As a research unit in SINANO, the i-Lab also functions as a platform for international collaboration. It will invite world leading scientist as the director of the lab，and also build up a strong local research team within the SINANO to support the collaborative research activities. The scopes of i-Lab include nano-bio interface, energy and environmental nanotechnology. The objective of International Lab is to become a world class nano technology research lab and extend the frontier of nanotechnology into information, environment, and energy applications.

    International laboratory will researching low-carbon and environmental technology, especially, in terms of essential technical and basic scientific issues in green environment protection industry, building and developing pollution control and detection technology, carbon capture and low-carbon technologies, new energy and energy-saving technology, and nanobio-technology. The general direction is divided into three disciplines:
    1. Nano-Environmental Technology
（1）Research based on nano-sensor chip sensitivity, high selectivity, and fast real-time sensing for nano chemical and biological sensors. Small, low-power, networked and portable environmental monitoring technologies and equipments will be developed for accurate detection of toxic and hazardous pollutants in air and water.
（2）Study new materials with high efficiency, high selectivity, and functional composites. Focus on developing high efficient and practical separation technology with nano-porous materials, nano-membrane, bionic fiber mesh materials.
（3）Research on nano photo-electrochemical catalysis advanced treatment technology for refractory organic wastewater. Developing advanced technology combined with new wastewater treatment processes to establish essential organic toxic water pollutants controlling and treatment technology through photo electrochemical, together with large-scale photo-electrochemical catalysis and decontamination system.
    2. Nano-bio interface
（1）To study functional nanostructures for labeling and imaging cells and the organization and specific detection of various biological molecules.
（2）To study the application of nanomaterial primitives and functional nano-composite structure in the biomedical field, and develop high sensitive, high specific and high throughput bio-sensing technology.
（3）To explore single cell proteomics bio-nanotechnology, and establish molecular probe ultra-sensitive imaging technology in cell to realize long-time tracking the dynamic behavior of single molecules
（4）To explore the new biological effects of nano-structure, such as the directional induction and differentiation of stem cells, tissue regeneration, smart drugs and gene delivery, cell-driven nano-devices.
    3. Nano-energy technologies
（1）Development of new efficient energy storage material and technology. Primarily study high density, light and stable energy storage material with nano-carbon materials.
（2）Solar fuels（artificial photosynthesis）.
（3）Development of new highly efficient feasible materials and technology for CO2 capture, storage and effective resource utilization.
（4）Thin film solar cell.