Research

NINT Research Plan – Overview

The focus of the National Institute for Nanotechnology's (NINT) research program is integration – the combination of separate nano-scale devices and materials into complex nanosystems that are connected the outside world. NINT explores the integration, at the molecular level, of nature's most powerful nano-devices such as proteins, lipids, and other biological structures made from 'soft' organic material, with crystalline semiconductors, metals, and catalysts made from inorganic 'hard' materials. The connection of natural biological or synthetic bio-inspired structures with electronics and information systems will lead to new and extremely powerful tools and technology platforms with broad application in the life sciences, medicine, materials science, and electronics and computation.

The NINT research program complements and enhances current nanotechnology research and infrastructure at the University of Alberta, and overlaps with the strategic research interests of the Government of Alberta. Together, NINT and the University have gathered, at a single location, a critical mass of researchers in areas of strategic importance to Alberta. Existing capabilities related to the energy industry, both petroleum-based and fuel cells will be expanded by research into catalysis and nano-scale material science, and by engaging industrial researchers. Development of new devices and materials for information and communications technologies, especially wireless communications, will also be a major activity at NINT and will involve cross-appointed and guest researchers from industry, the University of Alberta and other institutions across the country. NINT will also advance Alberta's interest in expanding its life sciences and medical expertise through development of technology platforms for new medical therapeutic devices, sensors and diagnostic devices, and possibly new drugs and drug delivery systems. The stimulation of economic activity in Alberta through nanotechnology research and innovation in is a major objective of research at NINT and the University of Alberta.

The implementation of the NINT Research Plan strongly depends on the unique research culture at the institute, which combines the individual, inquiry-based research of the university with the team-based, applications-oriented research of the National Research Council. Exploring the convergence of science and engineering at the molecular level requires close collaboration among researchers in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, pharmacy, and engineering. Expertise in atomic manipulation and scanning probe microscopy combines with advanced expertise in surface and supramolecular chemistry to build new molecular devices and integrate them into nanosystems. New theoretical and computational techniques are being developed to predict and understand the behaviour of the systems on multiple length scales. Powerful applications of the resulting innovations and technology platforms will be explored by applied scientists and engineers from within NINT, the University of Alberta and industrial partners.

NINT's research focus is on development and applications in the areas of:

• Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystals and nanowires
• Synthesis of supramolecular-based nanomaterials
• Fabrication and characterization of molecular-scale devices and nanosensors
• Development of nano-scaled materials for catalysis and directed chemical reactions at semiconductor surfaces
• Development of nano-electronic and nano-fluidic systems to interface devices to the outside world
• Theory, modeling, and simulation of nanosystems on multiple length scales
• Development of quantitative imaging and characterization techniques that support nanotechnology research
• Examination of the ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social issues of nanotechnology
• Research on nano-bioengineering such as protein design and genetic engineering of novel behaviours 
• Development of nanoelectricalmechanical systems (NEMS), such as lab-on-a-chip devices

This work is focused around eight interdisciplinary research groups:

• Devices and Sensors
• Engineered Materials for Energy
• Materials and Interfacial Chemistry
• Molecular Scale Devices
• Nano Life Sciences
• NEEELS/NE³LS
• Supramolecular Nanoscale Assembly
• Electron Microscopy
• Theory and Modeling

Several University of Alberta faculty members are cross-appointed to NINT and will conduct research that connects to and enhances the eight areas listed above.
The long-term objectives of NINT's research plan are to discover 'design rules' for nanotechnology, and develop platforms for building nanosystems and materials that can be constructed and programmed for a particular application.

NINT's grand challenge is to design and build a system that:

• Is self-assembled from components on a surface or self-supported in a liquid
• Is powered by local chemical sources such as ATP, pumped ion-gradients, or micro-fuel-cells
• Can be designed or programmed for a specific function such as catalysis, drug delivery, computation, or a combination of such functions
• Is able to sense and respond to its chemical and physical environment

The realization of NINT's goals, both long and short-term, will lead to important new applications and commercial opportunities, and will establish Edmonton as an internationally-recognized centre of nanotechnology research and industrial activity, attracting young scientists and graduate students of high calibre to continually increase the capabilities of the institute.