Abstract
There are strong nanotechnology research programs across the world in the fields of chemical sensors, biosensors, instrumentation, electromechanical devices, actuators, nanodevices, composites, and numerous other applications. Basic discoveries have progressed at an amazing pace, as evidenced by the accumulation of publications in the literature. At present, the development of practical systems and commercial products is the next big challenge. Nanoscale is not a human scale. In many cases, development of practical systems demands seamless integration of nano-micro-macro to produce scaled components and processes. While the ultimate vision in nanotechnology may be an entirely bottom-up approach to building systems, it is unrealistic to expect this to happen any time in the foreseeable future. The only realistic possibility to achieve tangible results in a reasonable time frame, before the stakeholders run out of patience, is to use nanomaterials in a hybrid approach that involves a systematic nano-micro-macro integration. Such an approach will also allow us to utilize the existing infrastructure in the micro area (MEMS, microelectronics) from the last couple of decades, which would make economic sense.
This talk will expand on this theme on product and system development using nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Examples will include a carbon nanotube (CNT) based chemical sensor that has been tested for monitoring air quality in the crew cabin in the International Space Station in 2009 and further developed for incorporation into a smart phone; a CNT based biosensor for water quality monitoring and health monitoring; a nanoelectrode for treating neural disorders; CNT-based X-ray tubes for security and other applications; supercapacitors, and several other developments the speaker and his research group have been working on for the last 5-8 years. The speaker thanks all past and present NASA Ames colleagues for their contributions to the application development efforts, especially Jing Li, Yijiang Lu, Jessica Koehne, Cattien Nguyen, Jin-woo Han and Michael Oye.
About the speaker
Dr Meyya Meyyappan is Chief Scientist for Exploration Technology at NASA’s Ames Research Center. Until June 2006, he served as the Director of the Center for Nanotechnology. He is a founding member of the Interagency Working Group on Nanotechnology established by the US Office of Science and Technology Policy, which is responsible for putting together the National Nanotechnology Initiative.
Dr Meyyappan’s research interests include carbon nanotubes, graphene, and various inorganic nanowires, their growth and characterization, and application development in chemical and biosensors, instrumentation, electronics and optoelectronics. He has authored or co-authored over 270 articles in peer-reviewed journals and made over 200 Invited/Keynote/Plenary Talks in nanotechnology subjects across the world and over 200 seminars at universities.
Dr Meyyappan is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Electrochemical Society, American Vacuum Society, Materials Research Society, Institute of Physics, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AlChE) and the California Council of Science and Technology. In addition, he is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He is currently the IEEE Nanotechnology Council Distinguished Lecturer on Nanotechnology, IEEE Electron Devices Society Distinguished Lecturer, and was ASME's Distinguished Lecturer on Nanotechnology. He has received numerous awards including the Presidential Meritorious Award, NASA's Outstanding Leadership Medal; Arthur Flemming Award and the AIChE Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum Award, etc. For his sustained contributions to nanotechnology, he was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Council Hall of Fame in 2009.
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