NanoCentral – the gateway to success through modern material science

Mar 19 2008 By The Journal

NANOMATERIALS have the potential to generate large amounts of wealth, change existing and create new products and markets. Carbon nanotubes such as those made by Thomas Swan & Co Ltd at Consett can help make lighter, stiffer, and hence more efficient, turbine blades for wind energy schemes.

Nanomaterials have the potential to generate large amounts of wealth, and change existing and create new products and markets. NanoCentral is making things happen in the world of modern materials science and is here to help you be part of this new Industrial Revolution.

Nanomaterials promise to transform products and processes as well as reduce pollution, save lives and conserve energy. By engineering materials to the nano-scale, particles between one and one hundred nanometres (one billionth of a metre), we can drastically change their properties. They can display all kinds of unusual physical, electrical, chemical and optical characteristics, for example ceramics can be made to stretch like chewing gum.

Also, due to their small size nanomaterials have a very high surface-to-volume ratio and as most reactions take place on the surface of a material, an increased surface area will enable more intense/effective reactions; so a little nanomaterial goes a long, and productive way and will boost business profitability and energise the economy.

NanoCentral is founded on the belief that nanomaterials will make a vital difference to the success of both UK businesses and the economy as it overcomes barriers to commercialisation. It is here to help companies, big and small become part of the Nanomaterial revolution.

NanoCentral is an alliance of leading companies created to unlock the vast commercial and societal potential of nanomaterials. It helps forge industry wide collaborations across markets and supply chains and provides access to key enabling technologies, facilities and expertise.

Backed by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, The Centre for Process Innovation and One NorthEast; NanoCentral is based at the Wilton Centre in Teesside, Europe’s largest purpose built research centre.

NanoCentral’s chief executive officer, Stephen Cash, says: “A major focus of R&D effort at the moment is the use of nanomaterials for environmental remediation and for the purification of drinking water. Essentially by using nanomaterials you have a chance to achieve more whilst using very much less raw materials. It is a win-win on all fronts.”

NanoCentral can offer significant benefits to organisations that may currently be put off by perceived high cost, risk or lack of knowledge, by facilitating collaborations with technology providers to reduce the costs of entry into the nanotechnology market place. They can put you in contact with the best people to develop an application or material for your needs and can help you overcome barriers within the supply chain.

NanoCentral is constantly increasing its capability by signing up new key nano-enabling technology providers. They cover the whole spectrum of commercialisation, from synthesis; dispersion, functionalisation and formulation; to characterisation. The alliance currently spans across the markets of materials for electronics and energy; personal and healthcare; plastics, polymers and composites; and coatings and inks and is always looking to move into new markets. NanoCentral has been involved in assisting over 60 industrial collaborations in the last year or so and has many more in the pipeline.

NanoCentral’s core technology providers include: QinetiQ Nanomaterials Ltd., offering plasma processing presently used for custom manufacture of nano-particulate metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides and doped materials relevant to markets including defence, pharmaceuticals, electronics and catalysis.

Johnson Matthey, offering flame pyrolysis for producing relatively low-cost nano-particulate metals and metal oxides, for example fumed silica and ultra fine titanium dioxide. Market investigations indicate promising applications of this technology to markets including cosmetics, coatings and inks and plastics.

:: The University of Liverpool, providing high pressure-high shear processing for micro-mixing nano-dispersed liquids and nano-particulate-containing slurries, an emerging technology which will find extensive application particularly in the market sectors of personal care and food.

:: ICI Measurement Science Group gives access to an array of world-class analytical techniques, including electron microscopy, shear rheology, particle size measurement, molecular spectroscopy, surface characterisation and novel injection moulding.

Other providers include MacDermid Autotype, Harman Technology, Imerys, Maelstrom APT, Ilika, IMG Resins, and Smith & Nephew.

A major part of NanoCentral's mission is to ensure the safe use of nanomaterials across their total life-cycle from their initial development through to their end use. They are in partnership with the SAFENANO initiative at the Institute for Occupational Medicine to incorporate health, safety and environmental expertise. NanoCentral provide the information needed to reassure the public and industry, and generate confidence in nanomaterial products and processes. NanoCentral also continues to develop and support ‘It’s a small world’, an education programme to teach school children about the world of nanomaterials. For more information on NanoCentral go to www.nanocentral.eu

NanoCentral is delighted to be holding it’s second conference on the commercialisation of nanomaterials on July 7-9, 2008, at the Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park. To register for more information on NanoMaterials08, please go to www.nanomaterials08.com

NanoCentral at The Centre for Process Innovation, Wilton Centre, Wilton, Redcar, TS10 4RF.

:: Stephen Cash, chief executive officer dd: +44 (0) 1642 442463

:: Dr. Dan Gooding, business development director dd: +44 (0) 1223 437067

:: Dr. Allen Reid, business development director dd: +44 (0) 1642 442460

:: Dr. Steve Devine, commercial manager dd: +44 (0) 1642 442464