Projects

Green nanoscience, pioneered at the University of Oregon, applies the principles of green chemistry to nanoscience in order to rationally design safe, yet high-performance, nanoscale materials, develop efficient and inexpensive manufacturing approaches to these materials, and incorporate nanoscale materials into high-performance microscale or larger devices. This approach will simultaneously meet society's need for high-performance materials while protecting human health and minimizing harm to the environment.

AFRL awarded SNNI a sixth year of funding support. SNNI's paramount success to date can be attributed to it's strategic plan in this regard and to its mission to create high-performance yet inherently safer nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing methods.

To date, SNNI has received ~$15M in funds to support seed funding for innovative, high risk/high pay-off proposals. As a result of this support, researchers under SNNI have been awarded ~$30M in individual project investigator and collaborative grants.

As SNNI enters its fifth year of formal support, we continue to strengthen and focus the three research thrust groups of the initiative. SNNI's paramount success to date can be attributed to it's strategic plan in this regard and to its mission to create high-performance yet inherently safer nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing methods. Since its inception, SNNI has received ~$12M in funds to support seed funding for innovative, high risk/high pay-off proposals.

In its fourth year, SNNI has been awarded over $8M in total to fund research projects that fall within its three broad research thrusts. As decided by SNNI's funding agency, in agreement with the Leadership Team, awards are internally competed biannually. Thus this year's award of nearly $3M will fund projects from the previous internal competition.

The scope of this work involves the continuing development of SNNI as a major research initiative under ONAMI. The Initiative uses proactive strategies to develop nascent nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing approaches that offer a high level of performance without compromising the environment or health. The work merges the principles of green chemistry and nanoscience to produce safer nanomaterials and more efficient nanomanufacturing processes.

The overarching goals of SNNI are to develop proactive strategies in creating inherently safer nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing processes. This effort is supported by three broad research thrusts that implement the principles of green nanoscience to: (i) design greener nanomaterials; (ii) develop greener nanomanufacturing of engineered nanoparticles, including investigation of the mechanisms of nanoparticle production; and (iii) interface nanoparticles and nanostructures for device applications.

The scope of the work involves the establishment of a research collaborative, SNNI, within the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI). The Initiative will develop new nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing approaches that offer high performance, yet minimal risk to health or the environment.