NANOTECH

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R N A N O T E C H N O L O G Y

March 2017 Issue #45

Single-Walled
carbon
nanotubes ITSY-BITSY
NANO BIKINI
The market could be set to take-off for these

remarkable materials.
Cleaning up the marine environment with

wearable nano sponges.

LABORATORY
TO
MARKET
Recent products and commercial

developments in nanotech.

LATEST NEWS!!
Market focus on what’s happening in graphene,

nanocoatings, start-ups and nanotech

investment.

Nanotech Magazine is published by Future Markets, the world’s leading publisher of market

information on advanced materials and nanotechnology.

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

TABLE OF
CONTENT
THIS MONTH
P.04
The market could be set to take-off for single-
walled carbon nanotubes as production
capacities increase and price falls.

P.10
Round-up of the latest investments, deals
and funding initiatives in nanotech.

P.13
Latest nanotech business and product
news, February-March 2017. P.04
P.14 A in-depth look at the market for single-

walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), including

Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) in
applications, production and producers.
Flash Memory applications.

MARKET FOCUS P.15

Samsung launches new Quantum

P.15
Samsung launch new range of
Quantum Dot HDTVs.

P.16
Dot (QLED) TV series.

Nanotech government policy and

funding and regulation news.

P.18
Latest graphene business news,
February-March 2017.
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

MARKET FOCUS
P.23
Nanocellulose packaging product
to hit the market.

P.24
A round-up of all the latest news in
nanocoatings.

P.25
New anti-fingerprint and waterproof
nanocoatings.

P.26
NOTE
FROM EDITOR
Profiles of new nanotech start-ups
and Asian producers.
The past two months has witnessed increased

activity in nanotech funding, investments, product

development and production developments

globally. South Korea has announced a near half-

billion dollar nanotech investment, as the market

in Asia for nanotech shows not signs of slowing

down. This has been driven by the success of

quantum dots and other nanomaterials in

electronics applications, market demand for

new wearable and energy storage tech and

improvement in the cost/benefit ratio of using

nanomaterials. We profile the single-walled

carbon nanotubes market, where this trend is

witnessed. This issue also covers this market for

nanomaterials plus all the latest industry news,

Subscribe to Nanotech Magazine to receive
new products, regulation and important research
all the latest monthly news and views on this
breakthroughs over the past month.
fast developing advanced technology market,

for only £150 for 12 issues (electronic). http:// ANDREW GARLAND

www.nanotechmag.com/subscribe/ CHIEF EDITOR
NANOTECH MAGAZINE
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

MARKET
FOCUS
SWCNTS
The market for single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) is set to take off as production capacities increase

O
and materials price drops to commercially acceptable levels.

wing to impressive mechanical,

structural and electronic

properties, single wall carbon

nanotubes (SWCNT) are

widely researched, and among the variety

of semiconducting nanomaterials that have

been discovered over the past two decades,

remain uniquely well suited for applications

in high-performance electronics, sensors and

other devices. According to OCSiAl, just 0.01%

of SWCNT improves the properties of 70% of

industrial materials.

S
WNTs were independently

discovered in early 1993 by scientists

at IBM Almaden Research Center

Nanomaterials are and at NEC in Japan. The IBM and

NEC groups each found that transition metals

enabling the next phase co-vaporized with carbon catalyze the formation

convergence of textiles, of SWCNT with a narrow range of diameters

around 1 nm. Cobalt was used at IBM and iron

electronics and at NEC. The results of the two groups were

reported in back-to-back papers in the June 17,

informatics 1993 issue of the technical journal Nature12.
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• Optical (emit light in an optical communication band

of wavelengths)

• Hydrogen storage capability

• Metal catalyst supporting capability.

Applications

Large-scale industrial production of SWCNTs has

been initiated, promising new market opportunities

in transparent conductive films, transistors, sensors

Figure 1: Schematic of single-walled carbon
and memory devices.4 SWCNTs are regarded as
nanotube.
one of the most promising candidates to utilized as
Image credit: Nantero.
building blocks in next generation electronics, and

superior to graphene. However, the most advanced

SWCNTs exhibit important electric properties that
opportunities demand the ability to form perfectly
are not shared by multi-walled carbon nanotubes
aligned, horizontal arrays of purely semiconducting,
(MWCNT).3 They are also more pliable than MWNTs,
chemically pristine SWCNTs.
yet more difficult to produce cost-effectively, limiting
SWCNTs possess many unique properties, which
their use to niche/high-priced applications. Properties
are advantageous for a wide variety of applications,
include:
including stretchable electronics. They have
• Electrical (extremely high in current density)
exceptionally high Young’s modulus of elasticity and
• Thermal (comparable in specific thermal conductivity
tensile strength, and are the strongest known material.
to diamonds)
The porosity and specific surface area of SWCNT films
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

are very large, and they possess high transparency and • Flexible solar cells

flexibility. In addition, SWCNTs can withstand extremely • Rubber additives

high currents making them an ideal replacement for • SWCNT Rubber tire reinforcement

copper and aluminium in fast-integrated charge/ • SWCNT-silicon hybrid solar cells.

discharge circuits. Main target markets for SWCNTs are

lithium-ion batteries, elastomers, plastics, transparent Electronics

conductive films, composite materials and rubber. SWNT-TCFs demonstrate great potential in electronic

Applications that have been identified with potentially devices due to their properties such as flexibility,

the greatest economic return are: stretchability and excellent electronic and mechanical

• Printed electronics and sensors properties.5 Among the various choices of materials

• Printed batteries for printed and flexible electronics, SWNTs are unique

• Printed supercapacitors in the sense that they can be either metallic or

• Micro supercapacitors semiconducting.

• SWCNT anode additives The main opportunity for SWCNTs lies in flexible,

• Biosensors stretchable and wearable electronics, as they offer

• Thermally tolerant plastics significantly better performance than organic

• Wiring and cables semiconductors and are easier to process than a-Si or

• SCWNT wafers polysilicon. Electronic devices that are fabricated on

• SWCNT electrodes flexible substrates for application in flexible displays,

Table 1: SWCNT producers, production capacities (tons/year) and production methods.

Producers Capacity (Tons/year) Production method

Raymor Nanotech 1 Plasma enhanced CVD

High-pressure carbon
monoxide (HIPco)
Timesnano 0.5 CVD

Hanwha Chemical 0.5 Arc-discharge

Thomas Swan 0.5 CVD

KH Chemical 1 Proprietary continuous process

Klean Industries Inc. >5 CVD

Zeon Corporation 0.5 Super Growth Method

OCSiAl 1 in 2016 Catalytic Hydrocarbon

10 tons in 2017 Deposition

30-40 tons by 2019

Source: Future Markets.

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electronic paper, smart packages, skin-like sensors, approximately 1-2 tons, mainly for R&D purposes, due

wearable electronics, implantable medical implements to cost and also the lack of commercially available

etc. is a fast-growing market. Their future development methods for mass production. Demand is likely to

depends greatly on the exploitation of advanced increase significantly with the development by OCSiAl

materials such as SWCNTs and graphene. and Zeon Corporation of low-cost, mass produced

IBM Research has benchmarked the average SWCNTs.7 OCSiAl has developed a technology for

performance and the variability of SWCNT transistors commercial-scale production of SWCNTs, with a

against state-of-the-art silicon technologies, and predicted capacity of 30-40 tons per annum (200kg

found that chip level simulations indicate that CNT produced in 2015).8 Price is $2000 per kg, a significant

transistors are the most promising candidate for high- reduction on widely available prices (> $100,000 kg).

performance electronics at 5 nm technology node, OCSiAl has identified a potential market for SWNTs of
compared to both silicon devices and other emerging 145,000 tons per annum.

technologies.6 They have demonstrated the successful

sorting of SWCNTs based on their electronic types to a

purity level above 99.95% as verified by direct electrical

measurements. Those sorted CNTs can be assembled

into high-density and well-aligned arrays for device

fabrication.

Production

Annual production volume of SCWNTs in 2015 was

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Figure 2: Single-walled carbon nanotubes. Technology Center, OET, Grace Continental, Kazan

Image credit: OCSiAl. Glass Fibre Pipe Plant, Lanxess, Evermore and Trust

Chem Corporation.

OCSiAl Target markets include anti-static and conductive

OCSiAl claims to be the first company to succeed composites, automotive components, conductive

in transforming SWCNTs into economically viable coatings, rubber and cathode materials for li-ion

technologies and successfully commercialized end batteries. The company has future plans to invest $5

products. The company state that their scalable million in an R&D platform for developing industrial

synthesis technology enables the production of high- technologies and for engineering and prototyping of

purity nanotubes (80%) at a price 75 times lower than SWCNT applications – OCSiAl’s Prototyping Center.

other techniques. According to the company they Further information on the company’s products at

command a global market share of almost 90% of www.ocsial.com

SWCNTs. OCSiAl plans to increase production capacity

to 60 tonnes in 2017, 1000 tonnes by 2020, and 3000

tonnes by 2022. Besides high-purity TUBALL nanotubes,

at the Nano Tech 2017 trade show in Japan, OCSiAl

unveiled several new products:

• Superconcentrated TUBALL MATRIX

• TUBALL FOIL, a foil with a nanotube coating less than

50 nanometres thick, for use in batteries

• TUBALL PAPER, an ultra-light, conductive, and durable Figure 2: TUBALL SWCNTs.

material for lightweight applications Image credit: OCSiAl.

The company has a number of industrial partners Zeon Corporation

including BÜFA Composite Systems, DUKSAN Zeon Corporation has developed the SWCNTs “Super

Chemicals, Union Chemical, Aleees Innovation & Growth Method” discovered by Dr. Kenji Hata’s team at

Figure 3: The SGCNT synthesis Source: Zeon Corporation.

method.
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the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science Properties, and Applications (Springer, 2008)

and Technology (AIST), and has set up mass production 4. M. Endo, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 51

technology and commercialized ZEONANO™. 040001 (2012).

The products are sold via a subsidiary, Zeon 5. http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2013/

Nanotechnology. Main application markets targeted CS/C2CS35325C#!divAbstract

are: 6. http://www.technologyreview.com/news/528601/

• High temperature rubber compounds ibm-commercial-nanotube-transistors-are-coming-

• Anti-static plastics soon/

• Supercapacitor electrodes 7. http://www.zeon.co.jp/press_e/140515.html

• Conductive paint. 8. http://ocsial.com/en/product/tuball/

In November 2016, the company developed an Further information

innovative thermal interface material (TIM) made of

heat-dispersion sheets of synthetic rubber compounded

with SWNTs. Featuring half the thermal resistance of

grease-based products to date, the product’s sheet

form also makes it very easy to work with.

The Global Market for Single-Walled Carbon

Figure 4: TIM sheet developed by Zeon Corporation. Nanotubes 2017-2027

Image credit: Zeon Corporation. Published February 2017 | 240 pages

http://www.futuremarketsinc.com/the-global-market-

Further information on the company’s products at for-single-walled-carbon-nanotubes/

http://www.zeonnanotech.jp/en/about.html

References

1. Bethune, D. S. et al. (17 June 1993). “Cobalt-catalysed

growth of carbon nanotubes with single-atomic-layer

walls”. Nature 363(6430): 605–607.

2. Iijima, Sumio; Toshinari Ichihashi (17 June 1993).

“Single-shell carbon nanotubes of 1-nm diameter”.

Nature 363 (6430): 603–605.

3. Jorio, A., Dresselhaus, G. & Dresselhaus, M. S. Carbon

Nanotubes: Advanced Topics in the Synthesis, Structure,

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& Business
Finance Round-up of the latest investments, deals and funding

initiatives in nanotech. February-March 2017.

Haydale has announced that Haydale and Everpower International Holdings Co. Ltd, a New York-based investment

company, have agreed subject to contract, to enter into a collaboration agreement. Everpower has conditionally

agreed to make a strategic investment in Haydale of £3.26 million to acquire a 9.9 per cent. shareholding, through

its subsidiary Fu Xing New Materials Development (Heze) Co., Ltd (“Everpower”).

A majority stake in Cambridge Graphene Ltd., a spin-out company from the University of Cambridge, has been

acquired by Versarien plc. Cambridge Graphene develops inks based on graphene and related materials using
processes developed at the Cambridge Graphene Centre. The spin-out company has commercialized graphene
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

inks for novel technology applications.

Graphene ultracapacitor manufacturer Skeleton Technologies has

received €15 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB

loan comes under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

The EFSI-backed financing will allow the company to finance the R&D

for the further development of its products and systems.

“This EIB loan is an important milestone for the company, not only

providing more financial power to achieve our goals, but also serving as

a sign of trust for our customers and partners,” says Skeleton CEO Taavi

Madiber. Skeleton has now raised €41.7 million in funding. The new

money allows Skeleton to invest heavily in manufacturing and R&D. It

plans to invest in a new electrode manufacturing plant near Dresden.

Directa Plus, a leading producer and supplier of graphene-based

products for use in consumer and industrial markets, has been

awarded a grant by the European Regional Development Fund via the

Lombardy regional government in respect of a EUR 1 million project

for technological innovation in smart fabrics. The project is a collaboration between Directa Plus, Novaresin

and Soliani companies and the Politecnico of Milan university, with Directa Plus as project leader. The project

will focus on the development of the company’s G+ membranes to enhance the thermal and electrical

performance of textiles for fashion applications. Imagine IM (Imagine Intelligent Materials Pty Ltd), a

developing graphene applications company based in Sydney, Australia, has raised $2 million in new capital.

Imagine IM is focused on developing conductive coatings and sensing technologies for industrial textiles.

QD Solar has closed Series A funding led by DSM Venturing with participation from existing investors, KAUST

Innovation Fund and MaRS Innovation. QD Solar is a winner of the 2016 SunRISE TechBridge Challenge, a

competition organized by Royal DSM, Fraunhofer, and Greentown Labs to realize innovations in Solar Energy.

The first QD Solar product, an insert into conventional silicon solar panels, has potential to increase energy

output of solar panels by 20%. The product is based on QD Solar’s world leading quantum dot technology

that captures infrared energy that is currently wasted. The development of this technology is also supported

by project funding that was announced in March 2016 from Sustainable Development Technology Canada

(SDTC).

The Guanghui Technology Group (GTG) and Quantum Materials Asia Co., Ltd., (QMA), a joint venture of GTG

and Quantum Materials Corp (QTMM), have received investment from the China Government Guidance Fund

of 150 Million RMB ($21.8 million) in GTG and QMA. Quantum Materials Asia was originally established in

Hong Kong in September 2016 with registered initial capital investment of 100 million RMB (US$14.4 million).

QMA will build two Quantum Dot production line and application development centers in the Beijing and

Changde Special Economic Development Zones.

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NANOTECH
BUSINESS
NEWS
February-March 2017
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New nanotech enabled products are coming to the market with increasing regularity. Industrial collaborations

and development agreements are also on the increase.

LAB
TO PRODUCT
UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., has

obtained an exclusive license from Metis Design Corp. to develop

a carbon nanotube (CNT) heater based technology for aircraft

electrothermal ice protection. This technology was co-developed

by Metis Design Corp. and the Department of Aeronautics and

Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This

technology supports the aerospace industry’s growing need for more

durable, lightweight, damage-tolerant and low-power ice protection

systems. Aircraft ice protection systems remove or prevent ice from

accumulating on the leading edges of wings, stabilizers, and engine

nacelles. Once implemented on aircraft, UTC Aerospace Systems’

protection product line, and we have
electrothermal ice protection systems with CNT technology will
already seen positive customer feedback
deliver uniform heat distribution, enhanced damage tolerance and
from testing conducted at our icing wind
improved fatigue resistance in a lightweight system.
tunnel. Metis Design has developed this
“Thin layers of carbon nanotubes have several emerging and exciting
technology over several years and has
aerospace applications. This technology strengthens UTC Aerospace
demonstrated its feasibility in several
Systems capability to deliver the most innovative solutions for
projects.”
aircraft ice protection systems,” said Dr. Mauro Atalla, Vice President,
Strem Chemicals, Inc. and Dotz Nano
Engineering and Technology, Sensors & Integrated Systems, UTC
Ltd. Have signed a licensing agreement
Aerospace Systems. “CNT technology is ideally suited for our ice

Thin layers of carbon nanotubes have several emerging

and exciting aerospace applications
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for graphene quantum dots. With this agreement in place, Strem

Chemicals will become a global distributor of Graphene Quantum

Dots. Dotz Nano Ltd. uses low-cost, raw material to make high-

quality and cost-effective products. These products can be used in

various applications, such as medical imaging, sensing, consumer

electronics, energy storage, solar cells, and computer storage.

“Strem is excited to introduce this unique line of products, especially

at a time when the graphene market is growing steadily. Graphene

Quantum Dots can be used for a wide variety of applications and

partnering with Dotz Nano Ltd. will allow us to offer this new

technology to our customers.” said Dr. Ephraim S. Honig, Chief

Executive Officer at Strem.

Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd. has succeeded in mass production test

of Graphene Oxide based materials. The production volume attained

in the mass production test was improved dozens of times as much

as that attained at laboratory, and Nippon Shokubai will start to

GQD MEMORY
Dotz Nano Limited has successfully completed a Proof of Concept research study for utilising their GQDs in Flash

Memory.

Quantum dot technology company, Dotz Nano

Ltd has successfully completed a Proof of Concept

research study into the use of Graphene Quantum

Dots (GQDs) in flash memory with the Kyung Hee

University in South Korea. Dotz Nano is in advanced

negotiations to sign a full licensing agreement with

Kyung Hee University. The present intention is for

the agreement to also include an optional exclusive

Licensing Rights Agreement for the development and

commercialization of GQD Flash Memory devices.

Following the execution of a licensing agreement

with Kyung Hee University, Dotz Nano intends to

pursue partnership opportunities with established

flash memory producers to manufacture and market

GQD based non-volatile flash memory.

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

provide graphene oxide based materials as samples for application

development.

Spacelink Inc. is working on a carbon nanotub electric double-layer

capacitor (EDLC), a new capacitor that is equivalent to lithium-ion

batteries in terms of energy density can become a reality. The EDLC

includes a single-layer carbon nanotube (CNT) and metal oxide to

make the energy density reach to 150 Wh/L. The main areas that

EDLC can be used are the regenerative braking system in a vehicle or

the power storage unit of a drone, as they need to be quickly charged

and discharged.

Spacelink Inc. currently has products that have 55 Wh/L energy

density; yet, the products do not have metal oxide in them. It was

found that metal oxide can be added to the electrodes to increase

the energy density to the levels of a Li-on battery’s energy density.

SAMSUNG LAUNCH QLED RANGE

Samsung Electronics has launched its new QLED Q9, Q8, and Q7

TV series. Displaying DCI-P3 colour space accurately and in another

world first for Samsung, QLED TVs are capable of reproducing 100%
colour volume. This means the devices can express all colours at any University of California engineering

level of brightness, with even the subtlest differences visible at the professors Mihri Ozkan and Cengiz Ozkan

QLED’s peak luminance – between 1,500 and 2,000 nits. The new made the porous material called Sponge

Quantum dots allow Samsung QLED TV to express deep blacks and from a network of nanocarbons originating

rich detail regardless of how light or dark the scene is, or whether the from sugar. The lightweight material has

content is being played in a brightly lit or darkened room. a surface area of 823.77 square meters

per gram and can absorb up to 25 times

The new TVs offer dramatically its own weight, depending on the density

of the substance. The material has been

improved colour performance. incorporated into “sponge bikini” a designed

to help filter impurities from water and turn

swimming to an “eco-friendly activity”.

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

Government, regulation & policy news

EU Limited in Regulat-
ing Nanoscale Chemicals
The European Chemicals Agency Board of Appeal The Board of Appeal said REACH (Regulation

has ruled that chemical companies operating in the No. 1907/2006 on the registration, evaluation

EU are not required to provide specific information and authorization of chemicals) does not require

about the nanoscale forms of their substances. companies to provide in their registration dossiers

The Board of Appeal annulled a 2014 European nano-specific substance identity information

Chemicals Agency decision that required a group separately from substance identity information

of companies to provide more information in their relating to the bulk form of the substance. The

REACH registration dossiers about the substance chemicals agency exceeded its powers by asking for

identity of nanoforms of titanium dioxide, which is nano-specific information.

used in applications such as paints and adhesives.

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EU NanoSafety Cluster
publishes roadmap
The EU NanoSafety Cluster has published its 2017 Research

Regulatory Roadmap. The purpose of the Roadmap is to identify both

ongoing and complete activities associated with the development

of regulations promoting the safety of nanomaterials. The Roadmap

identifies research areas or priorities that need to be addressed

further to facilitate this process. According to the Roadmap, there

remain significant gaps in knowledge and procedures that need to

be addressed to generate “appropriate and proportionate regulation

for nanomaterials that is informed by a sound evidence base.” Read

more at https://www.nanosafetycluster.eu/uploads/files/pdf/RRR_

Final_version_090317.pdf

The South Korean government is planning to invest 514.1

billion won (US$447 million) in nanotechnology this year. Last

year, 10 government agencies and 11 government-funded

research institutes in the country invested a total of 518.1

billion won (US$450 million) . The investment to be made

this year is divided into 429.8 billion won (US$373 million) in

R&D, 35.5 billion won (US$30 million) in infrastructure and

49.3 billion won (US$42 million) in manpower training.

A project to introduce nanotechnology-based antimicrobial

packaging, in order to enhance food safety and reduce

waste, has received €7.7 million in funding from the

European Union.

The NanoPack project, led by the Technion – Israel Institute

of Technology, aims to develop state-of-the-art packaging

solutions based on natural nanomaterials. “NanoPack will

demonstrate a solution for extending food shelf life by

using novel smart antimicrobial surfaces, applied in active

food packaging products,” said Dr Ester Segal, NanoPack’s

coordinator and associate professor at the Technion.

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GRAPHENE
BUSINESS
NEWS

G
rafoid Inc. has of Canada, and, on February 20,

announced the 2015, Grafoid received an $8.1

development of its million investment from the

GPURE Graphene SD Tech Fund™ of Sustainable

Polymer nano-porous membrane Development Technology Canada

intended for next generation Li- (SDTC) to develop a technology

T
Ion battery applications. that will automate Mesograf™

he GPURE graphene graphene production and end-

D
polymer membrane product development.

(GPM) technology irecta Plus has

is the seventh for the first time

graphene-based companion worked together

to the company’s expanding with Eurojersey,

GPURE Platform of new, high an Italian of high quality warp-

performing, ultra-thin materials knit technical fabrics under its

for diverse industrial applications. Sensitive Fabrics brand, to produce

Grafoid’s research is supported a range of fabrics containing

through the Industrial Research the company’s graphene-based

Assistance Program (IRAP) of products.

the National Research Council

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

U
nveiled by Eurojersey (CRC-P) program. Government funding

Due to the elec- at ISPO Munich, the of $632,285 has been approved

companies are now for the project which is scheduled

trical conductiv- conducting joint R&D to to commence in March 2017. The

further develop the prototype textiles funding is provided by the Department

ity of graphene, into product samples that will be of Industry, Innovation and Science to

one can avoid marketed to the customers of Directa develop energy efficient wastewater

Plus and Eurojersey. treatment technology using graphene

explosions due HydraRedox Iberia S.L. and oxide technology. The technology

Gnanomat S.L. have signed a development will be undertaken in

to electrostatic collaboration agreement to develop, association with Ionic Industries Ltd.

charges optimize and manufacture tailor- and Monash University.

made advanced materials that will

be utilized in Hydra Redox Iberia’s

vanadium redox batteries. Clean TeQ

Holdings Limited has been awarded

a grant under the second round of the

Cooperative Research Centre’s Project

GRAPHENE BATTERY
A Beijing-based company has developed Carbon Century’s new batteries use

the world’s first graphene lithium-ion AA graphene for the framework of electrode

rechargeable batteries in the city and said materials to increase their strength,

its ready to be mass produced and officially which enhances the overall life of lithium

hit the market. batteries and improves micro-conductivity

Compared with ordinary AA dry batteries and batter safety, said Chairman Yan Liqun.

and rechargeable batteries, Carbon

Century Technology Co.’s graphene Italy-based graphene producer Directa

batteries can be used 30,000 times under Plus plc, a producer and supplier of

temperatures between -45 degrees Celsius graphene-based products for use in

and 60 degrees Celsius, Chinanews.com consumer and industrial markets, has

cited the company as saying two days ago. announced that Colmar, the high-end

Working temperatures for ordinary, nickel- sportswear company, has launched a new

metal hydride batteries are between 0 and collection of ski jackets containing the

40 degrees Celsius and normal lithium Company’s graphene-based products.

batteries are best used between -10 and

40 degrees Celsius.
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DARPA has awarded a $1.3 Researchers from the Lodz University of

million grant to a team Technology have designed a transparent, flexible

led by UCF researcher cryogenic temperature sensor with graphene

Debashis Chanda to structures as sensing elements. Such sensors

fund the development could be useful in medical diagnostics, space

of a next-generation exploration and aviation, processing and storage

infrared detector based on of food and scientific research.

graphene that could be used in fields as varied as night

vision, meteorology, and space exploration.

CSIRO scientists have developed a novel “GraphAir” New graphene purifi-

technology which eliminates the need for such a highly- cation technique
controlled environment. The technology grows graphene
Researchers produce high quality graphene
film in ambient air with a natural precursor, making its
for industrial use.
production faster and simpler.
Researchers from Flinders University have
“This ambient-air process for graphene fabrication is fast,
teamed up with First Graphite to produce high
simple, safe, potentially scalable, and integration-friendly,”
quality graphene for industrial use.
CSIRO scientist Dr Zhao Jun Han, co-author of the paper
The collaboration involves using a Vortex Fluidic
published in Nature Communications said.
Device (VFD) to produce the graphene. Graphene
“Our unique technology is expected to reduce the cost
is used in a range of modern technology such as
of graphene production and improve the uptake in new
lithium-ion batteries, sensors and transparent-
applications.”
conducting electrodes for flexible solar cells.
GraphAir transforms soybean oil – a renewable, natural
The VFD will be used to manufacture the
material – into graphene films in a single step. “Our
graphene sheets. It is a suitcase-sized piece of
GraphAir technology results in good and transformable
equipment that applies very high sheer forces to
graphene properties, comparable to graphene made by
liquids fed into the system through spinning a
conventional methods,” CSIRO scientist and co-author of
tube at high velocity.
the study Dr Dong Han Seo said.
First Graphite plans to use the technique to scale
On February 21, Xiangyang signed a strategic cooperation
up the process to a commercial level to export
agreement with the HubeiInstitute of Aerospace Chemical
the graphene to high value markets.
Technology. Under the agreement, the two companies will

jointly build China Aerospace Graphene Industry Base in

Central China. Xiangyang city will make full use of Hubei

aerospace chemical technology institute’s technical

Researchers from an EU-funded project known as
advantages in graphene and mainly build t hepilot
Gladiator have succeeded in manufacturing organic
production line of grapheme in the first phase to create
light-emitting diode electrodes from graphene for the
industrialization platform of civil­military integration.
first time. Project partners Frannhofer FEP, Graphenea

and Aixtron, placed a wafer of high-purity copper into

a stainless steel vacuum chamber and heated it to

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800°C before exposing it to a mixture of

methane and hydrogen. The methane

dissolves in the copper and forms

carbon atoms, which spread across

the surface of the plate, organising

themselves into a layer of graphene.

This takes only a few minutes, according

to the team.

US company Nanomedical Diagnostics

has collaborated with MEMS foundry

Rogue Valley Microdevices to deliver

what is said to be the first mass

produced graphene based biosensor.

Called the AGILE R100, the benchtop

device is designed to provide

biophysical data to pharmaceutical and

biotherapeutics companies seeking

more informed decisions earlier in the

drug discovery process.

“Rogue Valley Microdevices has been a true partner in developing a viable large-scale fabrication process for our AGILE

biosensor chips,” said Nanomedical Diagnostics’ CEO Ross Bundy. “The ability to manufacture graphene biosensors at

scale will enable us to create significant cost reductions for many life science and healthcare applications, as well as

introduce game-changing capabilities that have never been seen before.”

GRAPHENE POWER BANK

Chinese startup WPG recently WPG Graphene Lightning Mobile

debuted a 5,000mAh quick Power Bank will also be available

charging power bank made with in a larger, 10,000mAh variant

graphene. The company launched with quick charging support. Both

a crowdfunding campaign for models have a maximum power

what it calls the WPG Graphene output of 18W and won’t be prone

Lightning Mobile Power Bank on to overheating thanks to the fact

JD.com. they’re made out of graphene.

WPG is claiming that the 5,000mAh

variant of its product can be fully

charged in exactly 10 minutes. The

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

Directa Plus graphene-based materials have research and development of a potentially

been selected by Luxottica Group, a company ultrafast optical modulator based on graphene.

that designs, manufactures and sells eyewear, to An optical modulator is a critical fiber optic

enhance a new range of Ray-Ban glasses. Rutgers component for the encoding and transmission of

University has licensed a technology that allows digital data. The new 6-month research program

for the mass production of high-quality graphene commences April 1, 2017 will conclude on

at a reduced cost to Everpower International September 30, 2017. This will allow the research

Holdings. Invented by a team led by Manish team to demonstrate optical index changes in

Chhowalla, professor of materials science and graphene using external voltages and to fabricate

engineering in the School of Engineering at certain optical waveguides.

Rutgers University–New Brunswick, the method Graphene NanoChem has received a firm

uses microwaves to produce high-quality commitment for PlatSurF, its oilfield recovery

graphene from graphene oxide, and has the additive, from a Middle Eastern oil and gas

potential to generate large quantities of it at low company to use on oil wells in Turkmenistan.

cost. It is the first contract for the product in the

Zenyatta Ventures Ltd. has reported that a country with the order worth US$119,000 just

team of scientists under the direction of Dr. for one trial well. Graphene said the unnamed

Aicheng Chen at Lakehead University in Thunder customer has 110 wells in Turkmenistan. If

Bay, Ontario, Canada, has made significant the trial is successful, negotiations will start for

advancements related to sensing application these oil wells to be treated over the next 12-24

development with the first graphene oxide months.

(GO) invention produced from the Company’s

high-purity Albany graphite. Dr. Chen and his

team have developed a novel one-pot synthesis

of fluorine functionalized graphene oxide

(F-GO) which can be used in many energy,

environmental and electrochemical sensing

applications. The produced F-GO has been

tested for the simultaneous detection of various

toxic metal ions (e.g. mercury, lead, cadmium

and copper) and a substantial improvement in

the electrochemical sensing performance was

achieved in comparison with GO.

Carbon Sciences Inc. has announced that the

Company has entered into a new Sponsored

Research Agreement with the University of

California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). The new

agreement will allow UCSB to continue the

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

NANO High performance in both oxygen, grease

STAND-UP
and mineral oil barrier properties has been

reached by using different biobased coatings

on paper substrate. The pouches exploit

POUCHES
VTT’s patent pending high consistency

enzymatic fibrillation of cellulose (HefCel)

technology.

“One-third of food produced for human

Finnish research centre VVTT develop lightweight 100% bio-based
consumption is lost or wasted globally.
stand-up pouches with high technical performance
Packaging with efficient barrier properties is

a crucial factor in the reduction of the food

loss. Our solution offers an environmentally

friendly option for the global packaging

industry”, says Senior Scientist Jari Vartiainen

of VTT.

VTT’s HefCel technology provides a low-cost

method for the production of nanocellulose

resulting in a tenfold increase in the solids

content of nanocellulose. Nanocellulose has

been shown to be potentially very useful for a number of future technical applications. The

densely packed structure of nanocellulose films and coatins enable their outstanding oxygen,

grease and mineral oil barrier properties.

HefCel technology exploits industrial enzymes and simple mixing technology as tools

to fibrillate cellulose into nanoscale fibrils without the need for high energy consuming

process steps. The resulting nanocellulose is in the consistency of 15-25% when traditional

nanocellulose production methods result in 1-3% consistency.

The stand-up pouch is the fastest growing type of packaging, growing at a rate of 6.5% per

year from 2015-2020. Fossil-based plastic films still dominate the packaging market. However,

the development of environmentally friendly new materials is of growing importance.

Nanocellulose has been shown to be potentially very useful for a number of future technical

applications.
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

NANO
COATINGS
NEWS

L
iquiGlide Inc. has announced it is expanding its super-slippery

coating platform beyond consumer packaging to focus on

applications in manufacturing. With the patented LiquiGlide

CleanTanX™ system, the company is providing a complete

industry solution that addresses the manufacturing challenges created

by viscous liquids sticking to equipment, such as blenders, reactors

and tanks. In manufacturing tank applications, the system has been

M
shown to reduce up to 95% of product waste, wash water and the

associated cleaning costs.

etaShield has developed its proprietary ‘MetaShieldPV’

nano-coating technology that increases solar cell

efficiency using advanced light trapping. Upon

application, the product solidifies in air at room

temperature and forms a thin film layer with refractive index of

~1.5. MetaShieldPV is a patent pending formula that is spray coated

directly onto the existing anti-reflective coating on the solar cells and

hardens at room temperature, forming a transparent ~200nm glass

film. The embedded nanoparticles employ strong forward scattering

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

to affect optical enhancement in solar cells. related to its patented MobileShield™

N
An independent study via the Utah Science waterproofing technology.

Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR) anocoatings company NanoPhylll

TAP program and and verified by OAI-Optical has received two purchase orders

Associates boosted triple junction (GaInP/GaInAs/ and is in discussions with strategic

Ge) solar cell efficiency by 1.2% (absolute) from distribution partners with plans to

29.39% to 30.59%. MetaSOL’s ability to provide commercialize their first product line in early

a similarly dramatic enhancement to crystalline 2017. The company’s self-cleaning technology

silicon photovoltaic cells is under development. is activated by the immediate environment —

NEI Corporation has announced that the US notably by natural light — eliminating the need

Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has for heavy detergents, surfactants and acids.

issued a notice of allowance to the company Moreover, their coatings remove pollutants like

on two patent applications; one for a durable nitrogen oxides from the air, helping to reduce

highly hydrophobic coating and the other for an smog and related acid rain.

adhesion promoting surface treatment. These NBD Nanotechnologies have introduced a

patents complement NEI’s portfolio of patents new coating solution that renders fingerprints

pertaining to superhydrophobic, self-healing, invisible on metal and glass surfaces. With the

and abrasion resistant coatings. patented InvisiPrint™ solution, the company

Semblant, a market leader in liquid damage lets manufacturers successfully meet the long-

nanotechnology for electronic devices, has standing demand by consumers for a solution

signed production qualification agreements with that reduces or eliminates the appearance of

three leading China smartphone manufacturers fingerprints on products such as electronic

displays, kitchen appliances, bathroom system was based on findings from the
faucets, and automotive interiors. pivotal PzF SHIELD clinical trial, which

Thomas Swan has announced the successfully met its primary safety and

launch of a high-performance graphene effectiveness endpoints at 9-month

intermediate product for coatings follow-up, demonstrating no stent

formulators. The new Elicarb Graphene thrombosis and low clinically driven

product is a cost effective, stable, easy target lesion revascularization (TLR) of

to handle dispersion of Elicarb Materials 4.6 percent.i Coated with a proprietary

Grade Graphene powder for formulation nano-thin polymer that is designed to

into epoxy-based coating formulations. be highly biocompatible, the COBRA

The product is available now in liter PzF stent requires a minimum 30-

quantities for testing and evaluation. day dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT)

CeloNova BioSciences, Inc. has received regimen following intervention

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

approval of its first-in-class COBRA PzF™

NanoCoated Coronary Stent System.

Regulatory approval of the novel stent

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

NEW
NANO
COMPANIES

G
lass to Power (G2P) is a spin-off of the University of Milan Bicocca based on the scientific

research of Prof. Sergio Brovelli and Prof. Francesco Meinardi. The company are embedding

silicon quantum dots into luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) for application in

photovoltaic windows. Read more at http://www.glasstopower.com/

Nano Elements Source, LLC offers affordable, environmentally-conscious quantum dot cores. The

company has licensed the NanoFermentation technology from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to

further commercialize the production of low cost, cadmium free photoluminescent nanoparticles.

NanoFermentation is capable of producing size-controlled cadmium free precursor material for quantum

dots for significantly less cost than traditional high temperature methods. This project will improve the

photoluminescent quantum efficiency of NanoFermented quantum dot materials. By demonstrating high

efficiency NanoFermented zinc sulfide nanoparticles, market barriers are diminished to commercially

manufacture thin films for solid-state lighting applications. Read more at http://www.nanoelso.com/

A spin-off from the University of Waterloo is to produce nanoparticle filters. H2nanO are using photocatalysts

for passive water treatment and environmental remediation. The company is creating solutions to reduce

the environmental footprint of the Albertan Oil Sands, one of the largest industrial operations in Canada.

Read more at www.h2nano.ca Revolution Research, Inc. are producing Arbotile™, a nanocellulose
 27
NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

based, compostable, suspended http://standardgraphene.com/

ceiling tile under development to China based Anji Deda nano-

eliminate environmental, health materials Co.,Ltd. develops a wide

and performance problems posed

by currently-available products
range of nanosilver conductive

inks and powders for application

OTHER
on the market. Read more at

http://revolutionresearchinc.com/
in electronics. Read more at http://

www.ajmore.com/index-en.html
NANO
Other interesting
innovations/ A team of engineers at the University
nanotech companies,
CondAlign is a Norwegian of California San Diego and La
based in Asia.
technology company making Jolla-based startup Nanovision

conductive films and related Biosciences Inc. have developed

products. The company is the nanotechnology and wireless

developing nanomaterials and electronics for a new type of retinal

process technology based on its prosthesis that brings research a

proprietary electric field control step closer to restoring the ability of

technology. The CondAlign process neurons in the retina to respond to

can be used to reduce costs and light. The researchers demonstrated

enhance functionality in materials this response to light in a rat retina

that exist in a wide range of products. interfacing with a prototype of the Japanese company

The technology is based on electric device in vitro. Microphase Co., Ltd. develop

field manipulation of conductive a wide range of carbon

nanoparticles that form conductive nanotube production methods

wires in the material. This enhances and applications including

the conductive properties and composites and LIB additives.

functionality of the materials while www.microphase.jp

keeping the cost low. Read more at

www.condalign.no

Standard Graphene of South Korea, Figure 1: Primary cortical neurons

has stated it is the only supplier that cultured on the surface of an array

can provide graphene in volume of optoelectronic nanowires. Here

quantities for research, prototyping a neuron is pulling the nanowires,

or production. The company has indicating the cell is doing well on

developed a compact, modular this material.

plant that is fully automated, from Korean company Vinatech are

production to packaging, with an producing carbon nanofiber
annual capacity of 1.1 metric tons catalyst supports for fuel cells,
(2,425 lb.) of graphene oxide (GO) MEA (Membrane Electrode
or reduced GO (rGO). Read more at Assembly), and electrode and

filter materials. www.vina.co.kr

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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

NWC-2017
NanoWorld
03-05
April Conference
2017
Useful Science & Technology for Just a World

Crowne Plaza NanoWorld Conference (NWC-2017) will provide high quality

Boston Hotel current reports of scientific progress and best practices in the
field of Nanotechnology.

Plenary Speakers
NanoWorld Conference

The primary goal of NWC-2017

is to present state-of-the-art
research, recent achievements
and global trends in nanoscience
and nanotechnology, also to Francesco Sette Claudio Nicolini Petra Fromme
Director General, European President, Fondazione Director, Biodesign Center
promote cross-disciplinary Synchrotron Radiation ELBA Nicolini, Italy Structural Discovery, Arizona
interactions that can spur the Facility, France State University, USA

development of this exciting

research field. Special emphasis
will be placed on energy
materials and applications,
nano-biotechnology, health
and environmental safety of
nanomaterials and specific Jo Anne Shatkin Zvi Yaniv Gang Chen
President, Vireo Advisors President/CEO, Advanced Professor, Massachusetts
techniques to develop nano- USA Technology Generator, Institute of Technology
devices. USA USA

NWC-2017 welcomes all

participants, contributors and
speakers to the city of Boston for
an outstanding conference.

Sokrates T. Pantelides Stephen D. Miller Zhifeng Ren

Professor, Vanderbilt Professor, Northwestern Professor, University of
University, USA University Medical School Houston, USA
USA

Web: www. jnanoworld.com/nwc | Email: secretary@jnanoworld.com

Brought by Media Partners by

United Scientific
Group

NanoWorld Conference | April 03-05, 2017 | Boston, USA

 29
NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2017

EUROPEAN

C OATINGS SHOW 2017

The 8th European conference on  ADHESIVES – SEALANTS – CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS

Nanotechnologies and
NUREMBERG // GERMANY
EUROPEAN COATINGS SHOW: 4 – 6 APRIL 2017

Advanced Materials
EUROPEAN COATINGS SHOW CONFERENCE: 3 – 4 APRIL 2017

Over 1,000 international exhibitors + The world’s leading trade fair for the paint and coatings
industry + Accompanied by Europe’s largest and most important industry conference

Strengthening the competitiveness of

European manufacturing industries
thanks to nano- and advanced
materials technologies
Conference and interactive
workshops
Nanotech Europe Exhibition
Brokerage Day
Poster Session 21-23 June 2017
Valletta, Malta

Rokna Maltija: showcase

of Maltese achievements
in advanced materials
BestPLAN
Project Award
YOUR VISIT ONLINE: EUROPEAN-COATINGS-SHOW.COM/SHOWNAVIGATOR

Show organization: NürnbergMesse Organizer: Vincentz Network

european-coatings-show.com european-coatings.com

ECS2017_210x297_GB_Anzeige_Besucher.indd 1 15.12.16 10:14

3 days | 100 speakers | 1000 delegates | 50 countries

euronanoforum2017.