The federal government should act quickly and decisively to shore up its investment in nanotechnology in order to maintain global leadership and ensure the U.S. fully realizes the economic and social benefits of the field, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Federal investments in nanotechnology research and development and infrastructure have accelerated innovation, commercialization of major emerging technologies, economic development, and job creation in fields as diverse as microelectronics, biomedicine, homeland security, agriculture, and transportation. The National Nanotechnology Initiative’s investments from 2002 to 2022 totaled about $40 billion, while aggregated revenue of private nanotechnology companies totaled nearly $1 trillion during that period.

Quadrennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (2025): Securing U.S. Global Leadership Through Renewed and Expanded Infrastructure is the latest in a series of reviews requested by Congress as part of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act.

There have already been significant economic impacts of U.S. leadership in nanotechnology, yet the country remains in the early stages of reaping returns on its investments, and government coordination remains necessary, the report says. It recommends that Congress reauthorize the National Nanotechnology Initiative and reorient it as National Nanotechnology Infrastructure. Sunsetting the program entirely would curtail the growing commercial relevance of nanotechnology and limit the many benefits the nation could attain from its decades of strategic investment.

The field of nanotechnology involves understanding and manipulating matter at the nanoscale — a nanometer is a billionth of meter. Research and development at this scale has, for example, enabled the fabrication of semiconductors, allowed imaging and observation of biological processes at the molecular level, and improved conductivity for the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

Nanotechnology investments have already brought about better batteries, microelectronics, and therapeutics, but the global race to lead nanotechnology research and harness its benefits continues, the report says. The U.S. will need to fully leverage its existing nanotechnology infrastructure by making strategic investments to ensure that world-class facilities are available to innovators working on the next breakthrough technology.

Nanoscale science frequently requires specialized equipment — from powerful electron microscopes to clean-room environments with nanofabrication equipment — as well as experts to oversee the use of expensive and sensitive instrumentation. These facilities are often too costly for a single entity to support. One of the major successes of the National Nanotechnology Initiative was the creation and support of a shared infrastructure network that helps make equipment and capabilities more available to academic, government, and industry researchers, the report says.

Further expansions to nanotechnology infrastructure in the U.S. — including instruments, facilities, and experts — are needed for it to fully capitalize on advances in artificial intelligence, unlock the potential of quantum computing, enhance crop production and resilience, and provide an array of other advances, the report says. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the field and its broad implications, there is no single federal agency overseeing it. This makes the efforts of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) of critical importance to the future of nanotechnology and U.S. technological competitiveness.

The report recommends Congress orient, with the appropriate funding, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office and other federal agency activity toward the renewal and expansion of infrastructure in order to serve existing and emerging nanotechnology research and development. The report also contains a range of recommendations for the NNCO, broadly aimed at enhancing investments and cross-agency coordination, improving the use of existing facilities, and conducting research on infrastructure gaps.

DETAILS:
Quadrennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (2025): Securing U.S. Global Leadership Through Renewed and Expanded Infrastructure is available for immediate release. Media inquiries should be directed to the Office of News and Public Information at tel. 202-334-2138 or email news@nas.edu.