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There is a broad consensus today that nanotechnology is here to stay and that it will, over the next few decades, find its way into almost every aspect of our lives. The level of R&D funding from both governments and corporations worldwide has reached unprecedented levels. The number of nanotechnology patents has exploded and the nanotechnology intellectual property “land grab” is in full swing.
Products incorporating nanotechnology are being introduced with increasing rapidity – stain-resistant clothing, high-performance tennis rackets and balls, more effective cosmetics, stronger structural parts for cars, more efficient fuel cells, denser data storage, stronger tires, better catalysts for petroleum, higher performance optoelectronics, more effective drug delivery mechanisms and many, many others. This first wave of applications is beginning to demonstrate the value of nanotechnology. The nanotechnology revolution, or evolution, is fundamentally a materials revolution. We are learning how to structure and control matter on a size scale never seen before. However, in order for nanotechnology to have the widespread impact that is envisioned and fulfill its promise, the field must mature from a laboratory-driven ad hoc discovery process to a more systematic engineering discipline.
The range of industries and applications that will be impacted by nanotechnology is vast and diverse. Virtually all companies that manufacture physical materials or devices will be impacted by nanotechnology, and many will be fundamentally transformed, disrupted or derailed by it. The winning organizations are those that apply the best new tools for competitive advantage. The key question for any company that is seeking to reap value from nanotechnology is how to most effectively and efficiently discover, develop, and manufacture those materials and devices, which have economically meaningful new properties.
This paper describes a rational approach to achieving these goals called Rational Nanomaterials Design. At the core of Rational Nanomaterials Design are modeling, simulation, and informatics software tools. These have been demonstrated to reduce development costs, speed time to market, and allow designers to develop better materials with a greater focus on end-user application requirements. These bottom line benefits are critical as the rapid emergence of nanotechnology introduces new market pressures and competitive threats. Rational Nanomaterials Design will also make major contributions to solving the key challenges facing nanotechnology as it moves out of the lab and into the market and help to improve the overall productivity of the R&D organization.
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