What are National Nanotechnology Initiative accomplishments?

 

National Nanotechnology Initiative-supported research and development is producing significant scientific and technological accomplishments. These efforts have led to improvements in the products we use every day and in the technologies that will make our future smarter and more sustainable. In many instances, and at the heart of the NNI's collaborative vision, the combined efforts of multiple agencies were required to realize these accomplishments.

The success stories featured here are grouped into six categories: Electronics, Energy, Health, Manufacturing, Materials, and Tools & Training. Nanotechnology-enabled electronic components are making our devices even smaller and faster. Research in support of the NNI is improving our traditional fuel sources and making renewable energy sources more practical. Operating at the nanoscale gives researchers the unique ability to diagnose diseases far earlier and target treatments, increasing the chances for a healthy, long life. In order for all of us to take advantage of these accomplishments, manufacturing concerns such as scalability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness are being addressed for nanotechnology-enabled goods. Nanotechnology research has led to materials that are lighter, stronger, and more damage-tolerant than traditional materials, as well as materials that are flexible and smart. Tools & Training refers to the resources scientists need for nanotechnology research and the many programs designed to prepare people for jobs in nanotechnology-related fields.

The future holds promise for entirely new innovations that are not possible without the novel properties that exist at the nanoscale, such as new ways to control and manipulate information, multifunctional and self-healing structures, energy-scavenging technologies, personalized medicine, and many things yet to be imagined!