what’s inside all the latest on nanotechnology in …anti-fingerprint focus on companies...

ALL THE LATEST ON NANOTECHNOLOGY IN PRODUCTS £5WHAT’S INSIDE

NanotechISSUE 009 | SEPTEMBER 2012

Special focus on construction

NANOHOUSEBuilding the ffuture...

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An in-depth look atNanoadhesives and sealants

FOCUS FOCUS MATERIALS

Anti-fingerprintFocus on companies develop-ing novel nanocoatings for anti-fingerprint applications in consumer electronics, automo-tive and household sectors.

InsulationThe latest on aerogel and nanofoam techonolo-gies for household insulation.

AdhesivesA look at the latest develop-ments in nanotech-enabled adhesives and sealants, includ-ing gecko inspired develop-ments.

MATERIALS

NanoCoatings | P6

Nano Cement | P16

Nanotechnology in Russia | P16

IN THIS ISSUE SEPT 2012

On the coverP16 NANOCOMPOSITES IN CEMENT. How nanomaterials are driving

the new generation of cement products.

P4 NANOADHESIVES. A rarely publicised application area for nanomaterials but one which could have important implications for a variety of markets.

FeaturesP6 NANOCOATINGS. A look at nanomaterials currently being

applied to a wide variety of surfaces with multi-functional properties inside and outside buildings.

P8 ANTI-FINGERPRINT COATINGS. Profiles of some of the leading anti-fingerprint application developers, impacting both household surfaces and especially consumer electronics and displays.

P12 NANOINSULATION. A special feature on the market and players in aerogels, one of the main markets for nanomaterials in the construction sector.

Regulars

P3 EDITORIAL.

P19 NANOBUSINESS NEWS. All the latest industry news on nanotech.

ContentsSEPT 2012 | EDITION 9 | NANOTECH MAGAZINE

Nanotech MagazineNanotech Magazine is published monthly by Future Markets, Inc. Tel +44 (0) 131 478 0921Fax +44 (0) 872 115 4084 Web www.futuremarketsinc.com

To subscribe, advertise or submit news articles or press releases contact [email protected]. © Future Markets, Inc. 2012

www.nanotechmag.com2

EDITORS INTROWELCOME

In this issue...editors top picks from this edition

NANOINSULATIONA special focus on the aerogels market and

main producers.

NANOCOMPOSITESNanomaterials for the next generation of products in cement and construction.

NANOADHESIVESMegan Davies takes a look at one of the less-

heralded markets for nanomaterials.

ANTI-FINGERPRINT COATINGS A look at application developers of nano-enabled anti-fingerprint coatings.

NANOCOATINGSTypes of nanocoatings being commerically

developed for buildings and houses.

NANOBUSINESS NEWSA monthly digest of key nanotechnology

industry developments.

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WElcome to the ninth is-sue of Nanotech maga-zine. The magazine is brought to you by

Future Markets (www.futuremarketsinc.com), the world’s leading provider of nanotechnology and nanomaterials market information. Na-notech magazine will provide you with all the latest industry relevant news, views, features and opinion. This unique industry focus will al-low us to cut through all the hype surrounding nanotechnology.

In this months issue we focus on how nanotech is being applied to the household protection, architecture and construction sector. This is taditionally a low-tech sector and one which in particular was heavily hit by the economic downturn. However, improv-ing market conditions in Asia and developing countries and increasing demand for energy efficient housing will ensure increasing usage

of nanomaterials. Nanomaterials offer improved performance properties for adhesives, concrete, coatings, flooring, glass, lighting equipment, plumbing fixtures, and other construction prod-ucts in the home and in the workplace, as well as outdoors. This special edition will provide an in-depth focus on real-world aplications in these markets.

Andy Garland, Editor, Nanotech Magazine

Editorswords

www.nanotechmag.com 3

NANOMATERIALS FOCUS

NANOADHESIVESNanomaterials incorporated into adhesives and sealants is rarely publicised but could have important implications for the electronics and packaging sectors in particular.

According to the Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC), the global adhesives and sealants market in 2011 was worth $40.5 billion. Nanoscale materials incorporated into fillers, rheological modifiers and coupling agents

provide adhesives and sealants with improved properties such as increased strength and flexibility, rheological control, flame resistance, and improved durability and recyclability.

Adhesives and sealants incorporating nanomaterials are mainly found in the construction, electronics (metal oxides, silver nanowires, silver and nanotubes as electrically conductive interconnects), automotive and aerospace/aviation sectors. The main fillers used in the production of nano-enabled adhesives and sealants are fumed silica, nano precipitated calcium carbonate, carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanomaterials. Newer nano-materials under development include graphene and nanocellulose.

Metal oxide nanomaterialsMetal oxide nanomaterials allow for structural adhesives with a

combination of thermal, electrical or thermoelectrical properties which also provide higher environmental durability due to their lower water ab-sorption and enhanced ageing properties. Adhesives containing magnetic nanoparticles can be heated using an external magnetic filed resulting in rapid curing. This allows for a shorter bonding process and lower process temperatures.

Bayer MateralScience (www.bayercoatings.de) produce Dispercoll® S dispersions, waterborne, anionic colloid dispersion of amorphous silica with a particle size of 5 to 100 nm for use in adhesives and sealants. Aplica-tions are in the automotive, furniture, wood, textile, paper and flexible packaging sectors.

Figure 1: Dispercoll® S dispersions (Credit: Bayer MaterialScience)

Evonik (nano.evonik.com) produces Magsilica, a nanoscale iron oxide embedded in silicon dioxide for use in adhesive formulations to allow for bonding and debonding on command. The concept is to use an alternating magnetic field applied by mobile generators to heat the nanoparticles in an adhesive layer locally so that the layer can cure in the field. Subsequent heating at a higher energy rating would cause the cured adhesive to soften and debond. This technique could also be used to cure or debond adhesive materials or coatings at specific locations on a substrate. The adhesives have significantly improved tear resistance, fracture toughness and modulus and significantly improved adhesion to inorganic substrates (e.g. to glass).

Precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC)Nanoscale calcium carbonate can greatly improve the hardness, flex-

ibility, strength, bending resistance, abrasion resistance, the white degree and surface purity of polymer products and improve polymer processing function. Compared with the general calcium carbonate, it can better dis-persion in rubber, PVC, PP and PE. PCCs act as fillers in sealants. Due to their scale (down to 60nm) they add reinforcement and increased strength. This scale allow for a large number of particles capable of interacting and build-ing rheologcal structure, adding viscosity, yield value, control of slump and sag and ease of application. Companies producing Nanoscale PCC include Specialty Minerals (www.specialtyminerals.com).

Fumed SilicaNano-fumed silica is a commercial nanopowder produced by high-

temperature gas phase processes via flame synthesis technology. It has excellent reinforcing, thickening and thixotropic features and has found application in adhesives as well in rubbers, inks, colloid storage batteries and composite insulators. Evonik Degussa, Wacker Chemie AG, and Cabot the market.

Carbon NanotubesNanotubes have been used to reinforce epoxy adhesives for ap-

plication in packaging, sporting goods, automotive, electronics, foot-wear, construction repair and remodeling, textiles, consumer goods, and shipbuilding, etc. Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. produces CNTstix™, an ultra-strong carbon-nanotube reinforced epoxy adhesive for structural ap-plications. Tested by a leading independent laboratory, the adhesion tear strength of CNTstix™ is more than 60% higher than that of a popular adhe-sive manufactured by a leading industry competitor. Zyvex Performance Materials produces a Epovex Adhesive™ line of two-part epoxy adhesives they claim are stronger and less expensive than conventional aerospace

BY MEGAN DAVIES


NANOMATERIALSFOCUS

The Main Play-ers...

adhesives. According to Zyvex laboratory tests have proven the superior T-peel and shear strength of Epovex Adhesives in composite to compos-ite bonds, composite to metal bonds, and composite to wood bonds. In independent testing against leading industry competitors, Epovex Adhesive demonstrated 50% greater performance in T-peel strength (ASTM standard D1876) and a 15% improvement in shear strength (ASTM D1002).

GrapheneThe high aspect ratio of graphene makes it an attractive filling materials

for conductive adhesives, as less material is needed to form a percolative network. This conductive composite with adhesive properties can be used in forming electrical circuits and thin films on temperature sensitive substrates. XG Sciences produces graphene for application in adhesives. xGnP™ consists of exfoliated graphite nano-platelets. They are small stacks of graphene sheets made through a proprietary manufacturing process. These platelets can be produced in sizes ranging from 5 micron to 25+ microns in diameter and with various surface treatments. They are typically supplied as a dry powder.

Figure 2: Image of grpahene structure

NanosilverNanosilver filled conductive adhesives and pastes find application

in electronics packaging. In comparison to conventional soldering-based interconnection technology, electrical conductive adhesives have a number of advantages including: finer pitch capability, lower processing temperature requirements, and are more environmentally friendly than lead-containing solders. Silver nanoparticles are being incorporated into conductive adhe-sives and pastes mainly to improve electrical conductivity and mechanical stability. Silver has the highest room temperature electrical and thermal conductivity among all metals.

NanocelluloseCellulose is a biopolymer consisting of long chains of glucose with

unique structural properties, whose supply is practically inexhaustible. Nanocellulose is natural and renewable, biodegradable, biocompatible, has high strength and modulus, high surface area, high aspect ratio, chemical functionality (e.g. for modification), dimensional stability, moisture absorp-tion properties and thermal stability (~200oC) amongst others. There are three different domains of nanocelluosic materials:

• NFC NanoFibrillar Cellulose• NCC NanoCrystalline Cellulose • BC Bacterial Cellulose.In recent years, composite materials of cellulose and conductive

polymers have received significant attention. Nanocellulose is being devel-oped for strength enhancing additives for renewable and biodegradable

composites, with the cellulosic nanofibrillar structures as a binder between the two organic phases are being produced for improved fracture toughness and prevention of crack formation for application in packaging, construction materials, appliances and renewable fibres. They are attractive because of their wide abundance, their renewable and environmentally benign nature, and their outstanding mechanical properties.

Applications include:• Reinforced polymers• High-strength spun fibres and textiles• Advanced composite materials• Films for barrier and other properties• Additive for coatings, paints, lacquers and adhesivesStrength enhancement with nanocellulose increases both the binding

area and binding strength for application in high strength, high bulk, high filler content paper and board with enhanced moisture and oxygen barrier properties.

Figure 3: Cross-section of a fracture surface of a cellulose nanofibril film. (Credit: Courtesy of American Chemical Society)

There are still a range of issues to overcome before nanomaterials will be widely incorporated into adhesives and sealants, especially cost. However progress is being made as industry recognizes the benefits afforded by these materials, not least of all environmental sustainability. In a recent develop-ment researchers at the University of Akron (UA) received funding to develop their research into the adhesive properties of gecko feet. The researchers at UA have created a new kind of “glueless” adhesive that sticks without the stickiness. The spin-out company, ADAP Nanotech (http://adapnanotech.com) utilizes carbon nanotubes to produce NanoTIM dry adhesives for ap-plication in microprocessors, electrical circuits, sporting goods, solar cells and display devices.

www.technologyreview.com 5

Sick Building SyndromePhotocatalyst nanocoatings control Sick Building Syndrome by removing Volatile Organic Compounds emitted from building materials and furniture and create a purer space for comfortable living and working conditions.

COATINGS FOCUS

Highlighted

In this section we profile nanocoatings in the construction and building sector, one of the largest markets for nanomaterials.

Find out more p12

NANO INSULATION

A look insideThe latest nanotech innovations in the aerogel insulation industry.

Nanomateri-als are particu-larly suited

to protecting the surface of various construction materials such as glass, concrete, sand limestone or marble from envi-ronmental influences like water staining, moss, algae as well as soot and oil stains; and also function as corrosion inhibitors for reinforced steel. Paints and surface coatings are commer-cially available that create a low energy facing thus rendering a building surface highly hydro- and oleophobic, thereby help-ing to prolong maintenance cycles and reduce cleaning.

Dirt repellent pro-tective paints and photocata-lytic coatings

are the most prominent applica-tions in the construction and exterior protection industry. Dirt collection (accumulation)

in building exteriors poses considerable problems for building maintenance. Cleaning such building surfaces is gener-ally done by using detergents accompanied with scrubbing, wiping and high-pressure water jets. These processes have sev-eral shortcomings such as use of chemical detergents, high con-sumption of energy and labour cost. This naturally leads to high maintenance costs; therefore, an effective self-cleaning coat-ing is desirable. In recent years, self-cleaning coatings using photocatalytic Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) have gained consider-able industry attention. With assistance of little UV light from fluorescence source or sunlight, TiO2 offers two unique proper-ties: (a) strong oxidation power, and (b) super-hydrophilicity. Strong oxidation power can be used to kill bacteria attached on the wall, or oxidize/remove foul smells from stains in toilets

(e.g., TiO2-coated tile and TiO2-coated glass are commercially available). Super-hydrophilic properties allow dirt and stains to be easily washed away with water or by rainfall when such a coating is applied to exterior surfaces.

Nanopowders have been added to construc-

tion ceramics which include floor and wall tiles, countertop ceramics and sanitary ware products have found place on the market with self-cleaning, anti-bacterial, hygienic and scratch resistant features. This is one of the largest markets for nanomaterials and will continue to grow significantly in the next decade.

CoatingsA look at nanomaterials currently being commerically ap-plied to coatings for architecture and construction.


COATINGSFOCUS

Ceramics

Easy-clean/Anti-fouling

Self-cleaning Coatings

UV-resistant

Nanopowders have been added to construc-tion ceramics, which include floor and wall tiles, countertop ceramics and sanitary ware products that have found place on the mar-ket with self-cleaning, anti-bacterial, hygienic and scratch resistant features. Nanoparticles exhibit properties of water/dirt repellency, UV protection, antibacterial, anti-corrosion for application on glass.

Anti-fouling and easy-to-clean nanocoat-ings have gained impressive market traction, especially in the building materials, marine and household (mainly bathroom) sectors. A number of large multinationals, including Evonik Degussa, Dupont, Schott, 3M and Corning produce anti-fouling and easy-to-clean coatings for a variety of markets.

Nanoparticle TiO2 self-cleaning coating greatly benefit building maintenance, espe-cially for skyscrapers, as they reduce the need for costly surface cleaning. Photocatalyst coatings are also used to improve indoor air quality by reducing the amount of volatile organic compound and other toxic chemicals people are exposed to in hotels, restaurants, commercial business facilities, university laboratories, hospitals and residences.

Nanovations’ Lignol wood coatings are water-based, VOC-free, clear impregnating wood coatings containing nanoscale UV absorb-ers. Nanovations 3001, designed for use on masonry and concrete surfaces, provides superior water repellency, reduces efflores-cence, and provides significantly improved abrasion resistance.

Coatings

“Building exteriors benefit from sustainable photocatalytic coatings by eliminating any contaminants that are causing the building to become dirty such as the oil content from car exhausts and mold or mildew stains. ”

Deck CoatingsThere are a number of nano-enabled products for the protection and cooling of wooden decks and railings. These transparent protective coating help to cool deck surface temperatures as well as protect the wood from moisture, UV and weathering, while also being resistant to mold and algae growth.

PaintRheology, settling, surface energy, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of paint can be improved via the addition of nano-particles. Adding nanoparticles gives paint scratchproof, easy cleaning, air purifying, UV resistant, water repellence, flame retardancy and anti-bacterial features.

Anti-Microbial CoatingsSilver nanoparticles have been commer-cialized that destroy mold and mildew, fungi spores, and bacteria on contact. The nanoparticles are stabilized with additives and integrated homogeneously into the polymer matrix. Antimicrobial activity does not decrease with time because the solid nanoparticles are not volatile, like many com-monly used biocide additives.

Anti-graffitiAnti-stick properties of nanocoatings leads to less staining and easy-cleaning-effect on exterior and interior surfaces. Anti-graffiti properties mean that stubborn stains such as graffiti, which in the past called for intensive cleaning efforts can be washed away simply with a high pressure hose


COATINGS INDUSTRY

n-Tec GmbHwww.nanoquadrat.de

THE COMPANYThe company is privately owned and involved in the development, production and sale of surface coatings in the nanoscale range.

TECHNOLOGYThe company produce easy-to-clean, photocatalytic, anti-fingerprint, anti-scratch coating properties for metals, glasses and polymers with automotive applica-tion as head lights, windows, felloe, varnishes as well as the vehicle industry in general. Main products are:

• x-photocat PSC: Photocatalytical self-cleaning and superhydrophilic coating for metals, glasses and polymers

• x-photocat PSCF: Photocatalytical self-cleaning and superhydro-philic coating with “Easy to Clean” properties for metals, glasses and polymers

Markets• Sanitary equipment: Armatures made of steel, soap and paper dispenser, binds, doors

• Kitchen and household appli-ances: kitchen sink, exhaust ven-tilation, hearth blind, refrigerator, mixer, coffee machine)

• Buildings: Doors, gates, door-handle, elevators, letter-box, entry-phone

• Metal cupboards and furniture

• Articles for daily use made of stainless steel, cooper, brass or bronze

Anti-fingerprint coatings find application on stainless steel surfaces, plastics and glass. There is a high demand for clean surfaces presenting a perfect, hygienic optical appearance insensitive to fin-

gerprints. These coatings are particularly suitable for designer surfaces in car interiors, households and buildings. Companies are focusing on high-performance surfaces for plastics and metals - a fast-growing market with strong margins and an annual volume of around EUR 800 million across Europe in 2010, and touch panels. There has been a sharp increase in the demand for touch panels used in a wide range of consumer products such as car navigation systems, smart phones and tablet PCS and the market has been expanding year by year. An impor-tant element for touch screens is an anti-fingerprint property in order to prevent deterioration and numerous lipophobic/lipophilic coating technologies have been proposed. Beyond the aesthetics, fingerprint smudges can interfere with actual viewing under conditions such as bright sunlight. This problem is more significant when multi-layer optical coatings are applied to the touch screens, usually to enhance

high-ambient-light readability. Then, the presence of fingerprints can cause unattractive bluish smudges that can make the device almost unreadable. For military or medical applications, fingerprints that affect readability in high ambient light are a serious concern.

Structured stainless steel surfaces are used in the house-hold such as housings, facings, decorative mouldings, grips, handles or faucets, general office items and especially decorative utilities and are especially sensitive

to fingerprints. The cleaning requirements of stainless steel products are extensive. Anti-fingerprint nanocoatings reduce fingerprint to a mini-mum and can be simply wiped away with a dry cloth. They facilitate cleaning glass doors, prevent limestone deposits in shower cabins and also offer long-term protection against glass corrosion. According to Toray Industries, if the technology can be widely commercialized, a mar-ket will be created on the scale of an annual coating area of 6,000,000 m2.

Anti-fingerprintProfiles of some of the leading anti-fingerprint application developers.

F

Product nameAvailable from January 2012


COATINGSINDUSTRY

ISTN, Inc. www.istninc.com

THE COMPANYISTN, Inc. was founded in 1997 by Dr. Arthur Yang. Researchers at ISTN Inc. are experts in optical functional coatings and custom-ized water treatment technologies. The company specializes in the development of organic-inorganic nanocomposites using surface-modified nanopore silica.

TECHNOLOGYISTN’s Anti-Stain Hard Coat is a permanent oleophobic and hydro-phobic coating designed to reduce the buildup of contaminants on treated plastic surfaces. This prim-erless hard coat is non-fluorinated and is quickly cured by Ultra Violet light. With its superior oil and water repellent properties, stains such as permanent markers, finger-prints, lime scale, and salt residue can be cleaned off with ease and without the need of harsh cleaning chemicals.

MarketsArchitectural / Building Displays, Advertisement Signage, Cabinets and Display Cases, Televisions, Portable Electronics Displays, Automotive Applications, Ma-rine Applications.

Nanoproofedwww.nanoproofed.de

THE COMPANYThe company is merchandising, applying and offering service func-tioning of protective, easy-clean and self-cleaning nanocoating products.

TECHNOLOGYThe coating material protects matted and shining metal surfaces permanently against fingerprints. It raises the surface smoothness, reduces the soiling and makes easier the cleaning. By a lasting un-ion with the surface the coating is resistant compared with mechani-cal and chemical influence. Markets

Protection glass and ceramics sealing. Under the registered trade-mark “nanoproofed®” the company have partnership dis-tributors all over Germany.

Product nameAvailable from January 2012


INDUSTRY

Sarastro GmbHwww.sarastro-nanotec.com

THE COMPANYSarastro GmbH was founded in 2001 and is a spin-out from Lebniz Institute of New Materials. Core competences are in applied chemi-cal nanotechnology for medicine, medical techniques, life science, hygiene, cosmetics and food.

TECHNOLOGYSarastro produce anti-microbial, hygiene and anti-fingerprinting coatings. Lifetimes of OEM coatings are several years while end con-sumer products are few months (application dependent). Materials and applications patents are held by the company. Application patents are jointly held by industry partners.

MarketsApplications areas are medicine and medical technology, hygiene surfaces, soft cleaning tissues, textiles for automotives.

Nano-X GmbHwww.nano-x.de

THE COMPANYPrivately owned coatings company founded in 1999.

TECHNOLOGYX-Clean Brand• Easy-to-clean surfaces with nano-effect in the areas of protection against soiling for glass, ceramics and metal, protection against graf-fiti and demoulding aids, to name but a few • Self-cleaning surfaces through the bionic effect or photocatalytic effect for interior and exterior ap-plications • Scratchproof and abrasion-proof coatings for plastics, metals etc. • Multi-functional coatings to pro-tect metals from corrosion • Anti-fingerprint coatings for surfaces of stainless steel • Catalytically active surfaces as coatings to decompose odors, soot or dirt • Protective coatings to prevent dewing and fogging.

MarketsIndustrial applications are mainly in automotive for oxide scale protection and easy to clean coating for automotive glass, as well as the steel industry.

COATINGS


COATINGSINDUSTRY

Clariantwww.clariant.com

THE COMPANYClariant is a global leader in the field of specialty chemicals. Head-quartered in Muttenz near Basel, Switzerland, it generated sales of around CHF 8.1 billion in 2006. I

TECHNOLOGYClariant develops functional nano-coatings based on polysilazanes and organically modified polysi-lazanes. These enable particular effects to be achieved such a gas barriers on foils, protection against corrosion, anti-fog anti-fingerprint, anti-graffiti, photocatalysis, easy-to-clean or heat-dissipating. All products are based on fluoropoly-mer modified nano-particles in solution and can be applied to the substrate by spray application or wiping.

MarketsAutomobile industry, Automo-tive accessories, Metal process-ing, Power plant technology and Anti-graffiti coatings.

Nanogate AGwww.nanogate.com

THE COMPANYThe Nanogate Group is structured in two operating companies: Na-nogate Advanced Materials GmbH and Nanogate Coating Systems GmbH, which offer surface technol-ogy focusing on easy-to-clean coatings. The Nanogate Group is a public company.

TECHNOLOGYThe company concentrates on inorganic-organic nanocompos-ites as well as self-organising nanostructures based on chemical nanotechnology; in particular, the company’s focus lies on materials-based processes to develop, manufacture and market multi-functional materials. Sicralan AP® is a transparent scratchproof coating with anti-fingerprint properties for use on stainless steel surfaces and plastics.

MarketsMain application of the com-pany’s product is on surfaces such as windshields, architec-tural, shower glass, machinery and metals in auto units.


INSULATION INDUSTRY

AerogelsInsulating with Nanotech

AerogelsInsulating with Nanotech

INSULATIONINDUSTRY

Aerogels are driving the next generation of innovative products in household insulation. Nanotech Magazine investigates.

Inthe construction sector, home insulation is of vital importance in reducing heat loss from the home.

Also, according to the 2011 report Energy and Building, in 2005, 8.3 Gt of CO2 was emitted from poorly insulated buildings, accounting for over 30% of the green-house emissions in the western world. Residential and commercial insulation has been demonstrated to be the most cost effective method of reducing these gases. In 2009, the world insulation industry was estimated to be $29.2 billion market and is projected to grow 3.8 percent annually through 2012.

Conventional insulating materials are applied in thick or multiple layers which has an adverse impact on building design and structure, therefore creating a need for new types of high performance insulators, which can be applied to new buildings as well as being the key technology for energy-efficient retrofitting of buildings. The leading candidate is Aerogels which has been gaining market traction in the construction sector over the last few years.

AerogelsAerogels are silica foams with nano-

porous cavities that comprise 97% of their volume and are used as thermal insulation materials in a variety or markets including architecture and construction, solar energy, oil and gas pipelines, automotive engines and exhausts, thermal materials in textiles, household appliances and space applica-tions. Applications include:

Insulation• Residential, Commercial and Indus-

trial Thermal Insulation• Window Panes• Acoustic Panels

Automotive• Battery Housings• Under hood Liners• Firewalls

Electronics• Semiconductor Devices


• Optoelectronic Devices• Optical Fibres• Light Emitting Diodes• Flat Panel Displays• Imaging Systems

Mechanical/ Chemical• Metal Casting Moulds• Catalysts• Micro filters• Water Treatment

Sensors & Instrumentation• Sensors• Cherenkov Detectors Energy• Oil & Gas Pipe-in-Pipe Flow lines• Photovoltaic Cells and Photo thermal

Devices• Fuel Cells• Lithium Ion Batteries• Super capacitors• Medical/Biological/• Pharmaceuticals

Biocompatible Devices• Biological Carriers• Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Additives• Absorbent Articles• Aerospace

Spacecraft Material• Space Research• Dust/Comet Particle Collection• Defence & Military

Thermal, Acoustic, IR and Fire Protection• Shelter Insulation• Blast Mitigation• Shock Absorption

Consumer• Textiles• Apparel• Appliances & Equipment

Application as thermal insulation materials in construction and architecture is largest market for these materials and one with the potentially the greatest economic return. As well as loft and façade insulation, aerogels are also suitable for windows due to their high transparency (more than 90% light transmission). Airglass (http://www.airglass.se) produces aerogel products for insulating windows, fire safety glasses or solar collectors. Other companies producing aerogels for application in windows include Cabot Aerogel and Okalux.

Aerogels are highly porous solids with an inner surface of 600 to 1000 m2 per gram. They consist of (usually silica) nanoparticles arranged in a highly porous three-dimensional network with pore diameters varying between a few nanometers and some micrometers. Typical pore diameters are in the range of approximately 10 nm. The pores typically constitute about 95 % of the material volume. According to aerogel producers their materials are between 5-8 times more effective than insulation materials. The low thermal conduction values possessed by silica aerogels make them ideal insulators. There are a number of companies, mainly in North America who manufacture aerogel products for a variety to markets. Cabot Aerogel and Aspen Aerogels

dominate the market, especially for building insulation and there is very little competition in the market.

Cabot AerogelCabot Aerogel produces the Nanogel®

Compression Pack™, an aerogel roll which can be placed in internal spaces then activated, swelling to fill all gaps. Nanogel aerogel is a nanoporous silica with an average pore size of 20 nanometers. www.cabot-corp.com/nanogel/

The company has also helped developed a new coating that makes it possible to touch hot steam pipes, tanks, and steel surfaces without burning your hand. The new coating is called Aerolon and is made by Tnemec Corporation, who uses Cabot’s superinsulating fine-particle Enova aerogel to make the coating. www.cabot-corp.com/nanogel/

Aspen AerogelsSpaceloft® is an aerogel blanket composed

of a silica aerogel prepared with additional fibres or a fibrous matrix to give it strength, by-passing the fragility of conventional aerogels. These blan-kets are 10 mm thick, with a thermal conductivity of 13.1 mW/mK. www.aerogel.com

NanoporeNanoPore™ Thermal Insulation provides

exceptional thermal performance in both vacuum insulation and ambient pressure applications. NanoPore™ HP can provide thermal resistances as high as R40 per inch and can be used at tempera-tures ranging from cryogenic to several hundred °C. NanoPore™ Thermal Insulation has been used in applications ranging from thermal isolation of microelectronics to refrigeration to high tempera-ture, high performance exhaust systems. www.nanopore.com

Taasi Aerogel Technologies Pristina™ aerogels have been used in insula-

tion products including walls, water boilers, refrigerators, windows, furnaces, and vacuum

INSULATION INDUSTRY

Insulation prod-uctsAlready on the market..

01 PyrogelAspen Aerogels® are flexible, durable industrial insulation products that meet de-manding requirements and span the entire service temperature range from -460°F

02 Nanogel Cabot Aerogel have a product called the Nanogel® Compression Pack™, which is a aerogel rollwhich can be placed in internal spaces then activated, swelling to fill all gaps


flasks. www.taasi.com

MarkeTech International, Inc The company produces Aerogels and

Nanofoams for application in space insulation materials. They are derived from the sol-gel polymerization of selected silica or resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) monomers in solution. The sol-gel solution is cast into the desired shape and after the formation of a highly cross-linked gel, the solvent is removed from the pores of the gel. www.mkt-intl.com/

American AerogelAmerican Aerogel develops and manu-

factures aerogel-based insulation products currently used in thermal packaging systems for the transportation of valuable biomedical, pharmaceutical, medical device and clinical trial and diagnostic industries. http://americanaero-gel.com/

Figure 2: MarkeTech Aerogels (Credit: Mar-keTech International, Inc.)

Green Earth Aerogel TechnologiesGreen Earth Aerogel Technologies (GEAT)

makes aerogels from rice and rice husks. The translucent silicon aerogel can insulate extreme temperatures from -130 to 1500 degrees Celsius. The carbon aerogels from GEAT are extremely dark and blocks infrared radiation.

GEAT also developed a technology to make silicon metal from rice husk via the silicon aero-gel. Silicon metal indirectly made from rice husk is cheaper, ecological and uses less energy at near zero CO2 emission to synthesize. The com-pany claim their methods are both more energy efficient and less toxic than existing methods used for producing aerogels. http://green-earth-aerogel.es/

Maero TechMaero Tech leads the Asian market for aero-

gels. They produce Maerogel, derived from rice

husks. Annual current production volumes are around 5 tons, scaling up to 15, 000 tons in 2012. www.maerotech.com

Figure 3: Aspen Aerogels Cyrogenic Insula-tion System (Credit: Aspen Aerogels)

Svenska Aerogel ABSvenska Aerogel AB has developed a

patented and simplified method to produce a material similar to the classic Aerogel. Initially, the aim was to develop a recyclable gas filter medium. The method relies on the precipitation of siliceous compounds using alkali silicates as starting material, a slurry (gel) is formed, the slurry is washed and de-watered to become a paste holding as much as 85% water and from this paste pellets or granules are made which become the gas filter medium. The Aerogel can be used for heat and sound insulation, and appli-cations where there is a need for low density or resistance to high temperatures. www.aerogel.se

Other companies with Aerogel products include:

• Dow Corning (www1.dowcorning.com/content/personal/silicone_silylate.aspx) ,

• AirGlass (www.airglass.se)• Cooper Electronic Technologies, Inc. (www.

cooperindustries.com/) • Honeywell (http://honeywell.com)• Ocellus Technologies (www.ocellusinc.

com)• Shaoxing Nano High-Tech Co., Ltd. (http://

www.nanuo.cn/english/, http://nanuo.globalim-porter.net)

• United Nuclear Scientific Equipment & Suppliers. (www.unitednuclear.com).

Aerogels have been clearly demonstrated to be exceptional insulation materials. Aero-gel insulation is extremely thin and does not interfere with existing structures in buildings. However, price, as with most nanomaterials out with high-end applications is still a major hin-drance to widespread adoption in comparison to conventional materials which are generally less expensive to manufacture, install and replace.

Using existing technology to produce aerogels is also expensive and complex, involving the use of toxic chemicals and requiring huge amounts of energy.

Application in the construction sector is mainly in relatively new markets of histori-cal building retrofits and translucent building panels. The economic downturn slowed down the construction industry. However, aerogels are in demand from the growing energy efficient homes market. Also diversification into trans-portation and insulation for pipelines in the oil and gas sectors will likely see the aerogel market continue to grow.

INDUSTRY INSULATION


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“Nanomaterials offer improved performance properties for adhesives, concrete, coatings, flooring, glass, lighting equip-ment, plumbing fixtures, and other construction products in the home and in the workplace, as well as outdoors.”

Carbon nanotubes and nanof ibers and graphene are of interest to

the construc t ion industr y due to their except ional tensi le strength, e last ic modulus, and elec tr ica l and

thermal conduc t iv i t y.


“Nanomaterials offer improved performance properties for adhesives, concrete, coatings, flooring, glass, lighting equip-ment, plumbing fixtures, and other construction products in the home and in the workplace, as well as outdoors.”

Cement is one of the most important building materials, and world production has increased significantly in recent years. There is also a need to create new strong concrete products by using new composite materials with superior properties to existing materials. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), Carbon Nanofibers (CNFs) and Graphene have all been investigated for use in the construction industry. However, widespread implementation has yet to occur with, technically, one of the biggest problems in the use of nanomaterials being dispersion in the matrix material. Due to their high agglomeration and bundling tendency, carbon nanomaterials cannot be easily and homogeneous-ly dispersed in cement by a simple mixing procedure . Usually, multi-step, time-consuming processes are required.

NanocompositesNanocomposites are materi-

als that incorporate nano-sized particles into a matrix of standard material such as polymers. Add-ing nanoparticles can generate a drastic improvement in properties that include mechanical strength, toughness and electrical or thermal conductivity, which wil have major implications for the construction industry. For example, these proper-ties could one day lead to a building that is highly resistant to the effects

of an earthquake. The effectiveness of the nanoparticles is such that the amount of material added is nor-mally only 0.5-5.0% by weight. They have properties that are superior to conventional microscale composites and can be synthesized using simple and inexpensive techniques.

They are leading to new pos-sibilities for engineered materials, improving existing properties by orders of magnitude within the starting materials, as well as allowing for a huge property enhancement of properties in the composite structures. The properties including mechanical, electrical and thermal may differ depending upon the composition of the materials used for the synthesis of the composites. The transition from microparticles to nanoparticles results in dra-matic changes in physical properties. Nanoscale materials have a large surface area for a given volume. Since many important chemical and physical interactions are governed by surfaces and surface properties, a nanostructured material can have substantially different properties from a larger-dimensional material of the same composition. Nano-composites contain relatively small amounts (<10%) of nanometer-sized clay particles. These materials signifi-cantly enhance the mechanical and thermal properties of the base resin, as well as, for example, improve bar-rier performance

Nanocomposites in cement

NANOHOUSEFEATURE

Nanomaterials are promising candidates for the next generation of high-performance structural and multifunctional composite materials.


and flame retardancy. All of these perfor-mance benefits are available without increasing the density or affecting any properties of the base polymer.

Carbon NanotubesCarbon nanotubes are ideal constituents

of specialty polymers, copolymers, polymer composites, electronic materials and biologi-cal structures where their outstanding physical properties, such as high strength, exceptional thermal conductivity, and singular electronic properties distinguish them from all other nanomaterials.

Single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) are made up of a single cylinder, approximately 1 nm in diameter. In multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs), cylinders are nested, with the total diameter ranging from 5 nm to 100 nm, while double-walled nanotubes (DWNTs) are MWNTs with just two layers.

In addition to being single- or multi-walled, CNTs can be long or short, have open or closed ends, and SWNTs can have different types of spi-ral structures or “chiralities,” all of which influence their electrical properties-whether they’re insula-tors, conductors, or semiconductors. The most popular production techniques for carbon na-notubes are carbon-arc discharge, laser ablation of carbon, or chemical vapour deposition. The CVD technique is the most commonly used for making nanotubes. Some of the most frequently utilized techniques to prepare polymer/CNT and/or polymer/clay nanocomposites include melt mixing, solution casting, electrospinning and solid-state shear pulverization. When properly dispersed within the matrixes, CNTs have the ability to improve the properties of the resultant materials several orders of magnitude relative to the unfilled polymers. The enhanced properties may include tensile behavior, strength, tough-ness, stiffness, electrical and thermal conductiv-ity and crystallization kinetics.

Current and potential applications of poly-mer/CNT nanocomposites include photovoltaic devices, optical switches, electromagnetic inter-ference (EMI) shielding, aerospace and automo-tive materials, bicycle and tennis racquet frames, packaging, adhesive and coatings. Due to their superioroty to traditional reinforcing materials such as glass fibers or carbon fibers, CNTs have been used as significantly stronger and tougher fiber-reinforcing material in concrete. They exhibit greatly enhanced mechanical properties along with extremely high aspect ratios (length-to-diameter ratio) ranging from 30 to more than

many thousands. Mechanically, CNTs have a Young’s modulus of 1054 GPa, a tensile strength of 150 GPa and a density of 1.4 g-cm-3. Thus a carbon nanotube has strength of 150 times that of steel and is approximately six times more lighter. Carbon nanotubes can also bear torsion and bending without breaking.

Due to their size (ranging from 1 nm to tens of nm) and aspect ratios, CNTs can be distrib-uted in a much finer scale than common fibers, giving as a result a more efficient crack bridging at the very preliminary stage of crack propaga-tion within composites.

Carbon nanofibersCarbon nanofibers (CNF) are a unique form

of vapor-grown carbon fibers that fill the gap in physical properties between conventional carbon fibers (5–10 mm) and carbon nanotubes (1–10 nm). The main difference between carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers lies in the configuration of the underlying planes that are created by the alignment of carbon atoms. While nanotubes display an axial alignment of concentric cylindrical planes mainly composed of hexagonal substructures, nanofibers are char-acterized by a parallel and homogeneous align-ment of nanoscopic graphene layers along the axis. Carbon nanofibers are produced from the catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbon gases or carbon monoxide over selected metal particles. Carbon nanofibers owe their excellent properties to its longitudinal geometrical appearance and its above-average ratios of length and diameter (L/D-ratio).

Industrial applications for carbon na-nofibers include polymer and elastomer fillers, commercial hydrogen storage systems, radiowave-absorbing composites, lithium bat-tery electrodes, construction composites, oil additives, gas-distribution layers for fuel cells, filters and absorbents.

CNFs have several distinct advantages as a reinforcing material for cement based materials in comparison to traditional fibers. As with CNTs, they exhibit significantly greater strength and stiffness than conventional fibers, their higher aspect ratio has been demonstrated to arrest nanocracks and demand significantly higher energy for crack propagation. Nanofibers also have the potential to control the formation of nanocracks in the matrix, producing a high-performance cementitious nanocomposite. CNTs also exhibit electromechanical properties that when subjected to stress/strain, the electrical properties of CNTs change, expressing a linear

and reversible piezoresistive response, leading to potential use as nanocomposites that could be used as stress/strain sensors.

GrapheneGraphene is a flat one-atom thick sheet of

sp2 carbon atoms densely packed in a honey-comb crystal lattice structure. It is the basic struc-tural element for graphite, carbon nanotubes, and fullerenes. Graphene samples are available as nanoflakes on Si/SiO2 substrate wafers. Each layer is monoatomically thin with a thickness of ~0.34nm, though it is possible to produce multi-layered flakes. Using microscopic imagery, one can easily find the flakes and process them using microelectronic fabrications techniques.

Because of its unique mechanical, thermal and electrical properties graphene is considered an ideal candidate for reinforcing materials in composties. The addition of small amounts of graphene nano-platelets to cement may lead to an increase in the composite material toughness and tensile, flexural, and impact strength. Gra-phene is a possible replacement material where carbon nanotubes are presently used. Although graphene and carbon nanotubes are nearly identical in their chemical makeup and mechani-cal properties, graphene is better than carbon nanotubes at lending its attributes to a material with which it’s mixed, making it potentially more suitable for cement applications.

The potential for nanomaterials to greatly improve the performance of construction com-posites and concrete is clear. These materials will lead to the development of novel, sustainable, advanced materials with unique mechanical and electrical properties. However, as the construc-tion industry is traditionally conservative, cost sensitive and low-tech there are a number of challenges, such as dispersion and functionali-zation of nanomaterials, processing, handling issues, scale-up and materials cost that need to be overcome before their widespread adoption can become a reality.

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NANOBUSINESS

LATEST NEWS

GRAPHENE

GRAPHENE CENT-ER COMING SOONManchester University has started the formal tender process to select a contractor to build the £31.5m Na-tional Graphene Institute, scheduled for completion by the end of 2014. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2013 with com-pletion in the third quarter of 2014. www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk

NANOCELLULOSE

USDA OPENS NANOCELLULOSE FACILITYThe U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory has opened a $1.7 million production facility for nanocellulose. This facility is the first of its kind in the United States. www.fpl.fs.fed.us/

ENERGY

$20 MILLION SO-LAR CELLS PART-NERSHIPThe U.S. Photovoltaic Consortium (PVMC) and Ceres Technologies, a Hudson Valley-based nanotechnol-ogy manufacturer, have launched a $20 million partnership in which Ceres will become one of the first official suppliers of manufacturing equipment to the PVMC. The PVMC is headquartered at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s (CNSE) Albany NanoTech Complex. www.cerestechnologies.com

NANOCOATINGS

NANO DECK COATINGS PROD-UCT LAUNCHEDIndustrial Nanotech, Inc. has launched a new product,

Nansulate(R) Deck, for protection and cooling of wooden decks and railings. This clear protective coating helps to cool deck surface tempera-tures as well as protects the wood from moisture, UV and weathering, while also being resistant to mold and algae growth. www.nanosulate.com

ENERGY

IBM DEVELOP LONGER LASTING FUEL CELL MATE-RIALUsing a mixture of gold, copper and platinum nanoparticles, IBN researchers have developed a more powerful and longer lasting fuel cell material. IBN’s new nanocomposite material can produce at least 0.571 amperes of electric current per milligram of platinum, compared to 0.109 amperes per milligram of platinum for commercial platinum catalysts.

QUANTUM DOTS

NANOCO RE-CEIVES BACKINGNanoco Group plc, a developer and manufacturer of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nanomate-rials, has announced that is has won three grants from the UK Govern-ment totalling £736,000. www.nanocotechnologies.com

NANOMATERIALS

GM INVESTS IN NANOSTEELGeneral Motors Ventures LLC has made a substantial investment in The NanoSteel® Company. NanoSteel has created a new class of steel that allows automotive engineers and designers to reduce weight through the use of thinner, higher strength gauges while maintaining the structural integrity needed for safety. NanoSteel’s new steel design is an alternative to other light-weighting materials which may cost more, require new investment in parts production and have performance limitations. www.nanosteelco.com

COATINGS

NEI INTRODUCES NEW COATING

NEI Corporation has introduced a nanotechnology-enabled, two-layer coating that significantly improves the corrosion resistance of zinc-plated and hot-dip galvanized (HDG) steel. The NEI coating is a drop-in replacement for trivalent chromium. The coating process consists of first applying NANOMYTE® PT-100, a self-healing conversion coating, followed by NANOMYTE® TC-5001. The new technology is part of NEI’s efforts to develop corrosion resistant coating systems, including pretreatments, primers and topcoats that protect steel, aluminum and magnesium from corrosion.

featured news

ANTARIA ATTACKED OVER CLAIMSAustralia-based sunscreen additive producer Antaria has been challenged by Friends of the Earth over the company’s claims that its products are free from nanomaterials. The environmental group has raised a complaint with Australia Securities Exchange over the company’s ZinClear IM product. Antaria claims that the product consists of microparticles that have been Ecocert accredited. However, Ecocert suspended its accreditation of Zin-Clear IM as the company was unable to prove the product was non-nano.

MORE INFORMATION: www.antaria.com

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