Tiny Technology, Hugh Promise

It’s a very small technology with huge promise. Local economic development, education and Air Force officials are leveraging the capabilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the University of Dayton to create premiere graduate-level education that will be a magnet for research and development dollars and spur economic development in nanotechnology, an emerging research field.

They plan to recruit a nationally recognized scholar to fill a $3 million Wright Brothers Institute Endowed Chair in Nanomaterials at the University of Dayton. It’s the first of a number of endowed chairs in science and technology that will be launched at universities across the state and beyond, according to Robert (Bart) Barthelemy, director of the Wright Brothers Institute.

“The UD chair is a prototype for all of the other WBI chairs and a great success story,” Barthelemy said. “The collaboration between the Air Force Research Laboratory, the University of Dayton, the Wright Brothers Institute, the state of Ohio and the Dayton Development Coalition on nanomaterials research and development, which is centered around the WBI/UD chair in nanomaterials technology, will propel this region into a world-class, nanomaterials center of excellence.”

Nanotechnology -- what researchers describe as the science of constructing new materials with dimensions about the size of five to 10 atoms – has enormous potential. The U.S. government has authorized more than $2 billion since 2000 for nanotechnology research -- with applications ranging from better computer chips to lighter aircraft that require less fuel. The technology could lead to tiny, fast transistors and the strongest, lightest materials ever made.

The Dayton Development Coalition raised $1.5 million with support from the state and business community and the University of Dayton matched it to create the endowed chair. “From early in the process, UD leaders embraced the WBI concept -- that of creating a world-class center for aerospace research and development in the Dayton region,” said John (J.P.) Nauseef, the coalition's vice president for aerospace, defense and technology. “The endowed chair in nanomaterials should prove to be a great asset to our region, and we’re pleased to support the efforts of the leaders at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, UD and the business community.”

The endowed chair -- a joint position between UD’s College of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering -- is UD's latest initiative toward building a national reputation in nanotechnology research and education according to Daniel J. Curran, president of the University of Dayton. “We are committed to building academic excellence in the sciences and engineering and creating strong strategic alliances in the region that support aerospace research and commercialization,” he said.

Consider:

• Infrastructure: UD is constructing a nanoengineering, science and technology laboratory in its new science center, with completion slated for the spring. It will be outfitted with electron microscopes, atomic force microscopes and other specialized equipment. The Wright Brothers Institute is allocating $1.9 million of Congressional funds for the equipment as well as operational expenses for collaborative research in nanomaterials.
• Pioneering work: The University of Dayton Research Institute, which is currently conducting $5 million in sponsored research in nanotechnology, has pioneered the use of microscopy that allows researchers to see elements at the nano scale -- one-billionth of one meter. These molecules are 50,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, researchers say. UDRI researchers have developed nanocomposite magnets that have exceeded world-record energy levels.
• Technology transfer: UD researchers recently won nearly $2 million in Wright Capital Project Funds, an initiative of Ohio Governor Bob Taft's Third Frontier Project, for the commercialization of nanotechnology research. Chyi-Shan Wang, research engineer in the University of Dayton Research Institute, is working with the Air Force Research Laboratory on developing a technology that disperses carbon nanotubes or nanofibers into polymers to make them stronger, more durable and better conductors of electricity and heat for use in aircraft, electronics, automotive manufacturing and other industrial sectors. Andrew Sarangan, assistant professor of electro-optics, is developing a new micro-optic infrared imaging system that can improve the military’s night vision equipment or help a doctor find out where blood flow is restricted in a diabetic.

“The future of technology lies in nano, and we intend to stay ahead of the game,” said Allan Crasto, head of the nonmetallic materials division at UDRI and chair of the search committee for the Wright Brothers Institute Endowed Chair in Nanomaterials. “UDRI has a strong history in the area of materials development and processing. This is a perfect opportunity for us to build a stronger national reputation for the University of Dayton and the region because it's a natural extension of what we do.”

The endowed chair will build and guide an interdisciplinary program in nanomaterials in collaboration with the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It’s responsible for all materials research for the U.S. Air Force.

“Nanomaterials are revolutionary approaches to improved materials and processes. Working at the ‘nano’ scale offers the potential of optimizing two seemingly contradictory materials properties,” noted Charles Browning, director of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. “One example would be increasing mechanical properties while reducing weight. Approaches to tailoring properties by tailoring microstructure are also possible. Metal alloys having even greater properties can be realized by tailoring the structure at the nanoscopic level. The WBI chair will take our collaborations to an even greater level by bringing a world-class professor to the team.”

UD hopes to fill the endowed chair by January, perhaps initially with a visiting professor for a one-year appointment.

“As a faculty member, the chair will be able to take a young academic program in nanomaterials and shape and build it into one of the premiere programs of its kind in the country,” said Mickey McCabe, director of the University of Dayton Research Institute. “The benefits will be enormous -- not only to UD but to the entire Dayton community and beyond. By supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory, this program will benefit the nation as well.”

October 17, 2003

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