2010 NanoTechnology for Defense Conference 3-6 May Atlanta, GA

Manufacturing and Sustainability Session

Chairs: Mr. Kermit Stearns, Air Force Research Laboratory and Prof James Watkins, University of Massachusetts @ Amherst

Nanotechnology offers tremendous opportunities in areas of critical need for military and civilian applications including conventional and alternative energy generation and storage, computing, human health, sensors, structures, and resource conservation and recovery. The translation of laboratory breakthroughs to robust, cost effective, and sustainable manufacturing platforms is necessary to capitalize on these advances. This session will focus on the development and implementation of manufacturing techniques and platforms, including roll-to-roll, Si wafer based technologies, and aerosol processing, for the production of nano-particles and nanotechnology enabled materials and devices.

Engineered Nanomaterials: Toxicology & ESOH Issues

Session Chairs: Dr. Saber Hussain, Air Force Research Laboratory and Ms. Heidi Maupin, Army Research Laboratory

Nanotechnology is the key technology of the modern century. The possibility to exploit the structures and processes of biomolecules for novel functional materials, biosensors, bioelectronics and military applications has created the rapidly growing field of nanobiotechnology. Although there is a wide application of nanomaterials, there is a serious lack of information concerning the human health and environmental implications of manufactured nanomaterials. Occupational health risks associated with manufacturing and using nanomaterials are not yet clearly understood. The rapid growth of nanotechnology is leading to the development of new materials, devices and processes that lie far beyond our current understanding of environmental and human impact. Exposure to these materials during manufacturing and use may occur through inhalation, dermal contact and ingestion. There is a lack of information on exposure routes, potential exposure levels and material toxicity. There is need to bring toxicologists, cell biologists, physical scientists, and engineers together to discuss the following aspects in the emerging field of nanotechnology. The integrated approaches from multidisciplinary fields of nanotechnology will provide better understanding of future impact on human health. The main focus of this session would be to discuss the following aspect of nanotechnology with a special emphasis on occupational exposure and risk assessment of nanomaterials from DoD perspective.

The purpose of this conference to bring To bring together technical representatives from industry, academia, DoD community, and other government agencies to discuss the knowledge gaps in toxicology of nanomaterials, ESOH & regulations on risks associated with nanomaterials.

Understanding of nano-bio interaction mechanisms and in-depth analyses of corresponding effects on biological systems

Identifying potential toxicity, Environment, safety, and occupational health (ESOH) implications of engineered nanomaterials with reference to DoD research in nanotechnology
Developing nanomaterial safety strategies for the protection of both human and environmental health, and applying nanobiotechnologies to future weapon systems development.

Chem-Bio Session

Session Chairs: Dr. Anthony Esposito, Defense Threat Reduction Agency

The threat posed by chemical and biological warfare agents and toxic industrial materials demands the best capabilities for detection, protection, decontamination, and medical countermeasures. Nanotechnology allows for the development of rationally designed materials with controlled, molecular-level functionality. This session will focus on the development and use of nanotechnology-enabled applications and products for addressing chemical and biological threats. Examples will include: nanoporous and nanoarray materials for detection and catalytic destruction of agents; nanomaterials for improved adsorption and mitigation of chemical and biological threats, as well as molecular machines with controlled functionalities; and products that utilize these nano-enabled materials.

Power and Energy Session

Session Chairs: Rob Mantz, Naval Research Laboratory

Nanotechnology offers the potential to significantly improve the performance of current and future power and energy storage and generation devices. Opportunities include catalysts, membranes, coatings, surface morphologies, electrodes, etc. In order to capitalize on the breakthroughs made to date they must not only be robust, cost effective, and sustainably produced but they must be integrated into devices such as batteries, capacitors, fuel cells, and other power devices. This session will focus on the current and future impact of nanotechnology on DoD relevant power storage and generation devices.

Multi-Scale Modeling Session

Session Chairs: Dr. Jan Andzelm, Army Research Laboratory; Dr. John Maguire, Air Force Research Laboratory; Dr. Rick Barto, Lockheed Martin Corporation

The objective of the Multi-Scale Modeling Session is to highlight progress and identify challenges in the application of modeling and simulation in nano-science and nano-technology. Papers that address nanomanufacturing issues in critical defense application areas are particularly welcome. Areas that will be addressed include:

Statistical Mechanics and thermodynamics of nanosystems
Nano-transport in ordered and disordered materials
Mechanical property computations across multiple length scales
Granular materials in the nanoscopic and mesocopic regime
Nano-bio materials
Materials informatics to identify key process parameters and process-structure-property relations
Modeling of self-assembly and directed assembly of nanoscale systems

Successful NanoMaterial Transition: Lessons Learned to Accelerate Future Technology Insertion Session

Session Chairs: Dr. Richard Vaia, Air Force Research Laboatory and Dr. Suraj Rawal, Lockheed Martin Corporation

The unique properties afforded by nanomaterial concepts promise revolutions across air, space and cyber platforms. Transforming this promise to reality, however, requires the succinct and unique articulation of the value-proportion provided by the nanomaterial; whether it is addressing the key technology, cost, manufacturing or maintenance shortfall of a crucial platform, or providing the most robust path toward an unrealized, game changing capability. When stability, predictability, producability, availability, and environmental, safety and health concerns are placed in perspective with alternatives, the key reason to adopt the nanomaterial solution is sometimes not clear, and at other times surprising based on the original scientific discoveries.

This session will explore these challenges by discussing examples of successful adoption of a nanomaterial solution to air and space systems. In addition to summarizing the technology and performance advantage, speakers will discuss how the numerous supply chain, cost and policy issues encountered during development were addressed. Based on this experience they will draw conclusions with regard to the key information necessary at each stage gate and innovative partnerships necessary along the way to ensure a successful transition.

Government Only Session

Session Chairs: Dr. Joe Lenhart, Army Research Laboratory;
Mr. Don Shiffler, Air Force Research Laboratory; Dr. Stanley Rogers, Air Force Research Laboratory; and Dr. Eric Snow, Naval Research Laboratory

Trends in nanotechnology indicate that this technology area will continue to play an important role in the development of DoD systems for many years in the future. The government-only session seeks to provide a format for government researchers to discuss their research with other DoD members in a highly technical environment. While any area in nanotechnology for DoD applications is of interest, the government only session focuses on the four areas enumerated below.

Nanoenergetics
Nanoenergetics seeks to exploit the technological advantages of the nano-scale in the development of energetic materials; including (but not limited to) extremely high surface areas able to support faster reaction rates, very small sizes able to facilitate better formulations, and quantum effects that sometimes lead to new and unexpected properties. Nanoenergetics are reactive nano-scale materials that can have application to munitions, can serve as propellants and fuels, and can be utilized as catalysts and controlled chemical reactants. The key to obtaining these different applications is the ability to control energy release.

Nanomaterials for Compact Power Generation
Advanced weapons of the future require compact power generation in far more compact as well as versatile physical packages than available today with current technology. This topic area focuses on the development of nanodielectics and nanomagnetics for applications such as high energy density capacitors, advanced electric insulation, and rotating machines.

Sensors and Electronics
The Tri-Service community is looking for game-changing nanotechnologies that will revolutionize Battlespace CONOPS, today and tomorrow. Today we realize, as a minimum, that nano-materials, nano-fabrication, nano-processes, and nano-devices, for Defense applications, must be imagined and realizable to be synergistic-players in the technology-development pipeline for known and projected warfighter applications. In addition, each component-development must contribute to SWAP, complexity minimization, and be assessed as affordable, effective and suitable before being considered as a viable solution in support of our warfighter needs. Our goal is to leverage existing nanotechnology-based "sensors and electronics" and identify "new opportunities" to support Tri-service interests, in whole or in part, within S&T areas such as Layered Sensing & Net-Centric Communications , Power and Energy, Operational Environments, Maritime Domain Awareness and Information Superiority and Communication.

Extreme Environments and Protection
Materials and devices for Defense applications must function under unusually harsh environmental conditions including: a broad range of operational temperatures; a long service lifetime; extreme radiation, electrical, and chemical environments; and severe mechanical stress. These stringent requirements, coupled with current drives to reduce size, weight, power, and cost, while providing improved capabilities, necessitates novel and multifunctional materials solutions. Examplesof topics that can be covered include polymer, metal, and ceramicnanocomposites; responsive materials systems; hierarchically structured materials; bio-inspired technology; and self-assembly processes. The materials research will have a broad range of potential applications including chemical, biological and radiological agent detection and decontamination; protective coatings and membranes; encapsulants; energy dissipating materials; energetic materials; armor and ballistic protection; optical devices; as well as novel materials for weapon applications.

Sessions