Subject: (Copy) NSF Program Guideline
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 92 08:28 EST

Hi,
    Please post to the NIH Listserver as:
   electrochemical.920330
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
Title       : NSF 91-108 - Research in Electrochemical Synthesis
Type        : Program Guideline
NSF Contact : CHEM
Date        : September 1, 1991
 
                   NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
                     WASHINGTON, D. C. 20550
 
              RESEARCH IN ELECTROCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS

 
                Joint Program Announcement of the
            Electric Power Research Institute and the
                   National Science Foundation

 
 
PROGRAM PURPOSE AND DEFINITION

The National Science Foundation and the Electric Power Research
Institute announce a joint pilot program of research on electro-
chemical synthesis.  Electrochemical synthesis is the production of
chemical products or materials using electricity as the driving or
controlling factor.  It has significant potential for increased
incorporation in chemical manufacturing, for improving availability
of specialty products, and for improving environmental compatibility
in several industrial sectors, including chemical commodities,
metals, specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and advanced
materials.  Both new products and more competitive routes to
existing products are possible.  Much progress has been made in the
last twenty years in advancing the basic understanding and
industrial applications of electrochemical processes, but many
aspects of electrochemical synthesis are still inadequately
understood or explored.
 
The purpose of this Initiative is to improve understanding of those
phenomena that are key to advances in electrochemical process
research.  These include electrode processes including mass
transport,  dynamics of electron transfer, and chemical trans-
formations induced by electrical charge or electric fields; generic
principles for design, scaling, and operation of electrochemical
reactors; and the identification of electrically induced chemical
transformations that may form the basis of electrosynthetic
processes.  An additional objective is to facilitate integration of
this knowledge into industrial design and process methodology and
to lower the barriers that separate electrochemical technology from
more traditional chemical technologies.  To improve technology
transfer and industrial competitiveness, participation of industrial
partners in activities under this Initiative is welcome.
 
This pilot program is a joint initiative of the Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI) and of the Division of Chemical and
Thermal Systems and of the Division of Chemistry of the National
Science Foundation (NSF).  Successful proposals may be funded
jointly or separately by NSF and EPRI.  It is expected that
approximately $1,000,000 in awards will be committed between 1992
and 1994 in each of the three years of the Initiative;  funding of
awards may be on an annual basis.  The sponsors may elect to extend
this activity beyond the initial three rounds of awards, but are not
committed to doing so.
 
The rationale for this Initiative is based in part on the recom-
mendations of a study group;  these may be found in the Proceedings
of the Electrochemical Synthesis Workshop held December 10-12, 1990
(EPRI report ER-7245).  Copies of these proceedings are available
from EPRI or from NSF through the Division of Chemical and Thermal
Systems.

 
 
RESEARCH SCOPE OF THE JOINT
PROGRAM

This Initiative will support research leading to opportunities for
the use of electrochemical synthesis broadly defined, including:
 
 synthesis of high-value-added products by electrochemical
  methods;
 
 electrochemical production of commodity chemicals offering
  advantages in cost or availability of raw materials, energy
  utilization, or pollutant reduction;
 
 production of chemicals with concomitant generation of marketable
  amounts of electricity or other energy;
 
 use of electrochemical techniques to destroy byproducts or to
  convert unwanted byproducts or other waste materials into useful
  products;  such byproducts include the products of combustion.
 
All topics falling within this broad framework are appropriate for
consideration under this Program.  The sponsors recognize that the
best ideas for research will originate from the investigators them-
selves.  Thus, suitable research is not limited to the list that
follows.  The Workshop Report (ER-7245) provides the following
illustrative research opportunities:
 
 novel electrorganic syntheses, including polyfunc-tional
  molecules and new feedstocks;
 
 coupling of organometallic chemistry to electrosynthesis;
 
 electrochemistry of small molecules, such as sulfur dioxide,
  carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides;
 
 modification of electrode surfaces to improve selectivity or
  catalytic efficiency;
 
 kinetics and mechanisms of processes at electrode surfaces;
 
 electrosynthesis of composite or layered materials, including
  those used in electronic applications, by metal plating,
  electrodeposition of polymers, or intercalation reactions;
 
 electrochemical processes or techniques for recycling of process
  streams to achieve zero effluent;
 
 design or synthesis of more stable and more selective
  electrocatalysts and membranes;
 
 engineering principles for scale-up of electrochemical processes,
  including design and integration;
 
 electrowinning of light metals.

 
WHO MAY SUBMIT

 
Academic and other research institutions in the United States are
invited to submit proposals.  Either single-investigator or
collaborative research proposals are welcome.  In either case, a
proposal should present an integrated research plan with a defined
objective.  General support for a program or laboratory will not be
considered.  For a collaborative proposal, the role of each inves-
tigator should be clearly delineated.
 
Cooperation with industry is encouraged, but not required.  This may
take the form of collaborative research, loan of equipment or
personnel, or financial contributions.  The academic institution
must have primary responsibility for management of the research, and
funds from an award under this Initiative may not support the normal
activities of an industrial research laboratory.  Note also the
comments under "Publication and Patent Policy" below.
 
Small businesses may submit proposals under this Initiative, but
such proposals will be subject to the same guidelines as university
research.  Small businesses may find it more advantageous to submit
to the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), for which
electrochemical synthesis is identified as an area of particular
interest.  Dual submission of a similar project to the Initiative
and SBIR is not permitted.

 
DEADLINE DATE

 
The deadline for receipt of proposals under this Initiative is
January 2 annually.  Proposals received after this date will be
returned without consideration.  Ten copies of the proposal should
be addressed to:
 
       National Science Foundation
       Data Support Services Section, Room 223
       Attn: Electrochemical Synthesis Initiative
       1800 G Street, NW
       Washington, DC  20550

 

PROPOSAL FORMAT

 
Proposals should be prepared according to the instructions in Grants
for Research and Education in Science and Engineering (NSF
Publication 90-77 rev. August 1990).  The cover page of the proposal
should indicate in the upper left hand corner the appropriate NSF
Division(s) (Chemistry, or Chemical and Thermal Systems, or both)
to consider the proposal;  the upper right hand corner of the cover
page should indicate that the proposal is being submitted for
consideration under the Electrochemical Synthesis Initiative (NSF
91-108).  The proposal must be signed by the principal invest-
igator(s) and the authorized institutional official(s).  Letters of
commitment from any cooperating organizations, whether or not they
would receive funds from an award, should be included as an appendix
to the proposal.
 
It is expected that awards under this Initiative will be for periods
of two to three years.  Separate budgets for each year of the
proposed activity should be provided.

 
 
EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

 
 
In addition to the criteria given in Grants for Research and
Education in Science and Engineering (NSF 90-77 Rev 8/90), proposals
will be evaluated on their contribution to furthering the objectives
of this Initiative:  (1) improvement in the basis for design and
development of electrosynthetic processes; and (2) improvement in
the understanding and use of electrochemical technology by students
and/or technical personnel in industry.
 
Mail review, review panels, or a combination of the two may be used
to assist in the evaluation of proposals.  Review of proposals
normally requires about six months.  Award decisions will be made
jointly by NSF and EPRI.  Each of the sponsors reserves the right
to fund meritorious proposals separately and outside this Initiative
in cases when a difference of priorities between the sponsors
prevents funding as part of the Initiative.
 
By submitting a proposal to this Initiative, the proposer grants NSF
permission to share with EPRI, for purposes of evaluation, review
documents that would otherwise be considered confidential between
NSF and the applicant.

 
 
PUBLICATION AND PATENT POLICY

Timely publication of results from projects supported under this
announcement is expected.  Patent rights to inventions under such
projects are governed by standard NSF policy as expressed in Section
650 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations and in accordance
with Public Law 96-517 (the Bayh-Dole Act).  Small-business firms
and nonprofit organizations, including universities, usually receive
principal patent rights to any inventions they make during Federally
supported research.
 
Universities and other organizations that propose to collaborate on
a project under this announcement should reach an agreement as to
the disposition of patent rights from the project before submitting
the proposal to NSF.

 
 
INQUIRIES AND ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION

 
Copies of all relevant NSF publications, including Grants for
Research and Education in Science and Engineering (NSF 90-77), this
announcement (NSF 91-108) and the latest Small Business Innovation
Research Solicitation (issued annually) are available at no cost
from:
                National Science Foundation
                Forms and Publications, Room 232
                1800 G Street, NW
                Washington, DC  20550

 
 
ORDERING BY ELECTRONIC MAIL

If you are a user of electronic mail and have access to either
BITNET or Internet, you may prefer to order publications
elecronically.  BITNET users should address requests to pubs@nsf.
Internet users should send requests to [email-masked].  In your
request, include the NSF publication number and title, number of
copies, your name, and a complete mailing address.  Publications
will be mailed with 2 days of receipt of request.
 
Copies of the text of most program announcements and other key NSF
publications are also available electronically using the Science and
Technology Information System (STIS).  The full text can be searched
online, and copies from the system.
 
Instructions for use of the system are in NSF 91-10 "STIS Flyer,"
a printed copy of which is available from the Forms and Publications
Unit, at the above address (or telephone 202-357-7861).
Inquiries concerning this announcement may be directed to:
     Program Director
     Chemical Reaction Processes
     Division of Chemical and Thermal Systems
     (202) 357-9606
 
     Program Director
     Analytical and Surface Chemistry
     Division of Chemistry
     (202) 357-7960
 
     Robert D. Weaver
     Electric Power Research Institute
     (425) 855-2547

 
GRANT GENERAL CONDITIONS

Grants awarded under this joint program will be administered in
accordance with either the NSF Grant General Conditions (GC-1) or
the Federal Demonstration Project General Terms and Conditions (FDP-
II), depending on the awardee institution.  Copies of these
documents may be requested at no cost from the Forms and
Publications Unit at the address above.  More comprehensive
information is contained in the NSF Grant Policy Manual (NSF 88-47),
available through a subscription from the Superintendent of
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402.
 
The Foundation provides awards for research in the sciences and
engineering.  The awardee is wholly responsible for the conduct of
such research and preparation of the results of publication.  The
Foundation, therefore, does not assume responsibility for such
findings or their interpretation.

OPEN-DOOR POLICY

The Foundation welcomes proposals on behalf of all qualified
scientists and engineers, and strongly encourages women, minorities,
and persons with disabilities to compete fully in any of the
research-related programs described in this document.
 
The Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with
Disabilities activity enables physically disabled individuals to
participate in NSF-funded research.  Funds are provided to purchase
special equipment, modify equipment, or provide other services
required specifically for the work undertaken on any NSF-supported
project.  Funds from regular program budgets are provided for
disabled senior personnel, other professionals, and for student
research assistants, as a supplement to an existing award or as part
of a new award.  General inquiries may be made to the Division of
Human Resource Development, Room 1225, NSF, (202) 357-7456.  Inqui-
ries related to the scientific work should be directed to the
cognizant program office which would make such an award.
 
In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF
policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national
origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in,
denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any
program or activity receiving financial assistance from the National
Science Foundation.

The National Science Foundation has TDD (Telephonic Device for the
Deaf) capability, which enables individuals with hearing impairment
to communicate with the Division of Personnel and Management about
NSF programs, employment, or general information.  This number is
(202) 357-7492.
 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers 47.041; 47.049.

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT

The information requested on the application materials is solicited
under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950,
as amended.  It will be used and disclosed in connection with the
selection of qualified proposals.  See NSF-50 System of Records,
"Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 55
Federal Register 12073 (March 30, 1990).  Submission of the
requested information is voluntary.  Failure to provide full and
complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of your
receiving an award.
 
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is
estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering
and maintaining the data needed and completing and reviewing the
collection of information.  Send comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:
     Herman G. Fleming
     Reports Clearance Officer
     Division of Personnel and Management
     National Science Foundation
     Washington, DC 20550
 
and to:
     Office of Management and Budget
     Paperwork Reduction Project (3145-0058)
     Washington, DC 20550

 
OMB 3145-0058
P.T. 34
K.W. 0605000
     1003021
 
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