Pitt opens institute to probe nanotechnology, molecules

Pitt’s idea of thinking big is one billionth of a meter long.

Researchers, however, are… Pitt’s idea of thinking big is one billionth of a meter long.

Researchers, however, are finding that working with structures that small, such as atoms and molecules, can mean massive developments in medicine, manufacturing and computer technology.

On Dec. 16, 2002, Pitt opened the Institute of NanoScience and Engineering, a collaborative effort between the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering. The new institute intends to explore nanotechnology, also known as molecular manufacturing, and its applications by coordinating current faculty and student research, and pursuing projects with government and commercial agencies. An additional aim of the institute is to increase educational opportunities for Pitt students and members of the community. Hong Koo Kim, professor of electrical engineering, and David Snoke, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will co-direct the institute.

The National Science and Technology Council describes nanotechnology as “the science and engineering of assembling materials and components atom by atom, or molecule by molecule, and integrating them into useful devices.” Nanotechnology refers specifically to technological developments between one and 100 nanometers, which is approximately 100 to 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

Kim explained that one of the reasons researchers study nanotechnology is to overcome the costs and physical difficulties of making electronics smaller using a “top down” systems approach, where scientists start working with a large system and break it down into smaller subsystems of circuits and transistors. By studying natural phenomena such as cells, he said, researchers began to learn how nature assembles small-sized things by starting with their individual atomic components, a “bottom up” approach.

“This emerging field of nanoscience offers so many significant and profound possibilities in areas as diverse as biomedicine, material science, environmental remediation and semiconductors,” said Pitt’s Provost Jim Maher. “We’re excited to be able to create an interdisciplinary institute through which our scientists can pool their expertise and resources to explore this new realm of science.”

Members of Pitt’s faculty are researching nanoscience techniques to learn how to synthesize artificial structures out of atoms and molecules and better understand biological and physical concepts.

Scott Mao, professor of mechanical engineering, is working with the adhesive properties and interatomic force on layers of metal and ceramic composites, which may one day be used to create stronger types of cloth.

Dr. Bruce Doll, of the School of Dental Medicine, is researching nanoscale polymer scaffolds and their potential for bone tissue engineering. J. Karl Johnson, professor of chemical engineering, is studying the use of carbon nanotubes for storing hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles.

The widespread applications of nanotechnology were the key motivation for the School of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences to work together on the institute, Kim said. He explained that chemistry, physics, biology and engineering students and faculty would be able to combine their areas of expertise into nanotechnology projects and curriculums.

“Any major challenges we may face require a multidisciplinary approach to solve them,” he said.

The institute plans to create opportunities for graduate student research in addition to that of faculty members and post-doctorates, Kim said. He added that undergraduates may train to work on graduate projects or perhaps do their own research on nanotechnology. Moreover, the institute is planning outreach programs that target talented high school students, along with government agencies and commercial enterprises.

Pitt is currently funding the institute by combining resources from separate nanotechnology-related research projects into one coherent unit, though Kim said the institute will pursue funding from commercial and government donors in the future.

Nanotechnology centers similar to the one at Pitt are being developed at universities across the country, such as Northeastern University, Notre Dame and the University of South Carolina. As for Pitt’s Institute of Nanoscience and Chemical Engineering, Kim said the University had a strong background in the sciences and industry-related engineering, strength and infrastructure and strong health sciences, which he explained would give the institute a definite advantage.

“We have all three components on campus, and I think that is very unique,” he said.