Mitigation Of Barriers To Commercialization Of Nanotechnology: An Overview Of Two Successful University Based Initiatives

Nanotechnology, being a platform technology, feeds its output into numerous industries, which use these inputs to improve their products. In this context, it would be appropriate to refer to BASF, whose slogan is “we do not create products, we make them better”. Consequently, any effort to commercialize this technology has to be supported by scientific and engineering research in conjunction with an innovative well-funded product development and marketing program involving all downstream industries that are going to utilize nanotechnology products. There is no doubt about the potential of nanotechnology to impact numerous facets of human life and society, and the incentive for expeditious commercialization of this technology is strong. However, considerations and factors, such as long time between nanotechnology research and development of commercial products, large capital investment needed for a viable commercial venture, and financial/operational risks associated with commercial applications of nanotechnology, have impeded rapid adoption of this technology in the commercial domain. Substantial government funding, and involvement of academic institutions and research laboratories, are viewed as an essential response to these barriers. It is critical for the U.S. nanotechnology industry to speed up the process of commercialization, if we are to maintain a competitive position in the global nanotechnology market. Two progressive institutions of higher learning, The Pennsylvania State University and The University at Albany in New York state, have made very significant contributions in the arena of nanotechnology commercialization. This has been accomplished through education/training programs for workforce development, and through partnerships with large and small industrial organizations for conducting R & D, and commercialization programs. In this presentation, the two leading consortia involving these universities, namely Albany Nanotech/ Tech Valley and Nanofab, are profiled as role models for other educational institutions seriously interested in nontechnology R & D and commercialization projects. Nanotechnology Overview The term “nonotechnology” covers processes associated with the creation and utilization of structures in the 1 nanometer (nm) to 100 nm range. Nanofabrication involves engineering at the atomic length scale. Engineering at this scale makes it feasible to create, atom by atom, fibers which are very small in diameter but extremely strong. In the health care domain, extremely minute probes can detect disease by examining individual strands of DNA. Nanofabrication makes it possible to manufacture capillary systems for providing nutrients to man-made replacement organs. The nanofabrication process has been used for creation of new chemical and biological substance detectors, which incorporate structures holding molecules that change their P ge 13898.2 electrical conducting properties in the presence of the substances being detected. The development of a new class of nanoscale transistors and molecular electronics has also been made possible by the utilization of nonotechnology. These molecular electronics (transistor), combined with nanoengineered fabrics and structural members possessing amazing strength, have enabled engineers to create computers with incredible processing speed and enormous memory capacity. In spite of the unlimited potential of nanotechnology in the consumer products domain, the commercial applications of this technology have been confined to utilization of colloidal nanoparticles in cosmetics, protective coatings, drug delivery, and stain-resistant clothing Ongoing research and development at a large number of educational institutions and research laboratories should enlarge the set of commercial applications of nonotechnology in the near future. Two educational institutions engaged in these efforts are highlighted in this presentation. Nanotechnology Applications Despite the fact that the concept underlying nanotechnology was first discussed by Richard Feynman almost 50 years ago, it was not until 1980 that the term “nanotechnology” was defined in the context of its application by Dr. K.E. Dexter. (1) Two developments in 1980’s, the formalization of cluster science, and the invention of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) led to the discovery of fullerenes and carbon nonatubes, later during that decade. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), which was developed a few years later, stimulated the application of nanofabrication through the usage of the tip of a scanning probe to manipulate nanostructures. Competing with this bottom-up technique for nanofabrication is lithography, a top-down nanfabrication process designed to reduce bulk material (bulk, in the context of nanoscale!) to a nanoscale pattern. Along with the tools and techniques described above, Dual Polarization Interferometry (DPI) has stimulated the research and development that has taken nanotechnology into the domain of consumer and industrial applications. Nanotechnology is capable of producing products, materials and devices that impact a wide spectrum of industries and consumer products. Therefore, it is pragmatic to view Nanotechnology as a “platform technology” with applications in a number of industrial sectors, and with potential for producing a variety of products. The list of current and potential nanotechnology applications continues to grow. However, it would be appropriate to consider the following areas of nanotechnology application as the most as the most promising beneficiaries (not ranked in any manner): Electronics and Semiconductors Information Technology (Computing and Telecommunication) Aerospace and Automotive Industries Chemical Processes and Engineering Agriculture Energy Disease Diagnosis Health Monitoring P ge 13898.3 Drug Delivery Food Processing and Storage Water Treatment and Air Pollution Control The five top ranking areas of nanotechnology product development are (2) Semiconductors, nanowires, lithography and printing products Nanostructures, nanotubes and self-assembly Coatings, paints, thin films and nanoparticles Environmental sensing and remediation Defense applications and protection gear. Although tremendous excitement has been stimulated by the potential applications of nanotechnology, the usage of “first generation” passive nanomaterials accounts for most of the commercial application of this technology currently (3). The products/applications include titanium dioxide nanoparticles in sunscreen, cosmetics and food products (usage of nonoparticles as additives to existing consumer products); silver nanoparticles in food packaging, clothing, disinfectants and household appliances; zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreen and cosmetics, surface coatings, paints and outdoor furniture varnishes; and cerium oxide nanoparticles as a fuel catalyst (exploitation of surface characteristics of nanoparticles to improve chemical reactions and interfacial bonding). The relatively short list of actual applications of nanotechnology indicates that further research is needed to diversify the utilization of this technology. Ongoing and planned R&D is focused on the development of new products such as optically switched computers, medical diagnostic systems, drug delivery systems capable of targeting precise application areas, and miniaturized consumer products. Nanotechnology Commercialization Nanotechnology is a combination of science and technology, and its commercialization requires theoretical understanding of the underlying process, and specialized equipment for producing nanotechnology products through nanofabrication. This attribute of nanotechnology has resulted in most of the research and preliminary development involving nanotechnology being conducted at universities and government funded research laboratories. Nevertheless, successful commercialization of nanotechnology generally requires cooperation between the research organization(s) and a commercial developer. In a report concerning best practices for nanotechnology commercialization, Waitz and Bukhari (4) pointed out that the most currently visible nanotech company, Narcosis was formed through the licensing of Intellectual Property (IP) from universities, where the world’s leaders in nanoscience academics and research are resident. Michael Darby and Lynne Zucken, in a study conducted for the National Bureau of Economic Research (5), stated that 70 % of university inventions cannot be utilized without the involvement of the inventor. The inventor team generally consists of university faculty members and students who conduct research. This background and overview of the commercialization process for nanotechnology, highlights the need for preparing the research faculty and senior students at major academic research centers for participation in successful commercialization of P ge 13898.4 their inventions and discoveries. As shown in Figure 1, academic institution based researchers have to be actively involved as knowledge-bearing assets, in at least two of the five steps in the progression from concept to marketing of technology/products in the commercialization process for nanotechnology. Exploring -Bus. Planning Product -Production -Manufacturing Visualizing I.P. Protection Development -Marketing Screening Distribution