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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.

2

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,


New nanotech and nanomaterials

products in Japan.

3


MARKET NEWS

FROM EDITORNOTE

Government, regulation & policy

news -February-March 2019.

Latest carbon nanotubes product news-


P.15

P.18

P.20

Subscribe to Nanotech Magazine to receive

all the latest monthly news and views on this

fast developing advanced technology market,

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

www.nanotechmag.com/

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

4


5


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.

6


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

7


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.

8


NANOTECHNEWS

PRODUCT

February-March 2019

9


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.

10


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

11


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.

12


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

13


£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

14


GRAPHENENEWS

PRODUCT

February-March 2019

15


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.

16


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.

17


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.

18


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

19


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

20


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-

21


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.

22


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.

23


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/

24


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

25


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.

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