Nanotechnology is a branch of science and engineering that deals with matter and phenomena at the molecular scale — a tiny world that we cannot see with the naked eye. The scientific theories behind this field can be difficult for the general public to understand — that is, non-scientists are often unable to decipher what is really happening (or what could happen) at the nano level. Unfortunately, this means that the field of nanotechnology is often misunderstood and negatively perceived by the general public, especially in the areas of health and safety. This research project is a multidisciplinary collaboration between design and science (in this case, nanotechnology), and an exploration of how information design can help communicate a complex, specialized topic to a broad audience. The process of creating the main series of information graphics involved in-depth research and analysis of information from a wide variety of sources (including the internet, books, journals, general interest and specialized magazines, etc.) as well as a presentation and discussion in a series of critiques by faculty mentors and peers. Successful communication of this topic is highly dependent on the sequence and organization in which data graphics are presented. At the culmination of the collaboration, the resulting set of edited information graphics and text were composed into a 2-panel series of posters. These posters are designed to communicate the scientific theories behind nanotechnology, and to demonstrate how the field has grown in the U.S. and abroad. As a result of providing this knowledge, the collaborators hope to engage and inform the public more accurately about nanotechnology and its potential affects.

 Chitin is the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature, and has several applications as a biomaterial ranging from tissue engineering, controlled drug release, to semipermeable membranes for water purification and fuel cells. Although chitin commonly exists as nanofibers in living systems, in vitro preparation of chitin nanofibers is challenging due to its insolubility in common organic solvents. Previous approaches in preparing chitin fibers involve either cumbersome procedures or harsh conditions such as low pH. These approaches not only cause deacetylation or depolymerization of the macromolecule that might change its native properties, but also may raise some environmental concerns. Here, we present the acid free preparation of individual ß-chitin nanofibers precipitated in water from Lithium chloride /N,N-dimethylacetamide. The resulting ß-chitin nanofibers have a 9 nm average diameter and 2-3 µm lengths. We control fiber density with solution concentration, and fiber alignment with flow inside a capillary tube. Further characterization of these chitin nanofibers is currently underway.

As the field of nanoscience continues to grow and mature, nanostructure interest and demand is progressively increasing. The electronics industry is pushing for nanofabrication methods to sustain the trend of smaller, and faster devices. A current research focus is the accurate design and fabrication of complex heterostructures. Scanning probe lithography allows nanomanufacturing with resolution ultimately limited by the probe tip size. Recently, our research group has demonstrated localized nanostructure synthesis by reacting a liquid precursor with a moderate bias voltage applied between the tip and the surface. Having theorized that deposition occurs through precursor chemistry activated by interplay of the high electric field and the high electron flux present between tip and sample during deposition, further investigation was warranted. In this study we produced varied patterns by adjusting scanning rate, voltage, and the precursor. The corresponding line widths and thicknesses were examined and any interrelation analyzed. Here we present our model that quantifies this interdependence and allows more precise compound nanofabrication methods to be developed.