• Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at the nanoscale, at dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications.
  • Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale.
  • So how small is "nano"? A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. A sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick. And there are 25,400,000 nanometers in one inch.

See more in Nano 101

  • Certain nanostructures can recognize diseased cells and deliver drugs directly to cancerous tumors without harming healthy cells or organs.
  • New solar panels incorporating nanotechnology are far more efficient than standard designs in converting sunlight to electricity, promising much more economical solar power in the future.
  • Researchers have discovered how ultrasmall specks of rust can help remove arsenic from drinking water.
  • For environmental cleanup, researchers have developed a nanofabric that is woven from tiny wires and can absorb 20 times its weight in oil.

Learn more in Benefits and Applications

  • NNI agencies have developed an extensive infrastructure of more than 60 major interdisciplinary research and education centers across the United States. The centers have state-of-the-art equipment for nanoscale research; many are designated as user facilities and are available to researchers from academia, the private sector, and national laboratories. See the full list at NNI Centers, Networks, and Facilities.
  • In addition to grants, the Federal Government offers special programs designed to seed commercialization activity that facilitates economic growth. These programs support small business collaboration with universities and other research institutions. Learn more at Funding Opportunities.

brochure coverNanotechnology: Big Things from a Tiny World

An educational overview of nanotechnology and its potential, written for general audiences.

 

NNI Brochure coverThe NNI Brochure

An trifold brochure providing an introduction to the Federal Government's National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI).

NNI Research Centers and Networks

Centers and networks provide opportunities and support for multidisciplinary research. See a list of these centers and learn more about the research they are supporting.

Connect with Nano.gov

YouTube logo

NNI to Host Workshop in March with OECD & AAAS

This international symposium will explore the development of a methodology to assess the economic impact of nanotechnology across whole economies. Registration opens Feb. 10, 2012.
Learn More >>

World's Smallest 3D World Map

Consisting of 500,000 pixels-- each pixel measuring only 20 nanometers²-- IBM scientists created the world's smallest perfectly formed, three-dimensional world map.
Learn More >>

New Storage Device Gets Data from Only 12 Atoms

IBM researchers stored and retrieved the digital 1s and 0s in a 12 atom array, pushing the limits of magnetic storage to enable greater capacity while using less energy.
Learn More >>

Nano-Coated Sponge Can Instantly Stop Bleeding

By coating a sponge with a nanoscale thin film containing thrombin, a blood clotting agent, and tannic acid, a molecule found in tea, the sponge can prevent hemorrhage, the leading cause of death in the battlefield.
Learn More >>

Lab on a chip could revolutionize rural medicine

Using nanotechnology, scientists created a microfluidic chip about the size of a thumb nail that can test for a wide variety of illnesses, including infectious diseases and rare cancers.
Learn More >>
1
2
3
4
5