SBIR Phase I: Innovations in Nanoscale Manufacturing: Assembly of Nanomaterial Components via Electrostatic Forces and Production of Composites for Bio-Medical Implants.

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to develop nanomanufacturing methods for producing metal-oxide composites for biomedical implants. Homogeneous, mixed metal-oxide composites are extremely difficult to prepare by existing processes, and although of great utility, mixed-oxides have found limited applications in markets outside of biomedicine due to cost constraints. We have obtained preliminary data demonstrating a new, highly-efficient and low-cost approach to the manufacture of these materials which uses precise flow and mixing control to assemble the individual components of the mixed-oxides at the nanoscale. The process utilizes inexpensive nanomaterial components (e.g., colloids) that are readily available. The process produces complex "core-shell" nanomaterials that are then further processed to produce a mixed-oxide with greatly increased functionality. We anticipate that these materials will exhibit the commercially important properties of radiopacity (aiding diagnostic capabilities) and bioactivity (for better implant integration). The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to provide bio-medical implants that better integrate into the human body, speed the healing process, improve durability, extend the use-life and aid diagnosis. This will ultimately reduce the rate of revision surgery and improve patient outcomes. The process has many significant advantages over existing methods of manufacturing, including increased functionality, dramatically improved product yield (leading to lower cost), and significantly improved performance. This process provides a significant manufacturing cost advantage over existing materials and can be further leveraged to expand market opportunities into adjacent segments where cost constraints have limited the adoption of advanced composites.