Automated and Accelerated Characterization of Nano-scaled Particulate

The plan of this proposed Wright Center of Innovation (WCI) is to establish the first facility in the world for the automated characterization and modeling of nano-scaled materials and microstructures. This center of excellence will provide solutions to three important technology gaps in nano-technology, involving characterization, standardization and expertise. These gaps severely limit current research and development (R&D) and hence commercialization opportunities in a number of significant economic sectors. In so doing, it will establish itself as the premier institution internationally for advanced characterization of nano-scaled materials, an enabling technology, and by coupling with its major commercialization partner, the FEI Company, will establish a vibrant and profitable entity in Columbus.

A major focus will be on automated characterization tools for biomedical applications, not only scientifically important, but also potentially extremely lucrative in terms of commercializing a technological success. In this part of the study, automated characterization of nano-particulate used for drug delivery to tumors will permit a major contribution to be made to the elimination of suffering and death from cancer by 2015 (a stated aim of the National Cancer Institute). Concurrent to that effort, the proposed center aims to provide solutions to two of the technology gaps, namely characterization and standardization, which are currently impeding scientific and social developments in a number of areas of importance to Ohio’s economy. The solutions require an integration of advanced and automated materials characterization, software engineering, and modeling and simulation. The enabling technologies developed will be applied in a number of commercial opportunities across a wide variety of economic sectors, and will play a pivotal role in enabling Ohio’s significant investment in nano-technology.

The application of new and improved materials in components traditionally involves significant costs and lengthy timeframes, severely restricting the competitiveness of many Ohio companies involved in aerospace, automotive, energy, electronics, and consumer products. The solution to this problem involves an integration of characterization and modeling to permit accelerated materials insertion at lower costs. Such integrated tools for the prediction of properties of nano-scaled materials and microstructures, to be developed in the proposed center, will contribute effectively to increasing the competitiveness of a large number of companies in major sectors of Ohio’s economy.

The proposed structure of the center is designed to impact markedly the very significant investment in nano-scaled materials and microstructures that is currently being made by governmental entities and private companies in the State of Ohio. In addition to its focused research, development and commercialization activities, the proposed center will establish and operate an Extramural Research and Training Institute. This institute will have three important functions, offer training to scientists and engineers in the new technologies and methodologies, and hence address the expertise gap, offer access to these new characterization and modeling tools, in the center or via the Third Frontier Network, and undertake research projects for entities that do not possess the appropriate research infrastructure. In this way, a very large part of Ohio’s industrial sectors will be impacted by the proposed center.