Technical Application's Impact
Task One: Provide a forecast of what the workforce demand would be over a five-year period to produce and market your team’s technical application or process. Include the impact such production would have on the marketplace.
There is an increasing interest in replacements of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). According to Touch Display Research, the non-ITO transparent conductor market will be reach 8.1 billions dollars by 2021. Because ITO is expensive, fragile, and has a long process, businesses are rapidly investing in finding replacement conductors. In a 2013 report, over 220 companies and research facilities focus on analyzing transparent conductive materials. Analysts predict that non-ITO film will make up 34% of the transparent conductive film market by the end of 2017. Graphene is currently the leading replacement with 45 companies focusing on it. With such demand, businesses will need a larger workforce to quickly find a solution to compromise cost, transparency, flexibility, and conductivity. Due to this demand, businesses will be forced to have competitive salaries. The cost of indium in 2016 was $1,190 per kg. The cost of graphene nanoplatelets is $100 per kg. If graphene is found to be an effective indium tin oxide replacement, then electronic devices will drastically reduce in price and the touch screen technology market will flourish due to reduced costs in manufacturing and increased profitability.
http://electroiq.com/blog/2013/11/non-ito-film-to-make-up-34-of-transparent-conductive-film-market-in-2017/
http://touchdisplayresearch.com/?page_id=1198
http://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3942
https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/indium/mcs-2016-indiu.pdf
Task Two: Give two examples of undergraduate or graduate degree programs in science or engineering that directly relate to your team's NCT technical application. For each program, be sure to include the following: the URL address of the institution, the department (for example, chemical engineering, electronic engineering) where the program is offered, and a brief description of the program of study.
Columbia University: Materials Science & Engineering Graduate Program
Columbia’s research programs include projects studying thin films such as oxide thin films and magnetic thin films. They utilize the unique properties of nanoscale materials to develop nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes. The program’s main focus for oxide thin films is to create a compact fuel cell. Methods used to synthesize thin films encompass “evaporation, sputtering, electrodeposition, and plasma and laser processing”.
http://apam.columbia.edu/materials-science-and-engineering-2
SUNY Polytechnic Institute: Nanoscale Science Graduate Program
The program concentrates on the process of creating nanoscale thin films and relating the principles between the nano-materials and their properties. The course comprises of thin film assembly by deposition as well as incorporating layered materials.
http://www.sunycnse.com/PioneeringAcademics/GraduatePrograms/NanoscaleScienceProgram/UltraThinFilmNanomaterialsTrack.aspx
Task Three: Develop an idea for a new science and/or engineering degree program that might emerge given the advancements in scientific knowledge that the team has identified. Provide a title and 100-word description of this new degree program.
New degree program: Nanomechanics Development
This degree is a combination of mechanical engineering, materials science, and nanotechnology classes to help potential engineers learn how they can take advantage of producing materials on a nano scale in order to create more effective machines and technology. Being able to understand the mechanical properties of different nano materials is essential for their development and application to technology. Graphene alone has numerous functions, from flexible touch screens and solar cells with higher efficiency to high frequency graphene transistors. If graphene can do all of that and more, it is clear this field has much to offer the world.
Sources:
http://news.rice.edu/2011/08/02/dream-screens-from-graphene-2/
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mrs-bulletin/article/div-classtitlegraphene-applications-in-electronics-and-photonicsdiv/935564EACB38C151712AE16421B25FF7
There is an increasing interest in replacements of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). According to Touch Display Research, the non-ITO transparent conductor market will be reach 8.1 billions dollars by 2021. Because ITO is expensive, fragile, and has a long process, businesses are rapidly investing in finding replacement conductors. In a 2013 report, over 220 companies and research facilities focus on analyzing transparent conductive materials. Analysts predict that non-ITO film will make up 34% of the transparent conductive film market by the end of 2017. Graphene is currently the leading replacement with 45 companies focusing on it. With such demand, businesses will need a larger workforce to quickly find a solution to compromise cost, transparency, flexibility, and conductivity. Due to this demand, businesses will be forced to have competitive salaries. The cost of indium in 2016 was $1,190 per kg. The cost of graphene nanoplatelets is $100 per kg. If graphene is found to be an effective indium tin oxide replacement, then electronic devices will drastically reduce in price and the touch screen technology market will flourish due to reduced costs in manufacturing and increased profitability.
http://electroiq.com/blog/2013/11/non-ito-film-to-make-up-34-of-transparent-conductive-film-market-in-2017/
http://touchdisplayresearch.com/?page_id=1198
http://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3942
https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/indium/mcs-2016-indiu.pdf
Task Two: Give two examples of undergraduate or graduate degree programs in science or engineering that directly relate to your team's NCT technical application. For each program, be sure to include the following: the URL address of the institution, the department (for example, chemical engineering, electronic engineering) where the program is offered, and a brief description of the program of study.
Columbia University: Materials Science & Engineering Graduate Program
Columbia’s research programs include projects studying thin films such as oxide thin films and magnetic thin films. They utilize the unique properties of nanoscale materials to develop nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes. The program’s main focus for oxide thin films is to create a compact fuel cell. Methods used to synthesize thin films encompass “evaporation, sputtering, electrodeposition, and plasma and laser processing”.
http://apam.columbia.edu/materials-science-and-engineering-2
SUNY Polytechnic Institute: Nanoscale Science Graduate Program
The program concentrates on the process of creating nanoscale thin films and relating the principles between the nano-materials and their properties. The course comprises of thin film assembly by deposition as well as incorporating layered materials.
http://www.sunycnse.com/PioneeringAcademics/GraduatePrograms/NanoscaleScienceProgram/UltraThinFilmNanomaterialsTrack.aspx
Task Three: Develop an idea for a new science and/or engineering degree program that might emerge given the advancements in scientific knowledge that the team has identified. Provide a title and 100-word description of this new degree program.
New degree program: Nanomechanics Development
This degree is a combination of mechanical engineering, materials science, and nanotechnology classes to help potential engineers learn how they can take advantage of producing materials on a nano scale in order to create more effective machines and technology. Being able to understand the mechanical properties of different nano materials is essential for their development and application to technology. Graphene alone has numerous functions, from flexible touch screens and solar cells with higher efficiency to high frequency graphene transistors. If graphene can do all of that and more, it is clear this field has much to offer the world.
Sources:
http://news.rice.edu/2011/08/02/dream-screens-from-graphene-2/
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mrs-bulletin/article/div-classtitlegraphene-applications-in-electronics-and-photonicsdiv/935564EACB38C151712AE16421B25FF7