Picture of the day

"Nanochain"

False-color transmission electron microscope image of self-assembled gold nanochains produced at the University of Chicago. The center-to-center spacing between neighboring chains measures 50 nanometers. Individual gold nanoparticles measure 5 to 10 nanometers and self-assemble inside the polystyrene domains of a thin copolymer film. Polymethylmethacrylate domains of the film, on either side of the chains, do not contain nanoparticles and appear dark. (click to see full sized version)

Image Courtesy of and Copyright &#0169 Heinrich Jaeger and Ward Lopes.

Read the press release University of Chicago physicists pioneer method for nanotechnology fabrication.

Quote of the day

Much social unrest can be traced directly to material poverty, ill health, and ignorance. Molecular manufacturing can eliminate material poverty—at least by today's standards; post-MM standards may be considerably higher. Products of molecular manufacturing can greatly improve health by eliminating conditions that cause disease, including poor sanitation, insects, and malnutrition. Widespread availability of computers and communication devices can provide exposure to other cultures and diverse points of view, and create an understanding of a broader social context in which to evaluate actions and beliefs. (Unfortunately, mass communication also gives demagogues a wider audience, which may undo some of this benefit.) MM certainly will not cure or prevent social unrest, but it will remove many tangible causes of distress.

From: Benefits of Molecular Manufacturing

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When ignorance comes a-knocking, answer with the shotgun of science.

"Tod" (Tony Daniel - Superluminal)

State of the Nanomaterials

In 2004 I interviewed companies about their nanoscale materials. Today, I’d like to present their answers to my last question, along with miscellaneous notes and updates on each, and some observations I made along the way.


RR: What new types of materials do you expect to be creating in 5 years, and what properties do you expect them to exhibit that differ from today's materials?


David Carnahan, President NanoLab: Outside of our internal device development efforts, we are also working to expand our offerings of nanoparticles, nanowires, etc. The ability to grow, place or manipulate these particles on various substrates will be important to device manufacturers. For the nanotubes, we look to a strong future in advanced composites.

(RR) NanoLab has expanded their product list, and appears to be (as they said they would) putting greater effort into nanotubes. Their bulk MWCNT prices are among the lowest I have seen (100 grams @ $8/gr). See http://www.nano-lab.com/carbonnanotubeproducts.html


Jason Lemkin, Chief Business Officer NanoGram Devices Corporation: We have developed almost 100 nanoscale compositions and are focused on the biomedical and energy storage spaces.

(RR) In 2004, NanoGram Devices Corporation was sold for $45 million to Wilson Greatbatch Technologies.


Patrick Collins, Marketing Director Hyperion Catalysis: In addition to being used as a conductive additive, there has been recent work by a number of researchers that indicates that nanotubes are an excellent non-halogenated flame retardant for plastics. They are effective at the same low loading as in ESD applications, thus giving better retention of the resin's physical properties.

(RR) They now produce multiple tons of MWCNT, but only as part of other products such as thermoplastic resins (nylon, polycarbonate, polyesters, PEEK, PEI and others). The incorporation of nanotubes into resins appears to have huge potential, potentially effecting several major industries, such as aerospace, military, and automobile.


Sharron G. Penn, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Nanoplex Technologies: Nanoplex Technologies Inc. is continuing to develop future generations of encoded nanoparticles for a variety of applications.

(RR) Nanoplex Technologies is now part of the Oxonica family. They remain in the business of “detection technologies enabling a full spectrum of transformational diagnostic tools that bridge the healthcare market from drug discovery, to the clinical laboratory and point-of-care.”


Jessica Lu, General Manager Nanocs: We are developing our series products with better performance and more functions. (Functional nanocrystals with special optical, electrical, magnetic properties and bioactivity, including carbon nanotubes, conducting and semiconducting nanocrystals, nano magnetic particles and related nanoscale thin film.)

(RR) Nanocs remains in the nanotube, nanoparticle, and tools business.


Julien Roux, Market Analyst and Business Development Manager, Nanoledge: Nanoledge develops a unique nanotube macroscopic fiber. This fiber will be used as mechanical reinforcement, and is composed of more than 60% in weight of carbon nanotubes, aligned in the fiber.

(RR) Nanoledge remains in the nanotube business. They now offer a CNT filled resin (the nanotubes being supplied by Arkema).


Jonathon Foreman, Marketing and Sales Manager NexTech Materials: We plan to vastly increase our efforts in catalysis and sensor materials.

(RR) Their emphasis (as shown on their website) is now fuel cell and fuel processing components; Catalyst and Sensors, and SOFC and Components.


Olivier Decroly, Sales & Applications Manager Nanocyl: Carbon nanotubes with more controlled properties: electronics, surface chemistry, geometry - these will be true nanoengineered materials.

(RR) Nanocly remains in the nanotube business, offering multiple varieties. Their current list of applications is impressive (http://www.nanocyl.com/applications/intro.php).


Keith A. Blakely, CEO NanoDynamics: We anticipate that over the next several years, NanoDynamics will be expanding its commercial product offering to include a much wider range of specific metals and metal oxides for various applications in semiconductor, microelectronic, biomedical, catalysis, and energy applications. We also anticipate that our efforts in nanostructured carbon will permit the incorporation of nanotubes into more and more composite applications, where the exceptional strength of CNTs will enhance the performance of numerous polymer-based materials.

(RR) To-date NanoDynamics’ most visible product remains the NDMX golf ball, which isn’t to say that they aren’t worth watching, quite the contrary. Keep an eye on their fuel cell materials, life sciences, and nano-enabled materials.


Katrin Mohrlueder, NanoDel Technologies GmbH: (We) expect to create nanoparticles or nanocapsules consisting of alternative biodegradable polymers and or co-polymers having a particular surface for the targeted delivery of drugs to specific sites within the body (organ-specific drug targeting, e.g. lungs, gastro-intestinal-tract). This can be done either by modifying the surface of the nanoparticles using standard organic chemistry or by adsorption of antibodies.

(RR) Worth watching: their blood brain barrier nanoparticles. Take a look at Doxorubicin, a patent-protected nanoparticle/doxorubicin formulation for the treatment of brain tumors. http://www.nanodeltech.com/products.shtml


Wayne Daniell, CEO NanoScape AG: We aim to make hybrid materials combining the advantages of mixed meso and microporosity, with enhanced selectivity to both adduct and product, and combine nanocrystalline materials with microcrystalline, to ensure thermal stability and longevity.

(RR) “Novel materials combined with surface functionalization, coating and encapsulation technologies.” Nanocrystalline materials: “They form a highly flexible materials platform from which, through structural modification and surface functionalization, a plethora of further tailor-made products can be realized.” The reason I make more of this is due to their excellent description as to why nanoscale materials radically change the game.


Mark Wilson Ph.D., NanoHorizons: In the next five years we plan to be developing nanostructured materials in such areas as: chemical sensors and processes for manufacturing flexible electronic devices. Our sensor program is oriented toward low cost detection of chemicals, including but not limited to water vapor, with extraordinary response speed and sensitivity. Our materials for flexible electronics will allow high performance microelectronics to be placed on flexible substrates. This will allow CMOS logic and memory devices, which must be made at high temperatures, to be placed on low temperature flexible surfaces.

(RR) Keep an eye on their: Matrix-Less MALDI Technology, Photovoltaics and Organic LEDs, and Sensors. I have been watching their anti-ordor nanoscale silver technology, which was recently chosen by Shock Doctor for the sporting goods lines. Here’s what they say: “a nanoscale-engineered additive designed to create permanent anti-odor and antimicrobial protection in fibers and fabrics.” As a racquetball player I can attest to the potential market in this area! (http://www.nanohorizons.com/PR01102007.shtml)


Cheryl V. Sherman, Powdermet: Powdermet will be producing engineered magnetic materials having higher energy density and lower losses, and greater corrosion and temperature stability than current materials. We will also be producing engineered friction materials with greater temperature capability, reduced wear and more stable friction coefficients. Also, Powdermet will be producing multi-functional materials with properties not yet seen together in the natural word.

(RR) Their product line has expanded. See http://powdermetinc.com/Products.html


Sami Mardini, Kainos Energy Corporation: The compositional versatility and direct conversion of precursors to SOFC layers from using the LRD approach will be leveraged to create high performance materials for SOFC cells, interconnects, and seals. Among the advances these materials will provide are fuel flexibility, lower operating temperature, higher electrocatalytic activity, less degradation, and increased hermeticity without compromising cost.

(RR) I have been watching Kainos Energy Corporation and their energy (fuel cell) technologies for years. This is just one of many companies that stand a chance of making the big bucks with their nanotechnologies. As they say “Recent market projections estimate a $46B global fuel cell market by 2011.” I think we can reasonably extrapolate a trillion-dollar market by the late teens. Think that potential market might spur radical change, massive investment, and a whole new Fortune 500 lineup?


Read the rest of the interview at http://www.nanotech-now.com/products/nanonewsnow/issues/009/009.htm#survey


A couple things struck me while building this entry:

There are more “legit” nanoscale materials companies now than 2004.

There are more nanoscale materials companies that look like good bets and are receiving solid investment dollars.

There are more nanoscale materials companies making inroads in consumer products.

Energy technologies and high strength-to-weight ratio materials are being taken to the next level by nanoscale materials.

In my opinion, the potential market for nanoscale materials rivals that all but a few. In fact, as mentioned above, we’re likely to see several trillion-dollar markets by the late teens, all of them enabled by nanoscale materials.

In the lifetime of most boomers, nanoscale materials will be a part of many every day things.

Where strength to weight is an important factor, expect to see nanotubes become a significant contributing factor into tomorrow’s advanced aerospace, military, and then consumer products.

Medicine will find many uses for nanoscale materials, in how we diagnose, treat and prevent disease.


In retrospect, none of those observations surprised me, or will surprise anyone who has been watching nanoscale materials. For many years the trend has been towards the nanoscale, simply for the increased surface area. Now we are learning how to exploit the different physical properties exhibited only at the nanoscale. The possibilities seem endless.

Picture of the day

"Nanowire"

False-color transmission electron microscope image of self-assembled silver nanowires produced at the University of Chicago. Silver wires in this image are colored blue-grey. The different color shades correspond to different orientations of small crystallites that have flues to form the wires. Polymethylmethacrylate domains between the wires are not wetted by silver metal and appear pinkish. The center-to-center spacing between neighboring wires is 50 nanometers. (click to see full sized version)

Image Courtesy of and Copyright © Heinrich Jaeger and Ward Lopes.

Read the press release University of Chicago physicists pioneer method for nanotechnology fabrication.

Quote of the day

Undoubtedly, nanoscience and nanotechnology constitute a major growth area of scientific and technological research in the new century, with the potential to transform the human condition so radically as to be barely imaginable today.

~Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Nanophotonics

Breakthrough nanotech product?

OK, so we’ve got nanopants, nanotech golf club shafts, nanosilver coated washing machines, and several hundred (1) other “nano” products. I have just one question for you: “Have you seen any of these products make a huge dent in their respective markets?” No? Neither have I. Don’t get me wrong, these are all cool products, but none of them, so far, have displaced their “old tech” counterparts to any significant degree.

Well, soon we’ll have, for our homes and offices, white light LED lighting devices. Why does this matter? It matters because these “bulbs” could reduce your lighting bill by 90%. Could white light LED bulbs be the product that brings nanotech into every household? And in so doing be the breakthrough that pundits and investors have been salivating over for the past 6+ years?

In order for those questions to be answered, we must ask another: “What will consumers and businesses buy lots and lots of?” Answer: Firstly, Things that save them money! Consider the previously mentioned 90% reduction in your lighting bill. Consider the impact it could have on your household expenses. Consider the impact it could have on offices, industrial buildings, factories, etc., where every penny saved can and often does mean a penny reduction in product costs. Secondly, things that satisfies their desire to “go green” (which we’ll save for another day). We also have to ask about cost: “What will this product cost over it’s life-span?” We’ll get to that in a bit.

In an article by Pacific Gas and Electric (2) on LED holiday light strands (the colored variety, not the pure white ones), they compare the operating costs of LED strands against mini incandescent and large incandescent strands. The estimated cost of running a strand of large incandescent bulbs for 225 hours is $76.55, and for the mini incandescent, $4.92. The estimated cost of running the LED strand is $.47 – that’s right, 47 cents! Yes, they cost more up front (3), but consider this, they are estimated to last for more than 50,000 hours. Compare that to the average of 750 hours for incandescent bulbs, and 10,000 hours for compact fluorescent bulbs (4), and I think you will reach the same conclusion that many other penny-wise households have: over a fairly short period, LED bulbs save $$$ (the article puts it this way “LED light strings (will) more than pay for themselves within a season or two”).

Referring back to the PG&E article (4), let’s do a little math, using updated cost estimates for compact fluorescent bulbs. A quick search at Google finds several dot-coms selling compact fluorescent bulbs for as little as $10 per. And if memory serves, I have purchased them on sale for as little as $3 per. OK then, on to the calculations.

According to a DOE study done in 1993, US households “contain a total of 523 million lights that are on 1 or more hours a day--282 million of these are on 4 or more hours a day.” For their calculations they used a cost of about $22 each for compact fluorescent bulbs, compared to 75 cents each for incandescent bulbs. They determined that “Potential aggregate U.S. household energy savings for replacement of all incandescent bulbs used more than 4 hours per day amounts to 31.7 billion kWh annually.” And this was in 1993, when we spent ~5 cents per kWh, which would yield nearly $1.6 billion in savings. Today, here in Oregon we are apparently spending ~7.62 cents per kWh (5), whereas in Connecticut they are spending ~17.27 cents per kWh (Note to residents of Connecticut: Don’t be mad at us Oregonians for our “cheap” electricity; we pay more for gasoline than any state except Hawaii). The average across the US was (in Oct. 2006) 10.55 cents/kWh, which, if you use it with the 1993 figure of 31.7 billion kWh savings, comes to ~$3.5 billion. And that, folks, ain’t peanuts!

Without belaboring the math, consider the annual savings now that the cost of a compact fluorescent bulb is no higher than $10 (and on sale at around $3). A rough calculation indicates several billion more in savings.

OK then, how about extrapolating the savings we might realize by replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs? Well, we can’t, at least not until we get some cost estimates, which currently are unavailable. That said, at the end of the day, I’d pay a premium for them, just as I do now for the compact fluorescent bulbs I use.


Which brings us to an article I read today at Nanotechnology Now, titled Lighting the way - LED for home use will make for most efficient bulb.

PolyBrite International, a maker of “LED collars for dogs, armbands for joggers, batons for the military to land aircraft and batons for police to direct traffic” is set to produce white light LEDs.

“PolyBrite has developed the first screw-in, white-light (LED) bulbs in the typical sizes used in the home, such as the equivalent to 65- and 75-watt bulbs, each using 90 percent less energy than traditional lighting.”

“It used nanotechnology to build a bulb lens from nano-sized silicon that lets through 40 percent more light than is possible with other materials, creating a bright white bulb.”

According to the article, expect to see these bulbs become available to the office market within 60 days, and for the home within the next year.

Like many other households, in an effort to reduce electricity use in our house we have replaced incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, even though they cost more up front. So if these new LED bulbs live up to their billing, then I won’t be surprised if they become the first major nanotech-enabled products that displaces several old technologies.

As I said earlier, pricing is not currently available, but if they start out even close to the price of compact fluorescent bulbs then expect the market for them to boom. And once it does, expect the price to drop as production scales up. Even if they come in at $40 per, they will, over time, save you money.

And I won’t get into their use in China, with over 1.3 billion potential electric lighting consumers and a rapidly growing industrial capacity; that’s a whole other blog post, for another day.

Oh yeah, did you catch that I didn’t factor in the escalating cost of energy, the worldwide movement to green technologies, and the real cost of oil? Consider these when you think about how rapidly energy saving technologies like these LEDs will start to change the game.


(1) http://www.nanotechproject.org/index.php?id=44&action=view

(2) http://www.pge.com/res/holiday_lighting.html

(3) “a string of 35 LED lights costs from $8 to $10, while a string of 100 LED lights retails for $10 to $15”

(4) http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/lighting/chap3.html

(5) http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html


To learn more, visit these links:

http://www.polybrite.com/

Lighting The Way
http://www.suntimes.com/business/222395,CST-FIN-led22.article

The Advantages of LED Lights
http://www.earthtoys.com/emagazine.php?issue_number=05.08.01&article=chan

High-efficiency Fluorescent Lighting Cost Savings Calculator
http://www.sdearthtimes.com/ET_Lighting_Work.html