The Role of Chemical Sciences in the National Nanotechnology Initiative: Accomplishments and Future Direction

As a core component of nanotechnology, chemical sciences allow for the precise crafting of new structures in a wide range of commercial applications. Fifteen years since President Clinton announced the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), over twenty billion dollars have been invested in fundamental and applied nanotechnology research and development; world-class characterization, testing, and fabrication facilities; education and workforce development; and efforts directed at understanding and controlling the environmental, health, and safety characteristics of engineered nanomaterials and consumer products derived from them. The NNI has not just evolved in structure and emphasis; it now is transitioning towards a critical inflection point where greater focus is being placed on the rapid commercialization of nanotechnologies. This chapter will briefly review the structure and history of the NNI, highlight a few examples of advancement in nanoscience pertaining to Clinton’s grand challenges, and provide a synopsis of what the future may hold for the initiative and nanoscience in the U.S.