NANO @ IOWA
News from the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute at UI
October 7, 2015
Items in red are new this issue.
(Others are carried forward from previous issues.)
1. Upcoming conferences and seminars including nanoscience and nanotechnology:

FRONTIERS Lecture “Molecular Plasmonics Nanoscale Sensing and Spectroscopy”
Prof. Richard Van Duyne, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University
Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories, 104, 205 North Madison Street, University of Iowa
Thursday October 15, 12.30-2.00pm

FRONTIERS Lecture “New Tools for the Study of Single Molecule Chemistry at the
Nanometer Length Scale and the Picosecond Time Scale
Prof. Richard Van Duyne, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University
Chemistry Building, W128, 251 North Capitol Street, University of Iowa
Friday October 16, 3.30-5.00pm

International Symposium on Clusters and Nanomaterials (ISCAN)
Richmond, Virgina
October 26-29, 2015
http://www.iscan.vcu.edu

SETAC North America 36th Annual Meeting
Salt Lake City, Utah
November 1-5, 2015
http://www.setac.org/events/event_details.asp?id=489394&group=

2015 SNO Conference
Portland, OR
November 8-10, 2015
http://susnano.org/SNO2015/conferenceOverview2015.html

5th International Conference on Nanotek and Expo
San Antonio, Texas
November 16-18, 2015
http://nanotechnologyexpo.conferenceseries.com/

International Electron Devices Meeting
Washington, D.C.
December 7-9, 2015
http://www.his.com/~iedm/

Nanotech 2016
Tokyo, Japan
January 27-29, 2016
http://www.nanotechexpo.jp/

Pacific Conference on Spectroscopy and Dynamics
Pacific Grove, CA
January 28-31, 2016
http://www.cvent.com/events/63rd-pacific-conference-on-spectroscopy-and-dynamics/eventsummary-984c0d26160043038577d0ae64cf1a51.aspx

Society of Toxicology 55th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo
New Orleans, LA
March 13-17, 2016
https://www.toxicology.org/events/am/AM2016/

International Nanotechnology Conference and Expo
Baltimore, MD
April 4-6, 2016
http://nanotech.madridge.com/
2. Upcoming grant opportunities and funding requests in nanoscience and nanotechnology:

Nano-Biosensing
National Science Foundation
PD 14-7909
Deadline dates: October 1 – 20, 2015
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503353

Fluid Dynamics
National Science Foundation
PD 14-1443
Deadline dates: October 1 – 20, 2015
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13365

Nano-Bio Phenomena and Processes in the Environment
National Science Foundation
PD 15-1179
Deadline dates: October 1 – 20, 2015
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501030&amp%3BWT.mc_id=USNSF_25&a
mp%3BWT.mc_ev=click

Environmental Sustainability
National Science Foundation
PD 15-7643
Deadline dates: October 1 – 20, 2015
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501027

Process Systems, Reaction Engineering and Molecular Thermodynamics
National Science Foundation
PD 15-1403
Deadline dates: October 1 – 20, 2015
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13361

Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices
National Science Foundation
PD 13-1517
Deadline Dates: October 1 – November 2, 2015
http://nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13379

Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems
National Science Foundation
PD 13-7564
Deadline dates: October 1 – November 2, 2015
http://nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13381

NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program MRI Instrument Acquisition or Development
National Science Foundation
15-504
Deadline Dates: October 30, 2015 (Internal deadline); January 13, 2016 (Sponsor deadline)
https://research.uiowa.edu/grantTrack/preselection.php?get=uiwins&GrantID=18031&Type=2

Fiscal Year 2016 National Environmental Information Exchange Network
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA-OEI-16-01
Deadline Date: November 13, 2015
http://www2.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/fiscal-year-2016-national-environmental-informationexchange-network-grant-program

Cultivating Cultures for Ethical STEM (CCE STEM)
National Science Foundation
15-528
Deadline Dates: December 8, 2015 (Internal deadline); February 16, 2016 (Sponsor deadline)
https://research.uiowa.edu/grantTrack/preselection.php?get=uiwins&GrantID=18060&Type=2

OVPRED Internal Funding Initiatives (IFI)
University of Iowa
Deadline dates: December 15, 2015 and March 22, 2016
http://research.uiowa.edu/researchers/find-funding/internal-funding-initiatives-ifi

Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF)
National Science Foundation
15-608
Deadline dates: January 4 – 19, 2016
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15608/nsf15608.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=clic
k

2015 Broad Agency Announcement Engineer Research and Development Center
Department of Defense
FOA Number: W912HZ-15-BAA-01
Deadline Date: January 31, 2016
http://nano.gov/node/1373

NIST Measurement Science Research: Material Measurement; Physical Measurement;
Engineering; Fire Research; Information Technology; Communications Technology;
Neutron Research; Nanoscale Science
National Institute of Standards and Technology
2015-NIST-MSE-01
Deadline Date: June 1, 2016
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=277027

FY2016 Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, Water Systems (INFEWS)
National Science Foundation
15-108
Deadline Date: September 30, 2016
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15108/nsf15108.jsp#ref1

Army Research Laboratory BAA for Basic and Applied Scientific Research
Department of Defense
FOA Number: W911NF-12-R-0011
Deadline Date: March 31, 2017
http://www.arl.army.mil/www/default.cfm?page=8

Image-guided Drug Delivery in Cancer
National Institutes for Health (NIH)
FOA Number: PA-09-253
Deadline Dates: January 25, May 25, and September 25, annually
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-253.html

Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants
National Institutes for Health (NIH)
FOA Number: PA-12-284
Deadline Dates: January 25, May 25, and September 25, annually
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-12-284.html

Development of Multifunctional Drug and Gene Delivery Systems
National Institutes for Health (NIH)
FOA Number: PA-10-048
Deadline Dates: February 5, June 5, and October 5, annually
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-048.html

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
FOA Number: PA-11-148
Deadline Dates: February 5, June 5, October 5, annually
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-148.html

Bioengineering Nanotechnology Initiative
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
FOA Number: PA-10-149
Deadline Dates: April 5, August 5, December 5, annually
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=53500

Cancer Diagnostic and Therapeautic Agents Enabled by Nanotechnology
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
FOA Number: PAR-10-286
Deadline Dates: April 5, August 5, December 5, annually
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-286.html
3. Recent news and updates from NNI:

“NanoEHS – defining fundamental science needs: no easy feat when the simple itself is
complex” published in Environment Science: Nano
University of Iowa and other nationally recognized researchers call for fundamental research in
environmental health and safety studies of nanomaterials (NanoEHS). An article entitled
“NanoEHS – defining fundamental science needs: no easy feat when the simple itself is complex”
was just published in Environmental Science: Nano. The article is the outcome of a National
Science Foundation sponsored workshop co-chaired by Vicki Grassian and Amanda Haes held
last November in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Sustainable Nanotechnology
Organization. The article calls for new systematic, integrated research approaches in NanoEHS,
bridging current knowledge gaps, and suggestions of fundamental research areas to further
explore the scientific foundation to address NanoEHS needs. For the full article see
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2015/en/c5en00112a#!divAbstract

“Zeolite and mesoporous silica nanomaterials: greener syntheses, environmental
applications and biological toxicity” article makes top 10
An article by Sarah C. Larsen and Sean E. Lehman entitled “Zeolite and mesoporous silica
nanomaterials: greener syntheses, environmental applications and biological toxicity” is in the
top 10 most accessed Environmental Science: Nano articles in June 2015. The article discusses
zeolite and mesoporous silica nanomaterials with emphasis on connections to the environment.
Specifically, the topics of greener syntheses, environmental applications and biological toxicity
are addressed. For the full article see:
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2014/EN/C4EN00031E#!divAbstract

University of Iowa joins national Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
The University of Iowa has been added as a partner to the Center for Sustainable
Nanotechnology, a multi-institutional research center based at the University of WisconsinMadison. Professor Sara Mason in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts &
Sciences is one of three computational chemists to join the center.
http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/08/small-particlefrontier?utm_source=IANowStaff&utm_medium=nano&utm_campaign=IANowStaff-8-31-2015
4. Highlights of some new interesting nanoscience and nanotechnology research and articles:

Tiny silica particles could repair damaged teeth
Researchers at the University of Birmingham have shown how coated silica nanoparticles could
be used for the restorative treatment of sensitive teeth and to help prevent the onset of tooth
decay. The study, published in the Journal of Dentistry, reports how sub-micron silica particles
can be prepared to deliver important compounds into damaged teeth through tubules in the
dentine that lies beneath the outer tooth enamel. The tiny particles could be bound to
compounds that range from calcium tooth-building materials to antimicrobials for preventing
infection. "The dentine of our teeth have numerous microscopic holes, which are the entrances
to tubules that run through to the nerve," explained Damien Walmsley from the School of
Dentistry. “When your outer enamel is breached, the exposure of these tubules is really
noticeable. If you drink something cold, you can feel the sensitivity in your teeth because these
tubules run directly through to the nerve and the soft tissue of the tooth." "Our plan was to
target those same tubules with a multifunctional agent that can help repair and restore the
tooth, while protecting it against further infection that could penetrate the pulp and cause
irreversible damage."
http://www.materialstoday.com/nanomaterials/news/tiny-silica-particles-could-repair-damagedteeth/

A (nano) wrench in the works
Hold up your two hands. They are identical in structure, but mirror opposites. No matter how
hard you try, they can’t be superimposed onto each other. Or, as chemists would say, they have
“chirality,” from the Greek word for hand. A molecule that is chiral comes in two identical, but
opposite, forms—just like a left and right hand. University of Vermont chemist Severin
Schneebeli has invented a new way to use chirality to make a wrench. A nanoscale wrench. His
team’s discovery allows them to precisely control nanoscale shapes and holds promise as a
highly accurate and fast method of creating customized molecules. This use of “chiralityassisted synthesis” is a fundamentally new approach to control the shape of large molecules —
one of the foundational needs for making a new generation of complex synthetic materials,
including polymers and medicines. The UVM team’s results were presented online, Sept. 9, in
the top-ranked chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.
http://www.rdmag.com/news/2015/09/nano-wrench-works

New research puts us closer to DIY spray-on solar cell technology
In a 2014 study, published in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, St. Mary's
College of Maryland energy expert Professor Troy Townsend introduced the first fully solutionprocessed all-inorganic photovoltaic technology. While progress on organic thin-film
photovoltaics is rapidly growing, inorganic devices still hold the record for highest efficiencies
which is in part due to their broad spectral absorption and excellent electronic properties.
Considering the recorded higher efficiencies and lower cost per watt compared to organic
devices, combined with the enhanced thermal and photo stability of bulk-scale inorganic
materials, Townsend, in his 2014 study, focused on an all-inorganic based structure for
fabrication of a top to bottom fully solution-based solar cell. A major disadvantage compared to
organics, however, is that inorganic materials are difficult to deposit from solution. To
overcome this, Townsend synthesized materials on the nanoscale. Inorganic nanocrystals
encased in an organic ligand shell are soluble in organic solvents and can be deposited from
solution (i.e., spin-, dip-, spray-coat) whereas traditional inorganic materials require a high
temperature vacuum chamber. The solar devices are fabricated from nanoscale particle inks of
the light absorbing layers, cadmium telluride/cadmium selenide, and metallic inks above and
below. This way, the entire electronic device can be built on non-conductive glass substrates
using equipment you can find in your kitchen.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150928083119.htm

Smaller is better for nanotube analysis
In a great example of “less is more,” Rice Univ. scientists have developed a powerful method to
analyze carbon nanotubes in solution. The researchers’ variance spectroscopy technique zooms
in on small regions in dilute nanotube solutions to take quick spectral snapshots. By analyzing
the composition of nanotubes in each snapshot and comparing the similarities and differences
over a few thousand snapshots, the researchers gain new information about the types, numbers
and properties of the nanoparticles in the solution. The process is detailed in an open-access
paper in Physical Chemistry Letters. Rice chemist Bruce Weisman, a pioneer in the field of
spectroscopy who led the discovery and interpretation of near-infrared fluorescence from
semiconducting carbon nanotubes, expects variance spectroscopy to become a valuable tool for
researchers who study nanoscale materials. Carbon nanotubes are hollow cylinders of pure
carbon that are typically grown in a furnace. There are dozens of different types of nanotubes
and the physical properties and potential uses vary for each type. There is no practical way yet
to grow just one type, so they often need to be sorted by physical or chemical means. Weisman
said variance spectroscopy could help characterize nanotube samples in the ongoing drive to
sort and separate specific types for electronic and optical applications.
http://www.rdmag.com/news/2015/09/smaller-better-nanotube-analysis
About NANO @ IOWA
NANO @ IOWA is a biweekly electronic newsletter to inform faculty, staff and students about important
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