Polymers,
for example, have been made and used in Ohio to substitute for traditional
rubber and metal materials. The chemistry of polymers will extend into
applications unknown today.
The University of Akron,
Case Western Reserve
University, and
Kent State University are leaders in polymer research and liquid
crystal technologies.
A very exciting possibility for
the future is the development of new materials for the Polymer Electrolyte
Membrane (PEM) fuel cell. Extensive research into PEM materials is currently
underway in Cleveland, Akron, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati and elsewhere in
Ohio. The challenge is to develop new membranes and methods of assembly that are
substantially less expensive and more reliable than today’s products.
The State of Ohio made fuel cells
the center of the state government’s
Third Frontier program. The
Ohio Fuel Cell
Coalition is an exceptional example of technology cooperation throughout Ohio. PEM fuel cells offer the possibility of manufactured energy devices, which,
unlike batteries, can produce a continuous stream of electricity based on
hydrogen fuels. They have the potential of first augmenting and eventually
replacing internal combustion engines for both stationary and automotive power
generation.
In addition to polymers, ceramics
are an important material for future fuel cells. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)
uses ceramics for electrolytes and operates at very high temperatures with more
reliability and fuel efficiency than PEM fuel cells. Ohio, with its historical
foundation in ceramic products, and its strong institutional R&D base, is an
ideal site for the R&D and production of SOFCs. Several companies in northern
and central Ohio are developing SOFCs for commercialization in the future.
As with the example of P&G,
agricultural materials can be developed for many applications. With the
breakthroughs in DNA research that are occurring today, crops and animals can be
engineered to produce advanced materials. For example, soybeans can be raised to
supply chemicals for printing inks, lubricants, soaps and other cleaning
products. Such bioengineered materials are farm-raised and environmentally
friendly. Corn husks and other crop fibers can be developed to make
exceptionally strong construction materials to replace traditional wood. With
further advances in genetic engineering, Ohio could become a powerhouse of
agriculturally produced materials for any number of potential applications in
personal products, construction, energy, and health care.
Exceptionally
powerful microscopes and new computer technologies have been used for the first
time to actually see atoms. Such R&D tools provide the means to not only better
understand but to manipulate atoms. This is giving rise to computational
chemistry, which is a new approach to designing and making innovative micro- and
nano-materials. Potentially these techniques and materials
are as important to the future of materials
production as tools and dies are for manufacturing. Micro- and nano-technologies
for materials of the future might include highly protective but comfortable
clothes; new sources of semi-conductive materials for computers and electronics;
strong but light weight materials, perhaps used in composites of varying types
of materials; for construction and transportation; and highly precise medical
tools for diagnostics and surgery.
Another new area of development
includes smart materials. They are "smart" in the sense that they react in
prescribed ways to external conditions. They can change color, and even shape,
according to temperature and pressure changes. The change in color, for example,
may provide a signal that will warn of potential failure. Smart materials will
have many applications, including construction (especially bridges and
weight-bearing supports), automotives, and consumer products.
Exciting materials innovations are
occurring today and will likely explode in commercial opportunities within the
next 10 to 20 years.
Polymer Ohio Inc., the
Edison Materials Technology Center and the
Edison Welding Institute foster R&D in materials. Ohio has the potential
to remain a leading state in materials and material-based products because of
its R&D, agricultural, and manufacturing assets. Within the next 50 years, Ohio
is likely to emerge as a leader in genetically modified and
laboratory-engineered fibers, fabrics, membranes, and composites.
Ohio Science and
Technology in the Future