nanoComposix

Company Background

nanoComposix specializes in the fabrication, characterization, and integration of nanomaterials into products and systems. The company’s mission is to enable their customers to maximize the potential benefits of nanotechnology through the use of precisely engineered, highly characterized nanomaterials. Their multi-disciplinary technical teams provide method and protocol development, rapid prototyping, integration solutions, and testing services for researchers in the aerospace, defense, material science, and biotechnology industries (1a).  nanoComposix is expected to have continued success as the total market for metallic nanoparticles, nanoinks and pastes, and nanostructures will grow to around $2.0 billion (USD) by 2017 (3).

nanoComposix relies on partnerships and outside funding to continue research and development.  Recently, nanoComposix received $150,000 from the Army Corps of Engineers (Department of the Army), USACE HEC, Ft. Belvoir, for research and development services (2).

Strategic Partnerships

nanoComposix has partnered with SensorMetrix and researchers at UCLA to develop a new class of self-healing composite materials.  These composites are capable of healing subcritical damage including delamination and matrix cracking. They form the basis of a system that will continuously monitor composite health, and automatically repair any damaged areas (1c).  nanoComposix also has participated in a NASA experiment sponsored by NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program. nanoComposix created a nanofluid coolant testing system which was placed aboard the reduced-gravity aircraft flights from Ellington Field in Houston. The flights were the first in NASA's Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology Development and Training program, called FAST (4).

Innovation and Technology

NanoComposix has extensive experience engineering nanoparticle surfaces that are compatible with a variety of aqueous and organic solvents, fluoropolymers, epoxies, and thermoplastic polymers. Examples of improved composites developed at nanoComposix through the addition of nanomaterials include the following:

  • Increased composite thermal conductivity through the addition of silver nanowires.
  • Modulating the electrical conductivity of flexible or fiber reinforced composites using copper nanowires, silver nanowires, or carbon nanoparticles.
  • Improving the dielectric properties of composites for high energy density capacitors using shaped metal oxide nanoparticles (1c).

Products

Made of Silver

  • Spheres
  • Wires
  • Plates
  • Silica Coated
  • Reference Materials
  • Redispersible Powders
  • Organic
  • Custom

Made of Gold

  • Spheres
  • Nanoshells
  • Silica Coated
  • Redispersible Powders
  • Organic
  • MALDI
  • Custom

Made of Silica

  • Spheres
  • Custom

Product Lines

  • BioPure: Purified and concentrated NanoXact
  • Econix: High quality, low cost
  • NanoXact: Spherical, unagglomerated, narrow size distribution
  • NanoToxicology: High purity, extensively characterized nanoparticles for nanotoxicology research
  • Organic:  Nanoparticles stable in organic solvents
  • MALDI: Nanoparticle matrix molecules for MALDI-MS
  • Plasmonics: Shaped nanoparticles with color tunability
  • Redispersible Nanopowders: Agglomerate-free suspension in your choice of solvent
  • Reference Materials: Nanomaterials selected as reference standards by external organizations (1b).

For more information, see the nanoComposix location page.

Sources

  1. nanoComposix (2012). Retrieved on November 7, 2012
    1. “About Us” from http://nanocomposix.com/company
    2. “Products” from http://nanocomposix.com/products
    3. “Composites” from http://nanocomposix.com/technology/composites
  2. US Fed News Service, Including US State News (2011, June 11). “Contract Award: Nanocomposix Wins Federal Contract for Research and Development Services.” Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/docview/873153026?accountid=10598
  3. Electronics Business Journal (2012,  January 18).   “Nanotechnology Companies; NanoMarkets Report Projects Rapid Growth in Metallic Nanomaterials Over the Next Eight Years.” Retrieved on November 7 from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/docview/915109009?accountid=10598
  4. PR Newswire (2008, September 15). “NASA Uses Commercial Microgravity Flight Services for First Time.” Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/docview/450697074?accountid=10598