: A Guide for Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises,

89

released a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB), Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Silver 

Nanomaterials,

90 and held a public meeting to discuss the CIB. One highlight of the 2016–2017 journal 

publications includes an update to the Nanoparticle Exposure Assessment Technique. NIOSH continues its 

efforts to develop more complete hazard and safety assessments using key classes of engineered 

nanomaterials, including the following types: carbon nanotubes; metal oxides; silver; the nanowire forms of 

silver, silica, and titania; graphene and graphene oxide; and cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibers. In 2017, 

NIOSH continued its efforts to develop “real world” evaluation of hazard and risk represented by various 

nanomaterials through their life cycles. In 2017, NIOSH published results from an in vivo toxicity assessment 

of occupational components of the life cycle of carbon nanotubes used in composites to provide context to 

potential health effects.91 In 2014–2016, NIOSH expanded its field investigation efforts to include a focused 

effort on developing risk management practices that support responsible development of nanotechnology. 

 

89 www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2016-102/pdfs/2016-102.pdf

90 www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/review/docket260a/pdfs/draft--niosh-cib-on-silver-nanomaterials-1_8_16.pdf

91 pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.7b03038 (doi: 10.1021/acsnano.7b03038)
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 65

In 2017, that particular element of the NIOSH field research effort is focusing on outputs that support the 

Sustainable Nanomanufacturing NSI along the life cycle of the nanomaterial.

NIOSH is considered to be a world leader in nanotoxicology. During 2016–2017, many NIOSH toxicology 

researchers received prestigious recognitions including publishing a paper that was ranked in 2017 as the 

most cited paper in the last ten years by a major peer-reviewed technical journal publisher.92

One particle detection instrument has already been patented and licensed by NIOSH and is being 

manufactured by an instrument company. An advanced version of that instrument capable of elemental 

analysis is under development by NIOSH, and a prototype was created in 2016. During 2016–2017 NIOSH 

investigated the usefulness of a newly developed, direct-reading, aerosol multielement spectrometer (AMS) 

that measures size-selective elemental concentrations of aerosols, including airborne nanomaterials, bulk 

powders, and surface wipe samples in the workplace.

NIOSH is expanding its research activities that have direct connections to sustainable manufacturing. Many 

activities carried through 2016–2017 focused on safe and responsible development of nanomaterials, 

nanomanufacturing processes, and NEPsthroughout the life cycle. In 2016, NIOSH continued to develop case 

studies that demonstrate the utility of applying Prevention through Design (PtD) principles to 

nanomanufacturing. NIOSH utilizes the best available evidence to develop occupational safety and health 

guidance. Worker health and safety principles and practice support the development of sustainable and 

advanced manufacturing.

NIOSH 2017 activities and plans for 2018 include the following:

• Release the draft CIB, Approaches to Developing Occupational Exposure Limits or Bands for 

Engineered Nanomaterials, that was cited as the basis for the framework described in ISO/TR 

18637:2016. In addition, NIOSH plans to update the risk assessment and finalize the CIB on 

occupational exposure to silver nanomaterials. NIOSH will continue with foundational toxicological 

research and focus on the determinants of disease including biomarkers. 

• Publish information on individual process-based control strategies (workplace design solutions) to 

promote effective and sustainable engineering controls.

• Continue efforts to apply PtD principles to the design of safer nanomaterials by identifying 

physicochemical properties of nanomaterials that could be modified to decrease adverse 

biological responses. NIOSH will continue to utilize the principles of research to practice in 

developing occupational safety and health guidance that can be incorporated into an 

organization’s business plan in a way that worker safety is protected and, in turn, more rapid 

application development and commercialization can be realized.

• Sustain investment in the development, testing, and evaluation of direct-reading instruments 

capable of detecting and measuring airborne nanoparticles. NIOSH will field test the AMS at 

nanomaterial producer and user facilities.

• Continue efforts in detection of airborne nanoparticles into specific applications in the areas of 

detection of nanomaterials in biologic systems to evaluate and predict biological behavior and 

translocation between organ systems. An aligned effort is the reapplication of more sensitive and 

specific detection technology to evaluate worker exposures to nanomaterials, with an ultimate 

goal of real-time detection. Starting in 2016 and continuing into 2018, NIOSH has been evaluating

the feasibility of applying advanced sensing technology to biomarkers as a means of evaluating 

nanomaterial exposure and possible early response in support of ongoing nanomaterial worker 

surveillance.

 

92 www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041008X12001263 (doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2012.03.023)
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

66 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

• Conduct individual nanotoxicology research projects evaluating biomarkers, cardiovascular 

toxicity, pulmonary exposure to nanoclays and boron nitride nanotubes, copper nanoparticles in 

dust from treated wood, and the generation and characterization of aerosols from 

nanocomposites. The majority of NIOSH’s foundational toxicology research continues to be 

conducted intramurally and is supplemented by strategic extramural collaborations (see 

collaborative examples, below).

NIOSH, other NNI agencies, industry, and SDOs: NIOSH participates with a number of other NNI agencies, 

industry, and with multiple SDOs on development of nanotechnology-related EHS (nanoEHS) protocols and 

standards. Some highlights include the following:

• Chaired ISO TC 229 Working Group 3 and developed ISO/TR 18637:2016, “Nanotechnologies —

Overview of available frameworks for the development of occupational exposure limits and bands 

for nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates (NOAAs),” in 2016. 

• Collaborated in developing an ASTM standard guide on detection and characterization of silver 

nanoparticles in textile products (published in 2016).

• Worked with international metrology institutes in developing protocols for determination of 

nanoparticle size and size distribution for numerous morphologies of industrially relevant metal 

and metal oxide nanomaterials that will be disseminated as ISO standards.

• In 2017–2018, continues leading the development of ISO/TR 12885, “Health and safety practices in 

occupational settings relevant to nanotechnologies,” which aims to ensure that workers handling 

nanomaterials are protected not only in the United States, but also in countries around the world.

NIOSH, NIST, STPI, and academia: NIOSH, NIST, the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI), and two 

universities are collaborating on a Partnership to Advance Research and Guidance for Occupational Safety 

and Health in Nanoelectronics. This collaboration leverages an existing nanotechnology health and safety 

center at one of the participating universities and NIOSH’s Nanotechnology Research Center to advance 

research and education, as well as to develop workplace safety and health recommendations. NIOSH and its 

partners plan to extend this collaboration into broader areas of advanced manufacturing during 2017–2018, 

and have identified private-sector organizations that have expressed interest in a public-private partnership 

to promote safe practices in nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing. A kick-off session was part of a 

2017 international innovation conference, and an in-depth meeting is being planned for 2018. 

NIOSH, other NNI agencies, and industry: To fully understand the potential health and safety impacts of 

nanotechnology, NIOSH utilizes field research teams that visit nanomaterial producers and users and 

conduct industrial hygiene evaluations. During 2016, NIOSH collaborated with 10 companies that extended 

invitations to the field team. NIOSH is also working with industry trade associations to promote education 

and training on risk management for nanomaterials. In 2017–2018, NIOSH continues its efforts to develop 

practical, “real world” evaluation of hazard and risk represented by various nanomaterials through their life 

cycles. NIOSH field research efforts will focus on outputs that support the Sustainable Nanomanufacturing 

NSI along the life cycle of the nanomaterial, including advanced manufacturing and evaluation of potential 

emissions from 3D printers.

NIOSH, NASA, academia, and industry: Historically, NIOSH funded a university in the development of a 

thermophoretic sampler for collection of nanomaterials directly on an electron microscope grid. This sampler 

has since been marketed by a company, and in 2016, NASA deployed the sampler to the International Space 

Station for collection of fine particles including nanomaterials. NIOSH will continue collaborations to 

evaluate the thermophoretic sampler at various nanomaterial producer and user facilities.
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 67

NIOSH, other NNI agencies, government laboratories, academia, and industry: NIOSH has worked with 

the Nanoinformatics Consortium (including other NNI agencies, government labs, universities, and industry) 

to plan a series of workshops, contributing NIOSH knowledge and expertise to the larger informatics effort.

NIOSH and international organizations: NIOSH has continued to partner with multiple European 

organizations on the Dustinano project. The project has been comparing “dustiness” (i.e., particle release 

with respect to inhalation exposure) evaluation methods for a limited set of nanomaterials, and is exploring 

the utility of dustiness as a metric for risk management decision making.

NIOSH, industry, and academia: NIOSH will use strategic partnerships with business and academia to 

develop and deploy effective nanoEHS practices, with emphasis on occupational safety and health, that can 

be incorporated into business and research plans. NIOSH will extend and reapply knowledge gained from 

sustainable nanomanufacturing into other areas of advanced manufacturing. 

NIOSH and CPSC: NIOSH will work with CPSC in studying ENM emissions (CNTs, graphene) from 3D printers, 

and on in vitro and in vivo toxicology studies during 2018.

NIOSH and academia: NIOSH will continue collaborations with universities in the United States and abroad 

on studies of fabrication, characterization, transformation, and toxicology of a wide variety of nanomaterials 

of current and potential commercial interest.

NIST: In 2016, NIST reported novel validated methods and approaches for physico-chemical and biological 

measurements in complex environmental and biological media, and advanced the available metrology for a 

range of nanoscale materials:

• For broadly applicable methods, NIST demonstrated the capability of a hyphenated instrument 

(i.e., two commercial instruments coupled together) for simultaneously measuring the size and 

composition of nanoparticles and their agglomerates, developed a cloud point extraction 

approach to analyze metallic nanoparticles in a soil matrix, and used single-particle inductively 

coupled plasma mass spectrometry and microscopy methods to determine bioaccumulation and 

particle size distribution of gold nanoparticles ingested by whole organism C-elegans worms. 

• NIST performed a number of studies on EHS-related measurements of carbon nanotube systems. 

For example, for CNT-epoxy nanocomposites, NIST reported a novel differential-charging x-ray 

photon spectroscopy method to detect carbon; the capability for 3D subsurface imaging of CNTs 

by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); and the use of multiple methods to determine the impact 

of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the formation of an entangled, release-resistant network of CNTs on 

the surfaces of nanocomposites. 

• NIST’s protocols for accelerating laboratory weathering and measurements of degradation of 

MWCNT polymer composites indicated that UV irradiation leads to a dense, entangled network 

structure on the polymer surface that appears to inhibit CNT release. 

• NIST studies of performance and aging of graphene oxide/polyurethane composites revealed 

insights into the concentration of released graphene-based nanomaterials from aged composites 

as well as measurement challenges for these materials. 

• After identifying flaws in a test historically used to determine single-wall carbon nanotubes 

(SWCNTs), NIST developed a new method that properly identifies the type and number of SWCNTs

in a sample, to help researchers in isolating and characterizing SWCNTs to determine the health 

effects of each specific tube type and then ultimately remove those with adverse environmental or 

health impacts. 

• For silver nanoparticles, several notable NIST accomplishments include a new SEM methodology to 

quantitatively determine the particle distribution in cotton threads simulating textile materials, in 
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

68 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

situ methods to monitor nanoparticle sulfidation in simulated waters, and a method to detect and 

quantify the entire distribution of silver species in environmental media.

In 2017 and 2018, much of the work described above is expected to continue as NIST develops validated 

methods for physico-chemical and biological measurements. For example, NIST will develop methods to 

simultaneously measure nanoparticle size, mass, number concentration, and apparent density; broaden its 

cloud point extraction approach to include a wider range of nanomaterials and matrices; investigate 

transformations of silver nanoparticles released from textile materials; correlate the surface properties of a 

gold nanoparticle-based anti-tumor model to its drug loading, drug release, and stability for biomedical 

applications; and evaluate the applicability of an ISO standard method for C-elegans growth and 

reproduction inhibition using a broad range of nanoparticles. 

NIST will continue to make nanotechnology-related reference materials available to academic, industry, and 

government stakeholders. For example, in 2017, NIST will make available Standard Reference Material 2843, 

a MWCNT soot with certified values for impurity metal fractions in the soot, and four new protocols will be 

added to NIST’s publicly available website,93 bringing the total number of protocols to 24. 

NIST and FDA: In 2016, NIST and FDA developed reproducible methods to release silver nanoparticles from 

food containers by wear processes and to examine the container surfaces for free silver nanoparticles. This 

joint research will enable evaluation of potential risks of nanosilver in food applications. 

NIST, EPA, NIOSH, CPSC, OSHA, Canada, industry, and non-governmental organizations: U.S. and 

Canadian federal agencies, including the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and 

industry completed two pilot interlaboratory studies (ILSs) to assess the potential release of CNTs from CNTpolymer-based composites by sanding and by weathering. Data and metadata from these two ILSs have 

been entered into the NanoRelease Data Repository hosted by NIST. 

NIST and Canada: NIST and Canada’s national metrology institute will develop and validate an asymmetric 

flow field-flow fractional method optimized for size separation and characterization of nanocrystalline 

cellulose.

NIST and international organizations: NIST, in partnership with a variety of international research and 

metrology institutes, determined the robustness of a NIST-developed in vitro nanocytotoxicology assay 

defined by nine quality metrics via an interlaboratory study.94 Future plans for this partnership include 

developing two silica reference materials with certified values for zeta potential, a key characteristic that 

determines the stability of nanoparticles in solution.

NIST and EPA: In 2016, results of an investigation on bioaccumulation categorization of carbon nanotubes 

with ecological receptors were reported by NIST and EPA.95

NIST and CPSC: NIST and CPSC are in the fifth year of a multi-year collaboration to develop testing and 

measurement protocols for determining the quantities and properties of nanoparticles released from floor 

coatings and paints induced by abrasion and/or weathering. Accomplishments to date include protocols 

and methodologies for characterizing particles released following rotary abrasion (both dry and wet), and 

for measurement of nanoparticle releases due to weathering, nanoparticle release by abrasion after 

weathering, and nanoparticle release from dry abrasion of coatings containing an antimicrobial agent in 

nanoparticle form.

 

93 www.nist.gov/mml/nanoehs-protocols.cfm

94 www.altex.ch/resources/altex_2017_2_201_218_Elliott.pdf (doi: 10.14573/altex.1605021)

95 pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.6b01916 (doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b01916)
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 69

NIST plans to continue work with CPSC on multi-year projects. For example, one project underway in 2017 is 

to detect and quantify CNTs released from CNT-polymer nanocomposite filaments used in 3D printing. In 

2017 and 2018, NIST plans to develop reproducible and representative methods for air sampling around a 

3D printer and for detecting and determining the concentration of CNTs in air samples. Methods will also be 

developed for evaluating CNTs released during abrasion and wear of hand tools fabricated from CNTpolymer composites by 3D printing. In a parallel effort to ongoing collaborations with CPSC, NIST researchers 

will engage with ASTM E56.06 on the development of test methods and guidelines.

NSF: The nanoEHS program within ENG was renamed Biological and Environmental Interactions of 

Nanoscale Materials, with a revised program description.

96 The program solicits proposals focused on 

exploring and understanding how, why, and under what circumstances nanomaterials interact and 

transform.

In 2017, NSF continued its funding for nanoEHS research at over 4% of its overall NNI investment. Requests 

for EHS research are primarily directed at understanding nano-bio phenomena and processes, as well as EHS

implications and methods for reducing the respective risks of nanotechnology development. The NNCI plans 

to expand research on societal implications of nanotechnology at its nodes.

NSF and EPA: NSF and EPA are jointly sponsoring research on environmental implications of 

nanotechnology, including development of new measurement methods for nanoparticle characterization 

and toxicity of nanomaterials, under an interagency agreement that continues through 2018. This NSF/EPA 

collaboration supports the two dedicated multidisciplinary university Centers for Environmental 

Implications of Nanotechnology (CEIN); annual awards are approximately $4 million each. Essential elements 

include research on methods and instrumentation for nanoparticle detection, characterization, monitoring, 

and environmental risk analysis, including interactions of nanomaterials with cellular constituents, metabolic 

networks, and living tissues; bioaccumulation and its effects on living systems; and the impacts of 

nanostructures dispersed in the environment. The CEIN centers also continue to increase dissemination of 

information to government regulators at state and Federal levels and to industry stakeholders, with a focus 

on decision support tools, nanosafety training, and consumer product safety.

USDA/FS, academia, and industry: In 2016, Forest Service researchers began participating in a project, as 

subject matter experts, to classify cellulose nanomaterials as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) through 

scientific procedures for use as food additives. Besides the Forest Service, several companies and academic 

experts are participating in this project. 

USDA/NIFA: The NIFA nanotechnology programs support the EHS research targets that are most relevant 

to agricultural production and food applications. Appropriate EHS assessments of engineered nanoparticles 

applied in food and agricultural systems include characterization of hazards, exposure levels, and transport 

and fate of engineered nanoparticles or nanomaterials in crops, soils (and soil biota), and livestock. These 

assessments may also include animal feed formulations and processes that utilize novel nanomaterials or 

the development of new nanostructured materials or nanoparticles that are bio-persistent in digestive 

pathways. The AFRI Improving Food Safety program supports research applications dealing with the 

development and validation of concentration, purification, and detection methods for engineered 

nanoparticles as contaminants in foods; transport and fate of the engineered nanoparticles or nanomaterials 

associated with food production and processing; as well as control strategies.

AFRI research has focused on the fate and transformation of engineered nanomaterials in the human 

gastrointestinal tract (GIT). AFRI-funded university scientists have developed gastrointestinal tract in vitro

 

96 www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505424
Appendix A. NNI Research by Program Component Area

70 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

models to investigate the behaviors of various nanoscale cellulosic materials in the GIT and their interaction 

with gut microbiome. A project elucidated absorption, accumulation, and toxicity mechanisms of titanium 

dioxide nanoparticles present in foods in the human GIT. The experimental results showed that TiO2 NPs 

induced more pronounced adverse effects on mice fed with higher-fat diet in comparison with those fed 

with a lower-fat diet. If these effects also occur in humans, they could have significant implications for people 

with high-fat diets.

USDA/NIFA, NSF, and EPA: USDA/NIFA, jointly with NSF and EPA supported the fourth Gordon Research 

Conference on Environmental Nanotechnology held in the summer of 2017. The conference brought 

together academic, government, and industrial scientists and engineers from around the world for the 

exchange of ideas, analytical methods, and experimental approaches that balance the beneficial aspects of 

nanotechnology against the potential adverse risks to humans and the environment. Applications of 

nanomaterials for food and agriculture were discussed, as well as their potentially negative or positive 

implications for the environment.
The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 71

APPENDIX B.ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AFOSR Air Force Office of Scientific Research

AFRI Agriculture and Food Research Initiative 

(USDA/NIFA)

AFRL Air Force Research Laboratory

AMO Advanced Manufacturing Office 

(DOE/EERE)

ANL Argonne National Laboratory (DOE)

ARDEC Armament Research, Development and 

Engineering Center (DOD/U.S. Army)

ARL Army Research Laboratory

ARPA-E Advanced Research Projects AgencyEnergy (DOE)

ARS Agricultural Research Service (USDA)

BES [Office of] Basic Energy Sciences (DOE)

BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences (NSF)

BIS Bureau of Industry and Security (DOC)

BRC Basic Research Challenge (ONR program)

caNanoLab cancer Nanotechnology Laboratory portal

(NIH/NCI)

CISE Directorate for Computer and Information 

Science and Engineering (NSF)

CNST Center for Nanoscale Science and 

Technology (DOC/NIST)

CNT carbon nanotube

COR Community of Research

CPSC Consumer Product Safety Commission

CRISPR clustered regularly interspaced short 

palindromic repeats (short for CRISPR/Cas9

genome editing technology)

DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects 

Agency

DHHS Department of Health and Human Services

DHS Department of Homeland Security

DOC Department of Commerce

DOD Department of Defense

DOE Department of Energy

DOEd Department of Education

DOJ Department of Justice

DOL Department of Labor

DOS Department of State

DOT Department of Transportation

DOTreas Department of the Treasury

DTRA Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DOD)

E2CDA Energy-Efficient Computing: from Devices 

to Architectures (NSF program)

EERE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy (DOE)

EHS environment(al), health, and safety

ENG Engineering Directorate of NSF

ENM engineered nanomaterial

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

ERC Engineering Research Centers (NSF)

ERDC Engineer Research and Development 

Center (DOD/U.S. Army)

EU European Union

FDA Food and Drug Administration (DHHS)

FE Office of Fossil Energy (DOE)

FHWA Federal Highway Administration (DOT)

FOA Funding Opportunity Announcement

FS Forest Service (USDA)

GC grand challenge

IARPA Intelligence Advanced Research Projects 

Activity (IC)

IC Intelligence Community

IRAD Internal Research and Development

(program)

IRCN Innovative Research in Cancer 

Nanotechnology (NIH program)

ISO International Organization for 

Standardization

LANL Los Alamos National Laboratory (DOE)

LBNL Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 

(DOE)

MPS Mathematical and Physical Sciences 

Directorate of NSF

MRSEC Materials Research Science and 

Engineering Centers (NSF)

MWCNT multi-walled carbon nanotube

nanoEHS nanotechnology environment, health, and 

safety (research, etc.)

NASA National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

NCI National Cancer Institute (DHHS/NIH)

NCL Nanotechnology Characterization 

Laboratory (DHHS/NIH/NCI)

NCTR National Center for Toxicological Research

(FDA)

NEHI Nanotechnology Environmental and 

Health Implications Working Group of the 

NSET Subcommittee

NEP nanotechnology-enabled product
Appendix B. Abbreviations and Acronyms

72 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

NERC Nanosystems Engineering Research Center 

(NSF)

NEWT Nanotechnology-Enabled Water 

Treatment Systems (NSF NERC)

NHIR Nanotechnology Health Implications 

Research consortium (NIH/NIEHS)

NHLBI National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 

(DHHS/NIH)

NIBIB National Institute of Biomedical Imaging 

and Bioengineering (DHHS/NIH)

NICE Nanotechnology Innovation and 

Commercialization Ecosystem Working 

Group of the NSET Subcommittee

NIDCR National Institute of Dental and 

Craniofacial Research (DHHS/NIH)

NIEHS National Institute of Environmental Health 

Sciences (DHHS/NIH)

NIFA National Institute of Food and Agriculture 

(USDA)

NIH National Institutes of Health (DHHS)

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health (DHHS/CDC)

NIST National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (DOC)

NITRD Networking and Information Technology 

R&D 

NKI Nanotechnology Knowledge Infrastructure 

(Nanotechnology Signature Initiative)

nm nanometer(s)

NNCI National Nanotechnology Coordinated 

Infrastructure (NSF)

NNCO National Nanotechnology Coordination 

Office

NNI National Nanotechnology Initiative

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

NRL Naval Research Laboratory

NSET Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and 

Technology Subcommittee of the NSTC

NSF National Science Foundation

NSI Nanotechnology Signature Initiative

NSRC Nanoscale Science Research Centers (DOE)

NSTC National Science and Technology Council

NTP National Toxicology Program

(DHHS/NIH/multiagency)

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

(Executive Office of the President)

ONR Office of Naval Research

ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory (DOE)

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (DOL)

OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy 

(Executive Office of the President)

PCA Program Component Area of the National 

Nanotechnology Initiative

PGM platinum group metal

PNNL Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

(DOE)

RFA request for applications

SBE Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences 

Directorate (NSF)

SBIR Small Business Innovation Research 

Program

SDO standards developing organization

SNL Sandia National Laboratory (DOE)

STARnet Semiconductor Technology Advanced 

Research Network (DARPA, industry, 

universities)

STEM science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics

STTR Small Business Technology Transfer 

Research Program

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

USITC U.S. International Trade Commission

USPTO U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (DOC)
The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 73

APPENDIX C. CONTACT LIST

Affiliations are as of November 2017

OSTP

Dr. Lloyd J. Whitman

NSET Co-chair, EOP Liaison

Office of Science and Technology Policy

Executive Office of the President

OMB

Ms. Danielle Jones

Office of Management and Budget

Executive Office of the President

Dr. James Kim

Office of Management and Budget

Executive Office of the President

Dr. Emily Mok

Office of Management and Budget

Executive Office of the President

NNCO97

Dr. Lisa E. Friedersdorf

Director

National Nanotechnology Coordination 

Office

T: 202-517-1050

lfriedersdorf@nnco.nano.gov

CPSC

Dr. Treye Thomas

NEHI Co-chair, NSET Coordinator for EHS 

Research

Program Manager, Chemicals, 

Nanotechnology and Emerging 

Materials

Office of Hazard Identification & Reduction

Consumer Product Safety Commission

T: 301-987-2560

tthomas@cpsc.gov

DHS

Mr. Kumar Babu

Office of Research and Development

Science and Technology Directorate

Department of Homeland Security

T: 202-254-5842

kumar.babu@hq.dhs.gov

DOC/BIS

Ms. Kelly Gardner

Export Policy Advisor

Office of National Security and Technology 

Transfer Controls

Bureau of Industry and Security

U.S. Department of Commerce

T: 202-482-0102

kelly.gardner@bis.doc.gov

 

97 Additional NNCO staff contacts and 

address information are on p. 76.

DOC/NIST

Dr. Heather M. Evans

Senior Program Analyst

Program Coordination Office

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

T: 301-975-4525

heather.evans@nist.gov

Dr. Ajit Jillavenkatesa

NSET Coordinator for Standards 

Development

Senior Standards Policy Adviser

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

T: 301-975-8519

ajit.jilla@nist.gov

Dr. R. David Holbrook

Leader, Nanomaterials Research Group

Materials Measurement Science Division

Material Measurement Laboratory 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

T: 301-975-5202

Dave.holbrook@nist.gov

DOC/USPTO

Ms. Gladys Corcoran

Technology Center Group Director

Patent and Trademark Office

T: 571-272-1300

gladys.corcoran@uspto.gov

Mr. Jesus J. Hernandez

Patent Attorney

Office of Policy and External Affairs

Patent and Trademark Office

T: 571-270-5975

jesus.hernandez@uspto.gov

Mr. Jerry Lorengo

Technology Center Group Director

Patent and Trademark Office

T: 571-272-0600

jerry.lorengo@uspto.gov

Mr. Peter C. Mehravari

Technology Center Group Director

Patent and Trademark Office

T: 571-272-1747

peter.mehravari@uspto.gov

DOD

Dr. John Beatty

Materials and Structures Staff Specialist

Weapons Systems 

Office of the Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Research and Engineering

T: 571-372-6511

john.h.beatty3.civ@mail.mil

Dr. Jeffrey DePriest

New Technologies Program Manager

Counterforce Systems Division

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

T: 703-767-4199

jeffrey.c.depriest.civ@mail.mil

Dr. Eric W. Forsythe

Staff Physicist

Army Research Laboratory

T: 301-394-0606

eric.w.forsythe.civ@mail.mil

Dr. Mark H. Griep

Materials Engineer

Army Research Laboratory

T: 410-306-4923

mark.h.griep.civ@mail.mil

Dr. Akbar S. Khan

Senior Microbiologist & S&T Manager

Strategic Operations Division

Chemical Biological Technologies

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

T: 703-767-3391

akbar.s.khan.civ@mail.mil

Dr. Antti J. Makinen

NSET Co-chair

Program Officer

Office of Naval Research

T: 703-696-0283

antti.makinen@navy.mil

Dr. Heather Meeks

Physical Scientist

Basic & Supporting Research Div.

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

T: 703-767-3059

heather.meeks@dtra.mil

Dr. Brian D. Pate

Physical Scientist

Basic & Supporting Research Div.

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

T: 703-767-3388

brian.pate@dtra.mil
Appendix C. Contact List

74 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Dr. Gernot S. Pomrenke

Program Manager, Optoelectronics, THz 

and Nanotechnology

Directorate of Physics and Electronics

Air Force Office of Scientific Research

T: 703-696-8426

gernot.pomrenke@afosr.af.mil

Dr. David M. Stepp

Chief, Materials Science Division

Army Research Office

AMSRD-ROE-M (Materials Science Division)

T: 919-549-4329

david.m.stepp.civ@mail.mil

DOE

Dr. David Forrest

Advanced Manufacturing Office

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy

U.S. Department of Energy

T: 202-586-5725

david.forrest@ee.doe.gov

Dr. Harriet Kung

Director, Office of Basic Energy Sciences

Office of Science

U.S. Department of Energy

T: 301-903-3081

harriet.kung@science.doe.gov

Dr. George Maracas

Division of Scientific User Facilities

Office of Basic Energy Sciences

U.S. Department of Energy

T: 301-903-0064

george.maracas@science.doe.gov

Dr. Andrew R. Schwartz

Office of Basic Energy Sciences

U.S. Department of Energy

T: 301-903-3535

andrew.schwartz@science.doe.gov

DOI/USGS

Dr. Jeffery A. Steevens

Research Toxicologist

U.S. Geological Survey

Columbia Environmental Research Center

T: 573 876 1819

jsteevens@usgs.gov

DOJ/NIJ

Mr. Joseph Heaps

Policy Advisor, Communications and Radio 

Frequency Spectrum Issues

National Institute of Justice

Office of Science and Technology

T: 202-305-1554

joseph.heaps@usdoj.gov

DOL/OSHA

Dr. Janet Carter

Senior Health Scientist

Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration

T: 513-684-6030

carter.janet@dol.gov

DOS

Dr. Chris Cannizzaro

NSET Coordinator for Global Issues

Physical Science Officer

Office of Space & Advanced Technology

U.S. Department of State

T: 202-663-2390

cannizzarocm@state.gov

Mr. Kenneth Hodgkins

Director

Office of Space & Advanced Technology

U.S. Department of State

T: 202-663-2398

hodgkinskd@state.gov

DOT

Dr. Jonathan Porter

Chief Scientist, Office of Research, 

Development, and Technology

Federal Highway Administration

U.S. Department of Transportation

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

T: 202-493-3038

jonathan.porter@dot.gov

Mr. Peter Chipman

Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Research and Technology

Department of Transportation

T: 202-366-0934

peter.chipman@dot.gov

DOTreas

Dr. John F. Bobalek

NSET Coordinator for Education, 

Engagement, and Societal Dimensions

Program Manager

Office of Research and Technical Support

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

T: 202-874-2109

john.bobalek@bep.treas.gov

EPA

Dr. Jeffrey B. Frithsen

National Program Director

Chemical Safety for Sustainability 

Research Program 

Office of Research and Development 

Environmental Protection Agency

T: 202-564-3512

Frithsen.Jeff@epa.gov

Dr. Jeff Morris

Director, Pollution Prevention and Toxics

Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 

Prevention

Environmental Protection Agency

T: 202-564-3810

morris.jeff@epa.gov

FDA

Dr. Anil K. Patri

Chair, Nanotechnology Task Force

Director, NCTR-Office of Regulatory Affairs

Nanotechnology Core Facility

National Center for Toxicological Research

Food and Drug Administration

T: 870-543-7580

anil.patri@fda.hhs.gov

IC

Mr. Matthew J. Cobert

Nanotechnologies Branch Chief

National Reconnaissance Office

T: 703-808-3115

cobertma@nro.mil

NASA

Dr. Michael A. Meador

Program Element Manager, Lightweight 

Materials and Manufacturing

Game Changing Development Program

NASA Glenn Research Center

T: 216-433-9518

michael.a.meador@nasa.gov

Dr. Lanetra C. Tate

Game Changing Development Program 

Executive

Space Technology Mission Directorate

NASA Headquarters

T: 202-358-1071

lanetra.c.tate@nasa.gov

NIH/FIC

Mr. George Herrfurth

Multilateral Affairs Coordinator

Division of International Relations

Fogarty International Center

National Institutes of Health

T: 301-402-1615

herrfurg@mail.nih.gov

NIH/NCI

Dr. Piotr Grodzinski

Program Director, Nanotechnology in 

Cancer

Office of Technology & Industrial Relations

Office of the Director

National Cancer Institute

National Institutes of Health

T: 301-496-1550

grodzinp@mail.nih.gov
Appendix C. Contact List

The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget 75

Dr. Lori Henderson

Program Director, Clinical Trials 

Branch/Cancer Imaging Program

Division of Cancer Treatment and 

Diagnosis

National Cancer Institute

National Institutes of Health

T: 240- 276-5930

hendersonlori@mail.nih.gov

Dr. Scott McNeil

Director, Nanotechnology 

Characterization Laboratory

National Cancer Institute

National Institutes of Health

T: 301-846-6939

mcneils@ncifcrf.gov

NIH/NHLBI

Dr. Denis Buxton

Basic and Early Translational Research 

Program, DCVS

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

National Institutes of Health

T: 301-435-0513

buxtond@nhlbi.nih.gov

NIH/NIBIB

Dr. Steven Zullo

Scientific Review Officer

Office of Scientific Review

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging 

and Bioengineering

National Institutes of Health

T: 240-271-9007

steven.zullo@nih.hhs.gov

NIH/NIEHS

Dr. John R. Bucher

Associate Director, National Toxicology 

Program

National Institute of Environmental Health 

Sciences

National Institutes of Health

T: 919-541-4532

bucher@niehs.nih.gov

Dr. Christopher P. Weis

Toxicology Liaison/Senior Advisor

Office of the Director

National Institute of Environmental Health 

Sciences

National Institutes of Health

T: 301-496-3511

christopher.weis@nih.gov

NIH/OD

Dr. Elizabeth M. Baden

Health Science Policy Analyst

Office of Science Management and 

Reporting

Office of the Director

National Institutes of Health

T: 301-443-7996

elizabeth.baden@nih.gov

Dr. David A. Kosub

Public Health Analyst

Office of Science Management and 

Reporting

Office of the Director

National Institutes of Health

T: 301-496-9838

david.kosub@nih.gov

NIOSH

Dr. Charles L. Geraci, Jr.

Associate Director for Nanotechnology

Manager, Nanotechnology Research 

Center

National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health

T: 513-533-8339

cgeraci@cdc.gov

Dr. Vladimir V. Murashov

Special Assistant to the Director

Office of the Director

National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health

T: 202-245-0668

vladimir.murashov@cdc.hhs.gov

NRC

Mr. Brian Thomas

Director

Division of Engineering

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

T: 301-251-2485

brian.thomas@nrc.gov

NSF

Dr. Khershed Cooper

Program Director, Nanomanufacturing

Directorate for Engineering

National Science Foundation

T: 703-292-8301

khcooper@nsf.gov

Dr. Fred Kronz

Program Director, Division of Science, 

Technology, and Society

Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and 

Economic Sciences

National Science Foundation

T: 703-292-7283

fkronz@nsf.gov

Dr. Lynnette D. Madsen

NICE Chair

Program Director, Division of Materials

Research

Directorate for Mathematical and Physical 

Sciences

National Science Foundation

T: 703-292-9035

lmadsen@nsf.gov

Dr. Mihail C. Roco

Senior Advisor for Nanotechnology

Directorate for Engineering

National Science Foundation

T: 703-292-8301

mroco@nsf.gov

Dr. Nora F. Savage

Program Director, Division of Chemical, 

Bioengineering, Environmental, and 

Transport Systems

Directorate for Engineering

National Science Foundation

T: 703-292-7949

nosavage@nsf.gov

Dr. Charles Ying

Program Director

Division of Materials Research

Directorate for Mathematical and Physical 

Sciences

National Science Foundation

T: 703-292-8428

cying@nsf.gov 

USDA/ARS

Dr. James Lindsay

National Program Leader, Food Safety and 

Health

Agricultural Research Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

T: 301-504-4674

james.lindsay@ars.usda.gov

USDA/FS

Dr. World Nieh

National Program Leader, Forest Products 

and Utilization

U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

T: 703-605-4197

wnieh@fs.fed.us

USDA/NIFA

Dr. Hongda Chen

National Program Leader, Bioprocess 

Engineering/Nanotechnology

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

U.S. Department of Agriculture

T: 202-401-6497

hchen@nifa.usda.gov

USITC

Ms. Elizabeth R. Nesbitt

International Trade Analyst for 

Biotechnology and Nanotechnology

Chemicals and Textiles Division

Office of Industries

U.S. International Trade Commission

T: 202-205-3355

elizabeth.nesbitt@usitc.gov
Appendix C. Contact List

76 The National Nanotechnology Initiative—Supplement to the President's 2018 Budget

Additional Staff Contacts,

National Nanotechnology 

Coordination Office (NNCO)

Dr. Stacey Standridge

Acting Chief of Staff

NNCO

T: 202-517-1035

sstrandridge@nnco.nano.gov

Dr. Rhema Bjorkland

Staff Scientist

NNCO

T: 202-517-1043

rbjorkland@nnco.nano.gov

Dr. Eric Breckenfeld

AAAS Science and Technology Policy 

Fellow

NNCO

T: 202-517-1039

ebreckenfeld@nnco.nano.gov

Dr. Quinn Spadola

Staff Scientist

NNCO

T: 202-517-1041

qspadola@nnco.nano.gov

Ms. Marlowe Newman

Communications and Public Affairs Liaison

NNCO

T: 202-517-1042

mnewman@nnco.nano.gov

Mr. Geoffrey M. Holdridge

NSET Executive Secretary

NNCO

T: 202-517-1045

gholdridge@nnco.nano.gov

Mr. Mike Kiley

Industry Liaison

NNCO

T: 202-517-1044

mkiley@nnco.nano.gov
Images Illustrating Examples of NNI Educational Outreach Activities

Clockwise from top left

• Nano Nuggets (www.nano.gov/nanotv) are short videos featuring experts, visionaries, and students sharing their 

thoughts on nanotechnology. 

• EnvisioNano (www.nano.gov/envisionano) and Nano Film (www.nano.gov/VideoContest) highlight the accomplishments 

of the NNI to help educate the general public about nanotechnology. 

• The U.S. Nano & Emerging Technologies Student Network (www.nano.gov/StudentNetwork) raises awareness of current 

research and cutting edge technologies, promotes opportunities, and provides an interdisciplinary community for 

undergraduate students. This network organizes the annual Student Leaders Conference.

• Generation Nano: Small Science, Superheroes! (www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/gennano/index.jsp), a competition 

presented by the NSF and the NNI, asks high school students to design nanotechnology-enabled gear for an original 

superhero and create a comic/video featuring their hero using the gear. 

• Animations (www.nano.gov/TargetCancerCells) on nanotechnology are prepared by university graphic design students. 

The NNCO develops the scripts and provides technical guidance during the project.

• The Teaching Nano & Emerging Technologies Network (www.nano.gov/TeacherNetwork) connects teachers to facilitate 

access to classroom-ready resources and share best practices. The network hosts webinars featuring educators. 
National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Technology

Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology

National Nanotechnology 

Coordination Office

2415 Eisenhower Ave. 

Alexandria, VA 22314

202-517-1050

info@nnco.nano.gov 

www.nano.gov