Nanomanufacturing

The NNN is an organization that works to expedite the transition of nanotechnologies from laboratory research to production manufacturing and it does so through information exchange,[5] strategic workshops, and roadmap development.

In contrast, another "priority area," nanofabrication, is defined as "the ability to fabricate, by directed or self-assembly methods, functional structures or devices at the atomic or molecular level" (p. 67).

[7] The realization of the numerous applications and benefits of nano-scale systems in everyday materials, electronics, medicine, energy conservation, sustainability, and transportation has led to research in developing techniques to produce these nano-systems on a larger-scale and at higher rates.

[8] Programs and organizations like the NNI and NNN are currently funding research towards designing economic, sustainable and reliable industry-scale nanomanufacturing techniques.

[9][10] An example of such technology is the Nanoscale Offset Printing System (NanoOps) which was developed by researchers at the Center of High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN) in Northeastern University.

Ahmed Busnaina, who was the head lead of the project and featured in the film From Lab to Fab: Pioneers in Nano-manufacturing describes the system as a printing press.

The method uses electron beam lithography to draw a vacuum on the precursor sol-gel solution, thereby creating a polymeric template.

Via this highly scalable and practical manufacturing process the user can produce custom patterns and shapes for numerous applications.

[15] These processes results in nanotechnology, extremely small devices, structures, features, and systems that have applications in organic chemistry, molecular biology, aerospace engineering, physics, and beyond.