PFI-BIC: A Small-Company-Centric Knowledge Enhancement Partnership to Accelerate Nanomaterials Innovation

俄勒冈州大学（尤金）的这一创新伙伴关系项目提议开发加速无机纳米颗粒技术商业化的能力。无机纳米颗粒由直径为1至100 nm的无机（金属或金属氧化物）核组成，所述核被分子或聚合物涂层的壳包围。核材料的各种物理性质以及配体和涂层的选择性结合能力构成了几乎在每个工业部门都具有商业应用的通用工具包。 然而，这些纳米材料的商业化受到将发现研究期间使用的合成方法转化为可靠的商业规模生产的困难的限制。 本项目的目的是解决纳米科学前沿的研究问题，通过开发改进的材料测量和表征技术，使纳米颗粒能够生产并优化其性能，推进纳米科学的最新技术，从而加速商业化进程本身。本项目的广泛影响与经济，教育和多样性有关。参加知识增强合作伙伴（KEP）小组的小公司将开发可重复、可靠、可扩展、快速、高效、稳健、精确和廉价的生产技术。这些改进将在光电子学、固态照明和显示技术方面带来大规模的经济机会。该项目将加速纳米颗粒在其他领域的商业化，包括：能源储存、催化、信息技术、癌症治疗和环境修复。参加该项目的学生和教师将学习在明确的技术和工业背景下进行基础研究。 KEP将通过为社区大学生提供暑期研究经验来鼓励代表性不足的群体参与。该项目的合作伙伴包括领先的学术机构，俄勒冈州大学，（化学系，材料科学研究所，俄勒冈州先进材料表征中心（CAMCOR）和伦德奎斯特商学院）;小型企业：QD Vision，马萨诸塞州列克星敦;沃克斯特尔，比弗顿，俄勒冈州;沙丘科学，尤金，俄勒冈州;蜂鸟科学，莱西，华盛顿;和一个联邦机构：国家标准和技术研究所，盖瑟斯堡，马里兰州。其他伙伴组织包括：学术组织（UO Lundquist创业中心和技术转让办公室）;私营组织（生命技术）;公共组织（纳米企业商业化协会、国家纳米制造网络、俄勒冈州纳米科学和微技术研究所;更安全的纳米材料和纳米制造倡议;以及大学-工业示范伙伴关系）。

This Partnership for Innovation project from the University of Oregon (Eugene) proposes to develop the capacity to accelerate the commercialization of inorganic nano-particle technologies. Inorganic nano-particles consist of an inorganic (metal or metal oxide) core 1 to 100 nm in diameter surrounded by a shell of molecular or polymeric coatings. The wide variety of the physical properties of the core materials and the selective binding capabilities of the ligands and coatings comprise a versatile tool kit with commercial applications across nearly every industrial sector. However, commercialization of these nanomaterials has been limited by difficulties in translating the synthesis methods used during discovery research to reliable commercial scale production. This project aims to address research problems at the frontiers of nano-science by developing improved materials measurement and characterization techniques that will enable nanoparticles to be produced and their properties optimized, advancing the state of the art in nanoscience, and thus accelerating the commercialization process itself.The broader impacts of this project are related to economics, education, and diversity. The small companies that participate in the knowledge enhancement partners (KEP) group will develop production techniques that are reproducible, reliable, scalable, fast, efficient, robust, precise, and inexpensive. These improvements will enable large-scale economic opportunities in photovoltaics, solid-state lighting and display technologies. The project will enable the acceleration of the commercialization of nanoparticles in other sectors, including: energy storage, catalysis, information technology, cancer treatment, and environmental remediation. Students and faculty members who participate in this project will learn to conduct basic research in an explicitly technological and industrial context. The KEP will encourage the participation of under-represented groups by offering summer research experiences to community college students.Partners at the inception of this project include lead academic institution,University of Oregon,(Department of Chemistry, Materials Science Institute, Center for Advanced Materials Characterization in Oregon (CAMCOR), and Lundquist College of Business); Small businesses: QD Vision, Lexington, Massachusetts; Voxtel, Beaverton, Oregon; Dune Sciences, Eugene, Oregon; and Hummingbird Scientific, Lacey, Washington; and a Federal agency: The National Institute for Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Other partner organizations include: Academic (UO Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship and Office of Technology Transfer); Private (Life Technologies); Public (NanoBusiness Commercialization Association, National Nanomanufacturing Network, Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnology Institute; Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative; and the University-Industry Demonstration Partnership).