Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials are materials with engineered structure in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers that offer enormous potential to tune material performance. By controlling the size of these structures precisely, a material's intrinsic properties can be manipulated due to quantum effects at the nanoscale. In addition, simple miniaturization can also bring increases in performance, for example by increasing the surface area of a porous material or increasing the number of transistors on a chip.
The signature of our work in nanomaterials is two-fold. First, we focus on functionalized nanomaterials where surfaces have been chemically modified to perform a certain function and to interact in a specified way with the environment. These materials therefore have very high performance in their application. Second, we solve the problem of bridging the ten orders of magnitude between those materials and the real world, i.e., from the Angstrom (10-10 m) scale of a chemical functional group to the meter scale of the human being. We do this through the hierarchical assembly of molecules into nanomaterials, nanomaterials into the microstructure (for example into microchannels, coatings, or powders), and ultimately into macro-scale systems that solve our customers' problems (see figure below).
Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (SAMMS) is an example of the work we do in nanomaterials. Other examples can be found on the Lab's web site for Nanoscience and Technology. Our partnerships in nanomaterials include the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) and the Joint Institute for Nanoscience (JIN).
For additional technical information and discussion see Functionalized Nanomaterials.