THE MAGAZINE FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY NANOTECH · Nanocoating company HZO has developed protective...
Transcript of THE MAGAZINE FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY NANOTECH · Nanocoating company HZO has developed protective...
NANOTECHMarch 2019
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
Issue #56
NANO
LATESTPRODUCTS
NANOTECH
in JapanProducts
Nanotech Magazine is published by Future Markets, the world’s leading publisher of market
information on advanced materials and nanotechnology.
Start-up companies are driving the market for
these ultra-high porosity materials. All the latest graphene product news.
Market focus on what’s happening in
nanotech research, energy, sensors, coatings,
medicine, electronics and graphene.
GRAPHENE
LATEST NEWS
PRODUCTS
New products hit the market this
month.
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2019
TABLE OF
THIS MONTH
MARKET FOCUS
CONTENT
Protective nanocoatings for
electronics. Over 300 million
smartphones will be damaged by
water this year costing businesses
in excess of $100 billion.
Nanotech products in smart
windows, 3D printing and plastics.
Hand-held medical device to
produce nanofiber dressings.
New
sol
ar p
anel
tec
hnol
ogy
that
can
pote
ntia
lly b
e us
ed i
n w
indo
w
pane
ls.
Latest graphene product news,
February-March 2019.
Latest nanotech investments,
commercial agreements & funding.
P.05
P.11
P.14
P.25
P.13
P.14
P.06
P.09 All the latest graphene product, production,
investment news and developments,
February-March 2019.
New nanotech and nanomaterials
products in Japan.
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MARKET NEWS
FROM EDITORNOTE
Government, regulation & policy
news -February-March 2019.
Latest carbon nanotubes product news-
February-March 2019.
P.15
P.18
P.20
Subscribe to Nanotech Magazine to receive
all the latest monthly news and views on this
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There has been an increasing focus over the past
couple of years in using nanotechnology and
nanomaterials to meet many of the significant
energy and sustainability challenges that the
world faces. In fact, many of the challenges
facing all major industries are being met by the
exploitation of these remarkable materials. This
month's issue covers new product developments in
graphene filters, nano smart windows, new carbon
nanomaterials for batteries, nanostructured alloys
for electric vehicle charger connectors and silicon
quantum dots for solar windows.
A recent plethora of new nanotech products
in Japan also features heavily in this issue. New
protective coatings and materials are also
featured, from waterproofing electronics to
protecting consumer packaging from smudging
and staining. The latest investment and regulatory
news is also covered in depth.
P.22New nanocoatings product news-anti-
corrosion, anti-stain and nanosilver.
P. 24Nanotech energy products-solar,
batteries and electric vehicles.
Recent breakthroughs in graphene
portable and reusable water
filtration systems, aerospace,
wristwatches, lighting and new
production facilities.
Discover. Connect. Share
www.materialshub.com
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PROTECTINGELECTRONICS
Over 300 million smartphones will be damaged by water this year costing businesses in excess of $100 billion.
Coatings producer HZO is leading the fight to provide 100% protection to devices.
The current industry standard for liquid and dust protection is the IPX
scale (e.g. IPX7). The standard is:
1. Predicated on keeping water out of a device;
2. Based on exposure to only clean water, NOT corrosive (e.g. salt) or
toxic environments;
3. Applies only to a new out of the box products.
However, the industry standard falls short of what is required for
protecting electronic devices. Nanocoating company HZO has
developed protective nanocoatings that safeguard electronics from
the most demanding environments. The technology exhibits superior
performance over mechanical seals and traditional conformal
coatings when exposed to water or corrosive environments.
Table 1. HZO coatings in comparison to other technologies.
Technology Description
Mechanical seals
• Limited reliability• Corrosion resistance varies• May be dislodged on physical im-pact• Visually unappealing
Traditional conformal coatings
• Bulky and heavy• Curing required• Limited heat dissipation• Obtuse application
HZO coatings • State of the art thin film alternatives• Tested for up to 1,000 hours ofsubmersion• Better corrosion resistance• Highly conformal, uniform, and pinholefree• Optically clear
HZO's Parylene Coating and Plasma
Coatings Processes completely protects
devices and components from harsh and
corrosive environments—for extended
periods of time, all while preserving
complete device design, form and
function. The company is engaged with
significant OEMs in consumer electronics
as well as other leading companies in
markets such as automotive and IoT,
including:
• Nike.
• Dell.
• Netatmo.
• Elecom.
• Rakuten kobo.
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BusinessFinance&
NanoSphere Health Sciences Inc. has concluded a private placement of up to CAD$2,000,000. The proceeds will
be used to expand the Company’s Evolve Formulatm cannabis products into new markets in the US, Canada and
Mexico, and to open new markets in Europe, Latin America, and Australasia. The company’s NanoSphere Delivery
System™, utilizes nanotech in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications
for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries.
UK-based graphene producer Haydale has announced its financial results for H1 FY2019 (six months ended 31
December 2018). Revenues were £1.64 million (up 20% from H2 FY2018 but down 20% from H1 FY2018). Loss
before tax was £3.47 million and cash at hand was £0.96 million (Haydale recently announced plans to raise £7.8
million).
Latest nanotech investments, commercial agreements
and rounds of finance. February-March 2019
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UK-based Graphene Composites has raised more than £330,000 with
a crowd-funding campaign to develop a graphene-based bulletproof
shield to protect children at school. The GC Shield product is capable
of stopping shots fired from handguns, as well has high calibre rounds
fired from a Nato sniper rifle and the AR-15 assault rifle.
The GC Shield has been designed to fit inside a child’s school bag and
can be clipped to other shields to create a larger protective barrier. The
company raised funds to enable expansion into the US market, which
has been targeted as the main market for it’s product.
Pellucere Technologies, Inc. has secured a major investment from
Energy Innovation Capital (EIC), a capital provider to innovators
developing leading energy technologies. The investment will enable the
company (formerly known as CSD Nano) to begin full-scale commercial
deployment of its MoreSun® anti-reflective and anti-soiling coating in
the utility-scale solar market.
Independent testing has shown that MoreSun, which can be applied to
any solar array, increases total energy output by up to 4.7 percent and
increases power from direct axis light by up to 3.8 percent.
The coating is formulated with Pellucere’s proprietary
Talus Dirt Rejection Technology™ that has been shown
in testing to reduce the build-up of dirt, dust and other
particulates by as much as 90%. “MoreSun is the most
cost-effective way to add capacity to existing solar facilities,
while dramatically reducing energy losses due to soiling,”
said Bob Lukefahr, CEO of Pellucere Technologies.
Ireland’s Tyndall Institute is the lead partner in a
€4m funded European project to develop a remote
monitoring biosensor patch. Funding for “SmartVista”
has been provided through the EU Horizon 2018-2020
ICT programme. Multidisciplinary partners include University College Cork, CNRS, Novosense, Fraunhofer EMFT and
Analog Devices. SmartVista integrates nanosensors to monitor the heart, along with thermoelectric energy harvesters
to extract energy from the body to power the system, and printable battery systems to store this energy.
Nova Graphene has been awarded a contract by Canada’s Department of National Defence’s Innovation for Defence
Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program to develop lightweight ballistic plating for personal protection. Current bullet-
proof armour tends to be heavy, bulky, and limit mobility. They frequently contribute to overheating & discomfort, and
alter natural movement biomechanics, which may increase the risk of injury.
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NANOTECHNEWS
PRODUCT
February-March 2019
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LABPRODUCTTO
Low-cost, high volume production and ease of integration is crucial for the development of widespread
application of nanotech-enabled products. This month we look at new developments and breakthroughs.
Japan-based Nano Came Co. Ltd. is developing an antimicrobial
technology that exploits a novel biochemical mechanism. The
technology uses biodegradable nanoparticles, which are made
to adhere to bacterial cell walls in a way that causes the bacterial
cell to be destroyed by its own internal pressure. It has proven to
be effective against staphylococcus, enterococcus and the bacteria
that causes tuberculosis, acne and athlete’s foot, as well as against
the disinfectant-resistant strains of these germs. It is not effective
against lactobacilli, mycoplasma and other bacteria lacking cell
walls, or against pylori and other bacteria that proliferate under acidic
conditions.
Esterolytic enzymes decompose the ingested nanoparticles, which
are expelled as urine and decompose completely in soil within one
month. When used in an antimicrobial agent, the nanoparticles can
remain active on the palm of the hand for more than six hours, and on
a surface such as a tabletop, they can remain effective for more than
a week. Nano Came has already developed cosmetics preservatives,
disinfectants and deodorants using the technology. The technology is
also in use in dental applications and other healthcare-related fields.
Read more at www.nanocame.jp
Toray Industries Inc. has developed a
flexible, tough polymer using nano-alloys.
The company has produced a gyrating
polymer structure capable of sliding
molecularly bonded parts, then add
this to thermosetting resin, resulting in
a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP)
that is both hard and flexible.
The development combines two
Anti-microbial nanoparticles provide long-term pro-tection in personal care and healthcare markets.
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NANO TESTINGAustralian company Anteo Diagnostics has signed a collaboration with Canada’s Sona Nanotech Inc to improve the
performance of lateral flow immunoassays.
Also known as lateral flow tests, lateral flow
immunoassays are paper-based devices intended to
detect the presence or absence of targets in a liquid
sample without the need for specialised or costly
equipment.
Typically, the tests are used for medical diagnostics at
point of care (POC) or in a laboratory environment, with
the most well-known variant being home pregnancy
kits. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement,
Sona will supply its gold nanorod technology for
combining with Anteo’s proprietary AnteoBind
product and various biomarkers including, but not
limited to, cardiac (cTnI), sepsis (CRP) and hCG.
proprietary technologies: a gyrating polymer with full control over
the movement of resin cross-links and a nano-alloy formed by
blending two different resins at the nano level. Toray researchers have
combined these by employing a nano-alloy technique that bonds
the base resin with the gyrating polymer. Subsidiary Toray Carbon
Magic Co. Ltd. has utilized the polymer in structural components,
seat frames and wheels of a concept car.
DKS Co. Ltd. has developed a proprietary aqueous dispersion
technology that enables the compounding of urethane resin with
multiple types of organic and inorganic materials on the nano level.
By combining two different components within each individual
particle, the resulting materials are able to provide performance
beyond what is possible with more simply mixed compounds.
DKS has also applied its new technology to the development of
an aqueous dispersion that sees urethane resin compounded with
cellulose nanofiber (CNF). The dispersion is stronger than urethane
resin alone, and excels at solvent resistance as well as viscosity and
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3D PRINTED NANOPARTICLES
thixotropy, which gives it utility as a spray. DKS foresees applications
for this in binders and primers for coatings.
WINDGO, Inc., a research and development company specializing
in smart material and vibrational transfer technologies has been
granted US Patent # 10,223,985 for its multi-functional intelligent
glass display. Windgo has combined its Smart Glass technology
with visual display technologies such as LED, LCD, oLED, and other
new emerging display technologies. This new Windgo multi-layered
intelligent display (or Smart Window) enables new commercial
applications utilizing nanotechnology, including transmissive,
reflective, transflective, holographic and other particle resonant
modes for use in stand-alone displays or subsystems within many
devices such as smart phones, computers, industrial control panels
and more. Read more at http://windgo.com/
Aether (https://discoveraether.com/), a 3D bioprinting firm, is
partnering with University College London (UCL) and Loughborough
University to develop 3D printed nanotechnology for medicine. The
collaboration will focus on the development of nanoparticle inks
for drug delivery, biomaterials and scaffolds that can be specially
tailored.
The nanoparticles respond to specified wavelengths that allow
for targeted release of the carrier agent and/or degradation of the
surroundings (including biomaterial surroundings) and enables
controlled deterioration of the material.
Canadian company NanoQuan (http://
www.nanoquan.com/) has developed a
process to produce conductive plastics.
The company has patented a dispersion
process that incorporates fillers and evenly
disperses the nanomaterials throughout
the composite, preventing agglomeration.
Applications slated for the plastics
include wearable technologies such as
performance-measuring athletic wear or
gesture- and motion-sensitive gloves.
Finnester Coatings Oy is trialling the
materials for application in conductive
coatings for transportation, energy and
construction industries.
Nanoparticles are widely used for targeted release.
other benefits. But with CNF being water-based and incorporating a high level of moisture, it can be difficult to
disperse throughout hydrophobic resins in an even manner. GS Alliance used technologies cultivated for nanoparticle
dispersion to establish a new technology – one able to uniformly disperse CNF throughout all sorts of resins without
clumping.
Fujifilm Corp is developing a self-repairing material that easily penetrates into concrete using ultrafine particle
technology that it has previously developed for photographic films and cosmetics. The nano liquid impregnation
material infiltrates in concrete from its surface through fine voids and prevents factors that deteriorate concrete from
entering to slow the progresses of salt damage, alkali-silica reaction, etc.
The particles of existing impregnation materials measure about 100 nanometres on average, and there is a variation
in their size. Therefore, impregnation materials do not penetrate into some parts, potentially making it impossible to
achieve an expected effect. Fujifilm is developing a surface impregnation material whose particles have a uniform size
of 10 nanometres. Currently, the company is testing performance while considering volume production.
India-based start-up Nanoclean Global Pvt. Ltd., which develops air filtration devices, has raised $600,000 in a pre-
Series A round of funding. Founded in 2017, the company was incubated at Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, and
use the money to expand its business-to-consumer (B2C) offline business.
The company claims that its nano-fibre filter technology can achieve more than 90% efficiency in combating PM2.5
and 95% against PM10. Fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) particles are considered to be the most hazardous pollutants.
A flagship product ‘Nasofilters’ is a respiratory nasal filter that sticks to the nose and prevents the entry of harmful air
pollutants.
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GS Alliance Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Fuji
Pigment Co. Ltd., has improved the
mechanical strength and various other
characteristics of recycled plastic pellets
derived from waste plastic. The company
has accomplished this by combining
these pellets with cellulose nanofiber
(CNF).
GS Alliance is already producing
composite materials that combine CNF
with new grades of various thermoplastic
and biodegradable plastics. Such CNF
compounding can also be applied to
bring about cutting-edge materials that
offer superior performance in terms of
tensile strength and more.
Combining CNF with resins provides
for increased strength and a range of
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£1.5 million funding for UK nanosensors start-upNorthern Ireland-based Queen’s University spin-out Causeway Sensors
which has developed nano-sized sensing chips that can be used to
detect early-stage cancer and other diseases, has secured £1.5 million
in investment. It has received £1.2 million in funding in a funding in
a round led by the Bank of Ireland £15 million Kernal Capital Growth
Fund (NI). Causeway also secured additional funding from Innovate UK
to bring total investment secured to £1.5 million.
The company is targeting a share of the fast-growing market for bio-
sensors, which is expected to be worth more than $22 billion globally
by 2020.
Israel-based startup Nanomedic Technologies Ltd. (http://nanomedic.
com/) has developed a medical device that can produce nanofiber
wound dressings. The temporary and transparent skin layer that the
or synthetic-can be combined with various additives
according to the nature of the wound and the patient’s
needs: antibacterial creams, antibiotics, collagen, silicon,
hydrogel, and cannabinoids.
Plessey Semiconductors and Nanoco Technologies have
signed a partnership to shrink the pixel size of monolithic
microLED displays using Nanoco’s cadmium free
quantum dot (CFQD® quantum dots). Using its existing
monolithic process, Plessey will integrate the Nanoco
CFQD® quantum dots into selected regions of blue LED
wafers to add red and green light.
device generates can be applied without touching the
charred skin, helping prevent infections. The product,
called SpinCare, can be operated by physicians and other
medical staff working in hospitals or clinics or providing
home care. The patent-protected device produces
Electrospun nanofibers that create a nanofibrous mat that
mimics skin tissue. The product consists of a lightweight
gun-shaped device and a “spin-kit” of disposable ampules
containing a polymer solution. The polymer solution-
in which the dissolved polymers can be either natural
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GRAPHENENEWS
PRODUCT
February-March 2019
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GRAPHENEPRODUCTS
Low-cost, high volume production and ease of integration is crucial for the development of widespread
application of graphene-enabled products. This month we look at new developments and breakthroughs.
Directa Plus is incorporating their graphene materials into fabrics
and garments from Italian high-end clothing and fabric maker Loro
Piana. Giulio Cesareo, founder & chief executive of Directa Plus,
said: "The significant innovations in high quality fabrics that can
be achieved through the use of Directa Plus' technology will allow
increased comfort and performance for the end users of Loro Piana's
products." The companies have signed a deal of three years initially,
for a minimum value of EUR 800,000.
UK-based company James Briggs has successfully completed the
first production batch of Graphene products first production batch.
Extensive testing has demonstrated repeated and outstanding
improvements in anti-corrosion performance for their automotive
aerosol primer. The company plans to launch the new range of
graphene enhanced anti-corrosion aerosols under their brand
Hycote. They have developed the product using graphene supplied
by Applied Graphene Materials.
Grolltex has completed its recent capacity expansion and released
production for 30,000 eight-inch wafer equivalents per year at its CVD
monolayer fabrication facility in San Diego, California. CVD graphene is
used in advanced electronics and other nano-devices e.g. wearables,
IoT, photonics, semiconductors, biosensing and other next generation
devices. This is the largest commercial CVD monolayer graphene
production facility in North America. The company production lines
are also capable of producing single layer graphene or single layer
hexagonal Boron Nitride.
First Graphene Limited is collaborating
with Steel Blue to graphene enhanced
safety boots. In the oil and gas industries
the toe cap is made of a composite to
eliminate spark potential from steel
caps. The addition of graphene to the
composite toe cap may enhance the
strength characteristics of the toe cap and
provide further user benefits., Graphene
products have been used successfully in
commercial footwear products launched
in the UK and Europe in 2018 allowing for
improved strength, enhanced grip and
reduced wear.
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GRAPHENE FILTERSLifeSaver, a UK-based manufacturer of portable and reusable water filtration systems, has signed an exclusive
contract with the National Graphene Institute (NGI) at The University of Manchester.
The 18-month research project will focus on
developing graphene technology that can be used for
enhanced water filtration, with the goal of creating
a proprietary and patented, cutting-edge product
capable of eliminating an even wider range of
hazardous contaminants than currently removed by
its existing high-performance ultra-filtration process.
By incorporating graphene into its existing market-
leading water purification technology, LifeSaver hopes
to reduce the sieve size of its hollow fiber filtration
membrane from the current 15 nanometers (which
effectively removes bacteria, microbial cysts and
viruses) to about 1-3 nanometers. https://iconlifesaver.
com/
Arcadia™ has unveiled plans for a Field Watch incorporating graphene
as the ultimate case coating. A proprietary graphene coating,
DuraPhene™, is mechanically and thermally sealed to the stainless
steel substrate. The company is using reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
produced by Graphenea. The composite coating is created by mixing
graphene with polytetrafluoroethylene. The company launched
the Arcadia G1.0 Graphene Field Watch on social funding platform
Kickstarter in February.
Graphene Lighting has commenced new wholly owned mass
production facility in Shenzen, China. The manufacturing facility has
been in pilot production for the last 6 months and has commenced
product shipment over the last four weeks. The company’s
previous plans of merging with a manufacturer (JTX or Prosperous
Optoelectronics) was ended in Oct. 2017, and the company will focus
its efforts towards sales and marketing using its own and partner
capabilities.
The newly established state-of-the-art facility in Shenzhen China
The Smart Filter project used graphene and its derivatives to create a coated filter membrane that offers increased
resistance to fouling for industrial waste water treatment. Membrane filters are used in a number of industrial separation
applications but are afflicted by fouling, which typically lowers throughput or increases energy consumption, and
reduces filter life. Focusing upon oil water separation and nuclear waste water treatment, the collaboration, with G2O
Water Technologies, Haydale and Sellafield, developed a repeatable, reproducible and scalable process to make
coated filter membranes, which delivered a 30% improvement in permeability when compared to an equivalent
uncoated filter. Haydale is also collaborating with Northern Gas Networks (NGN) and the Energy Innovation Centre,
on a study to investigate the feasibility of developing a modern, innovative, fully compliant graphene-based preheat
solution for use on gas operational sites. The graphene solution has the potential to be more efficient and reliable
than existing systems and has in-built flexibility to either retrofit onto existing pipes or to be built into new heat
exchangers. Phase One of the 30-week project will see Haydale working directly with NGN, the gas distributer for the
North East, Northern Cumbria and much of Yorkshire.
Versarien PLC has signed a new memorandum of understanding with a second unnamed state-owned Chinese
aerospace company. This is the second contract of this kind, with the first entered into by Versarien at the end of
December. The new unnamed partner is engaged in the research, design and manufacture of various materials
and systems to be used in the aerospace sector. Under the terms of the deal, the two companies will collaborate to
accelerate the industrialisation and marketing of Versarien's graphene products in the Chinese aerospace sector.
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manufactures the company’s flagship
product, the Graphene Light Bulb, with
its unique patented curved filament
and heat dissipation technology. It
also serves as the company’s research
and development centre, as it further
develops intellectual property. The
company is in discussions with an
established and leading light bulb
manufacturer with a 20-year-old history
to produce the Graphene Lighting
product range on an OEM basis.
The Centre for Process Innovation
(CPI) has collaborated on a project to
advance the development of a low-cost,
self-cleaning coating technology for
industrial filter membranes.
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The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published
several new substance evaluation conclusion documents,
including one for silver. According to the substance
evaluation conclusion and evaluation report, silver was
originally selected for substance evaluation to clarify
concerns about nanoparticles/ecotoxicity of different
forms of the substance; environmental fate; exposure/wide
dispersive use; and aggregated tonnage. View the silver
document at https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/
c6597a4b-a88f-9bc9-1a23-b8a41772302c
The ECHA has also submitted a restriction proposal
for microplastic particles that are intentionally added
to mixtures used by consumers or professionals. ECHA
states: “Due to their small size, microplastics and
nanoplastics -- even smaller particles that are created
from the further degradation of microplastics -- may
be readily ingested and thereby enter the food chain.”
ECHA’s proposed restriction targets intentionally added
microplastics in products from which they will inevitably
be released to the environment.
The European Scientific Committee on Health,
Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) has
published a statement and a position paper on emerging
risks. The SCHEER statement identifies 14 emerging
risks. Two are related to nanomaterials 1: Micro and
nano-plastic in the environment and 2; Nanoparticles
released from Building Materials and construction waste
to the Environment including nanomaterials. View at
https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/scientific_
committees/scheer/docs/scheer_s_002.pdf
The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC)
has published a comprehensive report on concepts and
terms used in the European Commission's definition of
nanomaterial. The report aims to provide clarifications of
the key concepts and terms that are used in the EC NM
definition, and discusses them in a regulatory context.
The European Commissionfrom 2011 (2011/696/EU)
definition is a recommendation that has been used
to create legal definitions in several sector specific EU
legislations such as in the Biocidal Products Regulation,
Medical Devices Regulation, and in the recent revised
REACH annexes (EU) 2018/1881). The recommendation
has also been used in several EU national schemes.
View the report at http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
repository/bitstream/JRC113469/kjna29647enn.pdf
Government, regulation & policy news
Latest developments in regulations in Europe
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Protecting the nanotech workforce research planWorkers within nanotechnology-related industries have the potential to
be exposed to uniquely engineered materials with novel sizes, shapes,
and physical and chemical properties. The National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published a document
entitled Continuing to Protect the Nanotechnology Workforce:
NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Plan for 2018-2025. NIOSH is using
the Nanotechnology Research Plan for fiscal years (FY) 2018-2025
as a roadmap to advance: (1) understanding of nanotechnology-
related toxicology and workplace exposures; and (2) implementation
of appropriate risk management practices during the discovery,
development, and commercialization of engineered nanomaterials
along their product lifecycle. Read more at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
docs/2019-116/pdfs/2019-116.pdf
consists of those chemical substances and physical agents
that will not move forward, but will either remain on, or be
removed from, the under study list for the next year.
The EU Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) provides
information on nanomaterials to a wide audience on
subjects including safety, innovation, and research. EUON
is currently conducting a survey to allow stakeholders to
express their views on how EUON is performing and how
it could be developed to meet their needs better. Find the
survey at https://bit.ly/2Uo1q8p
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial
Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical
Substances (TLV®-CS) Committee has included carbon
nanotubes on its 2019 list of chemical substances and
other issues under study. ACGIH® will update the under
study list into a two-tier list by July 31, 2019: Tier 1 entries
indicate the chemical substances and physical agents
that may move forward as a notice of intended change or
notice of intent to establish in the upcoming year, based
on their status in the development process; and Tier 2
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CARBONNEWSNANOTUBES
Zeon Corporation
has initiated joint
research with Friend
Microbe Inc., a
venture stemming from Nagoya
University.
The excellent functionality of
single-walled carbon nanotubes
(SWCNTs), such as their
heightened conductivity and
mechanical characteristics, is
driving expectations for full-
scale industrialization of the
material. However, due to being
an inorganic substance made
from carbon, such CNTs are
considered to generally be non-
biodegradable.
Zeon subsidiary Zeon Nano
Technology Co. Ltd. uses the
Super Growth Method for CNT
production. CNTs produced
using this method – referred to as
SGCNTs – have been confirmed
to incorporate biodegradability
by way of immune cells. The
initiative with Friend Microbe
will verify whether or not this
biodegradability can occur within
activated sludge as well.
Recent Zeon Nano Technology Co.
Ltd. projects include a palm-sized
solar power system currently in test
marketing, as well as in a thermal
interface material for power
semiconductors. There are also
plans for a dielectric elastomer for
use in artificial muscles. Sunarrow
Ltd. and a subsidiary of Air Water
Inc. supply heat-resistant fluoro-
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LONG NANOTUBESTPR Co. Ltd. is utilizing long carbon
nanotubes (CNTs) to develop rubber
compounding technology for natural
rubber and various synthetic rubbers. In
2018, TPR started operating its own line
capable of manufacturing 4–10 layers in
multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) to a length
of up to two millimeters.
The new rubber material developed has
dramatically improved various physical
properties with the addition of g trace
amounts of CNT. Adding 1 percent of
CNT to natural rubber results in physical
properties such as hardness improving
30 percent, tensile strength has improved
20 percent and 100 percent modulus
doubled. These improvements have come
while also maintaining elongation, which
is characteristic of the material.
Since the new rubber material can also
be applied to synthetic rubbers such as
styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR), nitrile–
butadiene rubber (NBR) and fluororubber,
TPR will expedite establishing the
compounding technology as its proprietary
new composite material. The new material
is expected to be adopted for rubber parts
used in harsh environments, such as those
in manufacturing plants and equipment.
By taking advantage of the long length
CNT, it becomes easy to make CNT fibers
and sheets. Therefore, it might become
possible to make an electrode of a Li-ion
battery, instead of a conductive assistant.
CNTs demon-strate stable
sealing performance at
temperatures as high as 250 de-
grees Celsius.
rubber O-rings with the use of Zeon
Nano Technology’s SWNTs. They are
compounded with general-purpose
fluoro-rubber to result in increased
heat resistance and demonstrate
stable sealing performance at
temperatures as high as 250 degrees
Celsius.
Tokyo Chemical Industry Co. Ltd.
has launched a reagent for carbon
nanobelts (CNBs), a new form of
carbon nanomaterial. CNBs are made
of benzene rings – aromatic rings
consisting of six carbon atoms – that
have been joined to form a cylindrical
shape. The material’s existence has
been hypothesized since around 60
years ago, but none had succeeded in
its synthesis until recently.
In April 2017 researchers at Nagoya
University’s Graduate School of
Science succeeded in the world-first
synthesis of a CNB. Tokyo Chemical
Industry has now acquired an
exclusive license from the university to
commercialize this technology in the
form of a reagent –price is 12,000 yen
($108.68) per 10 milligrams.
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2019
NANONEWSCOATINGS
Bio-Gate AG has
concluded a pre-
submission with the
FDA regarding its
HyProtect™ coating technology,
which is an ultrathin plasma
coating containing pure silver
and polysiloxane that protects
the surfaces of medical implants
against bacterial colonization.
Via the FDA’s pre-submission
process, Bio-Gate clarified the
regulatory paths. For a certain
range of orthopaedic products,
a 510(k) pathway without
human data is possible. Bio-
Gate is in collaboration and
communication with orthopaedic
companies interested in the
commercialization of the
HyProtect™ technology in the US
and European markets.
US nanocoatings company
MetaShield LLC has produced a
new product, MetaShieldCLEAN,
a fully transparent, nanocoating
that repels a significant amount
of the stains, dust and dirt that
typically accumulate on consumer
packaging during ordinary use.
The patent-pending coating
is targeted at the cosmetics
industry, where the appearance
of the product post-sale enhances
and preserves brand value. The
formulation has a low volatile
organic compounds (VOC) high
solids content as a sustainable
alternative to other aqueous or
solvent-based clear coatings.
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2019
ANTI-CORROSIONUK-based graphene producer Applied
Graphene Materials' Genable® 3000
product has been has nominated for a
key industry award, The MP Corrosion
Innovation Awards program. Genable® is a
metal-free additive that transforms coatings
and paints enabling them to withstand
aggressive corrosion in automotive, heavy
industry and harsh marine environments.
The results from over 3,000 hours of typical
vigorous environment testing demonstrate
the long-term structural resilience that
AGM’s products provide against corrosion .
James Briggs Limited intends to bring
a new range of aerosol automotive paint
primers containing AGM graphene to
market , setting new levels of corrosion
protection in the aerosol automotive paint
market.
P2i, a liquid repellent nanocoating
producer is launching legal action against
a Chinese company for the theft of its
intellectual property. P2i believes that
Jiangsu Favored Nanotechnology Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen Branch (Favored Shenzhen)
has infringed on patents it holds for the
production of its nano coating technology,
used by mobile phone manufacturers to
make their devices water-resistant. The
Favored Shenzhen technology is being
used in handsets currently available in the
Chinese market.
The appearance of the packaging
product post-sale enhances and preserves
brand value.
“Cosmetics companies understand
that the package is their face to
the world, and products that make
consumers look fabulous should also
look fabulous, even after purchase and
everyday use,” says Martin Ben-Dayan,
CEO of MetaShield LLC. “Competition
within the cosmetics industry is fierce,
with considerable investments being
made in brand image and package
design. Manufacturers realize that to
maintain consumer loyalty, the high
quality perception of their products
also needs to extend beyond the
point of purchase, and address
the overall consumer experience.
MetaShieldCLEAN enables designer
cosmetics vessels to maintain their
beauty and brilliant artistry well after
purchase by dramatically reducing the
accumulation of dirt and smears.”
Nano-Care Deutschland AG has
recently introduced a new anti-
bacterial nanocoating. Contrary to
silver ion based biocides that work to
disrupt the microbial metabolism, the
product, Liquid Guard, is a physical
barrier. The liquid provides a structure
of sharp, spike like molecules that
quite literally rupture the cell walls of
incoming microorganisms, causing
them to burst and become harmless.
https://www.liquidguard.de/
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2019
NANONEWSENERGY
Nippon Chemi-
Con Corp. is
commerc ia l iz ing
a new carbon
material for use in lithium-ion
secondary batteries (LiBs). Made
using nano-hybrid technology,
the new material was can triple
or even quadruple battery cycle
characteristics when applied
to cathodes as a conductive
agent. By allowing battery
performance to be maintained
even after frequent charging and
discharging, the innovation could
help to extend LiB lifespan.
The product, NH Carbon, is based
on nanoparticles. It exhibits
excellent conductivity, and when
applied to LiB cathode materials,
forms a coating around cathode
active substances. Unlike
conventional carbon-based
conductive agents, which scatter
particles across the surfaces of
active substances, NH Carbon
serves to blanket such active
substances. This allows it to provide
better charging characteristics
as a conductive agent, and can
be used to increase electrode
density.
The coating of an active substance
is also said to suppress metal
elution from the substance.
In testing this, NH carbon was
applied to a nickel–manganese–
cobalt ternary cathode material,
the battery’s electrolyte solution
was imbued with 1000 parts per
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NANOTECH MAGAZINE 2019
NANO SOLAR PANELSApplied Quantum Materials Inc. is
developing solar panel technology that
can potentially be used in window panels,
reducing the need for remote power
generation and reducing greenhouse
gas emissions. The company designs and
manufactures silicon nanomaterials for
semiconductor processing and silicon
quantum dots for displays, solar windows,
sensors and medical imaging reagents.
According to CEO David Antoniuk: “We can
apply a coating to the glass and the glass
can absorb energy and it can transform
that energy to solar cells which are located
on the edges of the window-frame. What
you have is simply glass that’s coated, it’s
transparent and it generates electricity.
So for a building, it could be a net zero
building.”
The company is collaborating with All-
Weather Windows to design and build
the windows. The company also has an
agreement with PCL Construction to
incorporate the technology into sustainable
buildings. They hope to revolutionize the
building industry and reduce the carbon
footprint of infrastructure.
AQM is a spin-off from the University
of Alberta and became operational in
September 2016 as a private corporation.
Further information at https://www.
aqmaterials.com/
New carbon ma-terials provide
better charging characteristics as conductive
agents.
million of water, and electrodes were
impregnated at a temperature of 60
degrees Celsius for a week. This was
found to reduce metal elution by more
than standard conductive agents, with
manganese elution in particular being
roughly halved. Nippon Chemi-Con
is currently shipping samples of the
product.
Xtalic Corporation has entered the
electric vehicle market with products
that extend the life of connectors in
electric battery chargers by up to 40
times.
Founded by the head of the
Department of Material Science and
Engineering at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Xtalic has
commercialized products with
30 leading electronics firms and
continues to leverage its proprietary
toolkit to design and to patent stable
nanostructured materials. Xtalic’s
Dynamic Nanostructure Control
process supercharges relatively benign
and widely available materials to break
through demanding requirements
for hardness, strength, corrosion
resistance, and durability. Xtalic
has applied its XTRONIC and LUNA
nanostructured alloys to lengthen the
service lives of electric vehicle charger
connectors.