Printer Friendly
Nanotechnology research is creating scientific breakthroughs at an amazing rate -- inventions that hit the national and international news almost daily. The promise of nanotechnology will not be realized until lab-created inventions can be reliably replicated and manufactured.
At the nanoscale, materials behave in strange and unexpected ways. Miniaturized versions of normal manufacturing processes will not work and new processes must be discovered and perfected. These new industrial processes will look very different from present-day factories. Engineers (e.g., plastics, mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil) and scientists (e.g., chemistry, physics, biology, computer science) will collaborate to bridge the gap between laboratory research and the creation of commercial products for both established and emerging industries.
Nanoproducts are likely to fuel the next economic boom. Existing products can be made more useful, cost-effective and durable through incorporation of nanoelements. Entirely new nanoproducts, as yet undreamed of, will revolutionize many aspects of our lives. As innovation moves toward biocompatible, flexible materials that are low-cost and environmentally benign, the strengths of UMass Lowell become evident -- UMass Lowell is a world leader in the technologies that make a difference.