Topics Covered
Background
Applications and Markets
Catalysts
NanoTek® Industrial Iron Oxide
NanoTek® Zinc Oxide
NanoTek® Tin Oxide
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.
Catalysts
Catalysts can perform reactions
that, although thermodynamically feasible, would not run without the
presence of a catalyst, or perform them much faster, more specific,
or at lower temperatures. The extremely small size of nanoparticles
maximizes the surface area exposed to the reactant, allowing more
reactions to take place simultaneously, thus accelerating the process.
The use of nanomaterials based on
rare earth metal oxides allows for the preparation of thinner active
layers, which can mean less precious metal usage. These nanomaterials
also allow for the preparation of higher solids dispersions that are
very stable, minimizing the number of coating steps and losses due
to flocculated dispersions. Automotive catalytic converters are a
key focus area for catalyst performance. While government regulations
continue to drive lower acceptable emissions levels of carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, automotive companies are attempting
to lower the use of precious metals, such as platinum, palladium and
rhodium, in the catalytic converter to lower cost while meeting the
more stringent performance standards. Diesel engines are beginning
to be subject to similar regulations as gasoline engines.
NanoTek®
Industrial Iron Oxide
NanoArc® Industrial Iron Oxide EXP 0815 is a general purpose
gamma phase material suitable for use in catalytic applications such
as ammonia synthesis and dehydrogenation reactions. Manufactured
by growing nanocrystals rapidly in a high temperature gas phase condensation,
these 30nm particles are fully crystalline and have high surface purity.
NanoTek® Zinc
Oxide
NanoShield® ZN-5060 is especially well-suited to meet the criteria
necessary for excellent catalytic performance when properly incorporated
into a catalyst system, and because the nanoparticles are dense, single
phase individual crystals, there is nothing to collapse during thermal
cycling. The same materials can be used in other types of environmental
catalysts, such as exhaust converters for stationary and large internal
combustion engines, chemical scrubbers and for other gaseous products
and waste streams.
NanoTek® Tin Oxide
NanoTek® Tin Oxide 1400 is also well-suited to meet the criteria
necessary for excellent catalytic performance. Tin oxide is
a wide-energy-gap semiconductor and has been widely used as a catalyst
for oxidation of organic compounds, optical electronic devices, rechargeable
Li-batteries, and for applications such as solid-state gas sensors.
Successes in many of these applications
rely significantly on the preparation of Tin Oxide nanoparticles with
a uniform crystalline nanostructure.
Source: Nanophase
For more information on this source please visit Nanophase