The scientific and engineering investigations and understanding of ultra-small objects, known as nano-materials, is not only revolutionizing critical fields such as medicine, personal electronics, and national security, but it is also sharpening the understanding of how the Earth works. The air one breaths, the soil in which crops are planted, the metals from minerals that build industries, and the contaminants that can profoundly harm one (from arsenic to dangerous bacteria), are all related to and/or influenced by the vast store of nano-materials that make up key portions of the planet. These nano-materials must be studied and understood, despite great difficulty due to their minute size, to safely and efficiently clean the air, purify water, and allow the responsible use of Earth's vast store of life-sustaining resources. The Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (VT NCE2NI) will greatly accelerate the progress that Earth scientists and engineers have made in studying, understanding, explaining, and utilizing Earth for the well-being of all. In addition, new types of environmental sensors and detectors based on rapidly emerging nanotechnologies, for example to detect harmful living and non-living contaminants in air, water, and soil, will clearly be a major benefit to society. VT NCE2NI users will consist of far more than professional academics and their advanced research students. Users will also come from private and publicly-held companies, as well as students from high schools, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and key minority-serving universities.
VT NCE2NI provides an NNCI site to specifically support researchers who work with nanoscience- and nanotechnology-related aspects of the Earth and environmental sciences/engineering at local, regional, and global scales, including the land, atmospheric, water, and biological components of these fields. The national presence of VT NCE2NI is significantly enhanced by a close partnership with the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). NNCI geo- and environmental science/engineering users have access to both the Virginia Tech and EMSL/PNNL sites depending on specific technical needs and geographic considerations. VT NCE2NI consists of (i) the 15,000 sq. ft. Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory (NCFL) that houses a broad array of high-end, state-of-the-art electron-, ion-, and X-ray-based characterization tools, sample preparation laboratories, as well as meeting space and ample office space for visitors; and (ii) the 6,300 sq. ft. Virginia Tech Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology (VT SuN) which contains extensive nanomaterials synthesis facilities and knowhow (in aqueous, soil/solid media, and atmospheric environments), characterization tools, and experimentation/reactor systems, plus meeting rooms and additional office space for visitors. VT NCE2NI also provides broader impact initiatives including substantial funding for students from key minority-serving institutions, and outreach programs with community colleges and four-year liberal arts colleges. The overall contribution of this NNCI site will be to accelerate the growth of a field that is revolutionizing the understanding of several broad aspects of Earth and environmental sciences and engineering.
