Triennial Review of the

NATIONAL
NANOTECHNOLOGY
INITIATIVE

Committee on Triennial Review of the
National Nanotechnology Initiative

National Materials and Manufacturing Board

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

A Report of

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
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This study was supported by Contract/Grant No. 1443446 with the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-44794-2
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-44794-1
Digital Object Identifier: 10.17226/23603

Cover image: “Orbital Chess, just opened in the Modern Defense.” This hypermodern opening challenges previous ideologies of old chess masters. Today, not only in chess but also in science and engineering, there are challenges to previous paradigms. Nanotechnology operates at a size range where enhanced properties are available and new achievements can be made in a modern era. Orbital chess pieces embody this with a new design using quantum mechanical shapes to modernize a centuries-old game. Art design: Erik Svedberg.

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Triennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/23603.

COMMITTEE ON TRIENNIAL REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

CELIA I. MERZBACHER, Semiconductor Research Corporation, Chair

JAMES S. MURDAY, University of Southern California, Vice Chair

ROBERT H. AUSTIN, NAS,¹ Princeton University

ANITA GOEL, Nanobiosym

DOUGLAS W. JAMISON, Harris & Harris Group, Inc.

GERHARD KLIMECK, Purdue University

MARTIN A. PHILBERT, NAM,² University of Michigan

NELLY M. RODRIGUEZ, Catalytic Materials, LLC

BRIDGET R. ROGERS, Vanderbilt University

LOURDES SALAMANCA-RIBA, University of Maryland, College Park

BRENT M. SEGAL, Lockheed Martin Corporation

SUBHASH C. SINGHAL, NAE,³ Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

RHONDA STROUD, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

MICHAEL S. TOMCZYK, Villanova University

Staff

JAMES LANCASTER, Acting Director, National Materials Manufacturing Board

ERIK B. SVEDBERG, Senior Program Officer, Study Director

NEERAJ P. GORKHALY, Associate Program Officer

HEATHER LOZOWSKI, Financial Associate

JOSEPH PALMER, Senior Project Assistant

HENRY KO, Research Assistant

HYEKYUNG (CLARISSE) KIM, Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow (until April 2015)

__________________

¹ National Academy of Sciences.

² National Academy of Medicine.

³ National Academy of Engineering.

NATIONAL MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING BOARD

CELIA I. MERZBACHER, Semiconductor Research Corporation, Chair

RODNEY C. ADKINS, NAE,¹ IBM Corporate Strategy

MICHAEL I. BASKES, NAE, Bagley College of Engineering

JIM C.I. CHANG, National Cheng Kung University, North Carolina State University

LEO CHRISTODOULOU, Boeing, Inc.

JACK HU, NAE, University of Michigan

SANDRA L. HYLAND, Consultant, Falls Church, Virginia

MICHAEL F. McGRATH, McGrath Analytics, LLC

ROBERT MILLER, NAE, IBM Almaden Research Center

EDWARD MORRIS, National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, America Makes: The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute

NICHOLAS A. PEPPAS, NAE/NAM,² University of Texas, Austin

TRESA POLLOCK, NAE, University of California, Santa Barbara

F. STAN SETTLES, NAE, University of Southern California

HAYDN G. WADLEY, University of Virginia

BEN WANG, Georgia Institute of Technology

STEVE ZINKLE, NAE, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Staff

JAMES LANCASTER, Acting Director

ERIK B. SVEDBERG, Senior Program Officer

HEATHER LOZOWSKI, Financial Associate

NEERAJ P. GORKHALY, Associate Program Officer

JOSEPH PALMER, Senior Project Assistant

HENRY KO, Research Assistant

__________________

¹ National Academy of Engineering.

² National Academy of Medicine.

Preface

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is a multiagency effort to advance nanoscale science, engineering, and technology and to capture the associated economic and societal benefits. The NNI comprises the collective activities and programs among the participating federal agencies and offices,¹ which are coordinated through the efforts of the interagency Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council and the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO).

In accordance with the provisions of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (Section 5 of Public Law 108-153), the NNCO asked the National Research Council² (NRC) to conduct a triennial review of the NNI. In particular, the NRC was asked to assess (1) mechanisms to advance focused areas of nanotechnology toward advanced development and commercialization and (2) the physical and human infrastructure needs for successful realization in the United States of the benefits of nanotechnology development. In response to this request, the NRC formed an ad hoc committee of experts in nanotechnology research, innovation, education, and facilities.

This report represents the consensus of the Committee on Triennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, which met five times between June and

___________________

¹ See Appendix C for the actual participating agencies.

² Effective July 1, 2015, the institution is called the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. References in this report to the National Research Council are used in an historical context identifying programs prior to July 1.

December 2015. The committee benefited enormously from meeting with representatives from government, industry, and academia. In particular, the committee thanks the following for contributing their time and expertise:

Information from and discussions with these individuals were essential to the Academies’ work.

On behalf of the committee, we express our deep appreciation to Academies staff, in particular James Lancaster, acting director of the National Materials and Manufacturing Board, and Erik Svedberg, study director of this report, who provided insight, guidance, and support throughout the study and preparation of the report.

Finally, as co-chairs of the committee, we thank the other committee members who worked diligently and gave generously of their time.

Celia I. Merzbacher, Chair
James S. Murday, Vice Chair
Committee on Triennial Review of the
National Nanotechnology Initiative

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Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by persons chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of

the report was overseen by Michael R. Ladisch, Purdue University, who was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of the report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

Contents

SUMMARY

1 INTRODUCTION

NNI Overview

Assessing the NNI

Background for Advanced Development and Commercialization—Task A

Background for Physical and Human Infrastructure for Nanotechnology—Task B

2 FROM RESEARCH TO COMMERCIALIZATION: NEED FOR NNI FOCUS

The Innovation Ecosystem

Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives

Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenges

Prizes: A Mechanism for Providing Focus and Implementing Grand Challenges

The Roles of Regulation and Policy in Promoting or Inhibiting Commercialization

3 FOCUS ON NANOMANUFACTURING

Nanomanufacturing as a Pillar of the National Nanotechnology Initiative

Basic Research in Support of Viable Nanomanufacturing

Applied Research and Development in Support of Nanomanufacturing

Nanomedicine Manufacturing: An Emerging Opportunity

4 PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanoscience User Facilities

Leading-Edge Capabilities at Risk

Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology

5 HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY

Trends in STEM Employment

Trends in U.S. Undergraduate and Graduate Science and Engineering Education

Growing Competition to Retain the Best and Brightest

STEM Education at the Nanoscale: Graduate and Undergraduate

STEM Education at the Nanoscale: K-12

Resources Available to Enhance Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education

6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

APPENDIXES

A Statement of Task

B Acronyms and Abbreviations

C Evolution of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Membership Organizations

D List of International Programs That Promote STEM Repatriation

E Brief Extracts from the Award Synopses of National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructures

F Committee Biographies