Introduction
Julia Weertman of Northwestern University opened the workshop by welcoming the participants on behalf of her co-chair, T.S.Sudarshan of Materials Modification Inc., National Materials Advisory Board (NMAB) project director Julius Chang, and the NMAB staff. Before describing the goals and hoped-for outcomes of the workshop, she briefly went through the many materials-related terms that involve the prefix “nano.” Most of these “nano-X” terms—e.g., nanoscale, nanophase, nanolayer, nanomaterial, nanostructure—indicate that at least one feature (X) has a length scale less than ~100 nm. Nanoscience is the science of the nano-Xs, while nanotechnology as used in the present context refers to the production and use of the nano-Xs.
Professor Weertman listed the topics and goals to be addressed:
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Synthesis and assembly of nanomaterial building blocks;
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Characterization of nanomaterials;
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Examples of structural nanomaterials currently in use;
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Potential applications of nanomaterials;
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Gaps in understanding of synthesis, assembly, chemical, and physical characterization and the need for an interdisciplinary approach; and
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Identification of the “showstoppers”—major barriers to utilization of nanomaterials.
The workshop then moved on to the first session, on synthesis, assembly, and processing.
