Scalable Nanomanufacturing

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces a third year of a program on collaborative research and education in the area of scalable nanomanufacturing, including the long-term societal implications of the large-scale implementation of nanomanufacturing innovations. This program is in response to and is a component of the National Nanotechnology Initiative Signature Initiative: Sustainable Nanomanufacturing - Creating the Industries of the Future (http://www.nano.gov/node/611). Although many nanofabrication techniques have demonstrated the ability to fabricate small quantities of nanomaterials and devices for characterization and evaluation purposes, the emphasis of this program is on research to overcome the key impediments that prevent the low cost production of useful nanomaterials, devices and systems at industrially relevant scale. Therefore, competitive proposals will incorporate three elements in their research plans:A persuasive argument that the nanomaterials, devices or systems to be produced have or are likely to have sufficient demand to justify eventual scale-up;A clearly identified and arguably complete set of research issues that must be addressed to enable the low cost production of high quality products; andA compelling research plan with clear objectives to overcome the identified research issues that is supported by preliminary results relevant to scale-up.The mode of support is Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT). Proposals submitted to this program must address at least one, and preferably more than one, of the following interconnected themes:Novel processes and techniques for continuous and scalable nanomanufacturing;Directed (e.g. physical/chemical/biological) self-assembly processes leading to heterogeneous nanostructures with the potential for high-rate production; Fundamental scientific research in well-defined areas that are compellingly justified as critical impediments to scale-up;Principles and design methods to produce machines and processes to manufacture nanoscale structures, devices and systems; and/orSocietal, environmental and educational implications of the large-scale production and use of nanomaterials, devices and systems, including the life-cycle analysis of such nanomaterials, devices and systems.Other research and education projects in nanoscale science and engineering will continue to be supported in the relevant programs and divisions.Please see requirements for submitting proposals for collaborations; a single proposal with subcontracts must be submitted for collaborations and the submission of separate proposals from multiple investigators for collaborative projects ('collaborative proposals') is not allowed.

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