Bridging Scale Methods for Computational Nanotechnology∗

The rapid advances in nanotechnology, nanomaterials and nanomechanics offer huge potentials in national defense, homeland security, and private industry. An emphasis on nanoscale entities will make our manufacturing technologies and infrastructure more sustainable in terms of reduced energy usage and environmental pollution. Advances in the synthesis of nanoscale materials have stimulated ever-broader research activities in science and engineering devoted entirely to these materials and their applications. This is due in large part to the combination of their expected structural perfection, small size, low density, high stiffness, high strength and excellent electronic properties. As a result, nanoscale materials may find use in a wide range of applications in material reinforcement, field emission panel display, chemical sensing, drug delivery, nanoelectronics and tailor-designed materials. Nanoscale devices have great potential as sensors and as medical diagnostic and delivery systems.