Topics Covered
Background
Applications and Markets
Fuel Cells
NanoArc Ceria
Background
Nanophase Technologies is an industry-leading nanocrystalline
materials innovator and manufacturer with an integrated family of nanomaterial
technologies. The entire focus of Nanophase is nanotechnology, with two distinct and patented
processes for the preparation and commercial manufacturing of nanopowder metal
oxides i.e. Aluminum Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Cerium Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, and
several others. Nanophase Technologies Corporation has developed a process,
Discrete Particle Encapsulation, to coat the surface of its nanoparticles with
a thin polymeric shell that enables compatibility of the particles with a wide
variety of fluids, resins and polymers. Also, Nanophase has developed technology to permit the dispersion
of its nanoparticles in water and a variety of polar and non-polar organic fluids.
This allows Nanophase to supply concentrated, ready-to-use nanoparticle
dispersions, eliminating the need for customers to disperse the nanoparticles
themselves. Nanophase's family of integrated technologies economically produces
nanocrystalline materials, and then nanoengineers those materials to fit a customer
need.
Applications
and Markets
Nanophase produces engineered nanomaterial products for a variety
of diverse markets: personal care, sunscreens, abrasion-resistant
applications, environmental catalysts, antimicrobial products, and
a variety of ultra-fine polishing applications, including semiconductor
wafers, hard disk drives, and optics. Various applications include
wood preservation, anti-fouling and anti-microbial coatings, fuel
cells, catalytic converters, UV-attenuation coatings, scratch resistant
coatings, charge dissipating coatings, deodorant/antiperspirants,
depilatory/shaving products, and others. In parallel, new markets
and applications are constantly being developed.
Fuel Cells
It has been reported that the use of rare earth metal oxides has utility in
various aspects of fuel cell design, but especially as components in electrodes
and as low-temperature electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).
NanoArc Ceria
NanoArc ceria and mixed rare earth
metal oxides have shown promise in testing for such applications.
Special formulations of mixed rare earth metal oxides can be commercially
manufactured according to development partner or customer requirements,
an example of which is a range of ceria samaria nanomaterials made specifically for
a fuel cell application. Nanophase has also developed patent pending technology for applying
these and other nanoparticle coatings using standard high-velocity
oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spray equipment.