The specialist product development consultancy, Bio
Nano Consulting (BNC) is pleased to announce that it has been chosen to
lead the UK arm of a collaboration with a major research institution in the
Middle East in a multi-million pound environmental nanotechnology endeavour.
The agreement, worth in excess of £2 million over two years for BNC and
its London partners, will utilise the expertise of the London Centre for Nanotechnology
(LCN), a joint venture between Imperial College and University College London,
on two important projects looking at the applications of nanotechnology to environmental
issues: 'nano-catalysts for wastewater treatment' and 'nano-catalysts for the
synthesis of fine chemicals'.
Solar energy can be harnessed to effectively oxidise pollutants and facilitate
the successful recycling of waste water. For this project, BNC will provide
extensive knowledge of nano structure development in solar cells and nanometrology,
to complement the in-house catalysis and characterisation expertise of its collaborator
in the Middle East.
BNC will also provide access to the nanotechnology facilities at the LCN for
the development of environmentally-friendly heterogeneous catalysts in the second
project. Many current chemical synthesis processes rely on homogenous catalysts
in the liquid phase; as a result, a lack of catalyst regeneration, side reactions
and salt formation cause problems with effective waste disposal. The development
of heterogeneous nano-catalysts could result in a reduced waste stream, facile
separation and reuse of the catalyst.
Delivering a range of services, expertise and equipment to the life-science
and technology sectors, BNC is able to effectively address a wide range of real-life
problems with innovative nanotechnology-based solutions. "We are delighted
to have secured such a fantastic opportunity to display our expertise in such
a large contract" commented Dr David Sarphie, CEO of BNC. He continued,
"It is great news that our world-class technology is being recognised and
put to use in research that will be of such great benefit to the environment."
Posted October 12th, 2009
