Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > NanoDynamics Commercializing Nanosilver for Electronics and Healthcare

Abstract:
Leading Nanotechnology Company Takes Silver Way Beyond Your Grandma's Tea Set

NanoDynamics Commercializing Nanosilver for Electronics and Healthcare

NanoDynamics

Buffalo, NY | Posted on April 04, 2006

Researchers at NanoDynamics, a leading manufacturer of nanomaterials and nanotechnology-enabled products, have developed a silver nanoparticle, only 20 nanometers (nm) in diameter (3000 times thinner than a human hair), that shows great potential in retarding the growth of bacteria, mold, harmful spores (such as anthrax), and other dangerous microbes on surfaces, a major pathway by which infectious diseases are spread. Additionally, in a partnership with Ames Goldsmith Corporation, the leading supplier of silver products to the electronics industry, NanoDynamics is positioned to commercialize an array of silver nanomaterials that can be printed by ink-jet or more traditional printing techniques directly onto a broad range of substrates, including flexible materials such as paper and plastic.

"We are only now beginning to tap into the real potential that nanoscale silver holds in addressing some of the world's most intractable healthcare problems," said Keith Blakely, CEO of NanoDynamics. "And now, with our research of printable electronics and the incorporation of nanosilver into manufacturing processes, we can drive down the manufacturing costs and improve the performance of electronic products."

NanoDynamics - Silver Platelets
Silver Platelets. Copyright © NanoDynamics

Click on image for larger version.

NanoDynamics produces nanosilver with a broad range of sizes and characteristics, including 10 nm dispersions and 60 nm dry powders. The company's most significant commercial breakthrough, though, may be nanosilver platelets that are especially adaptable to the electronics industry. These six-sided particles (see image, above) can be made compatible with ink jet technology and are many times smaller than the silver flake used in current conducting adhesives, which is typically about 10 microns in diameter. And, because they are exceptionally thin, the platelets can be printed in layers less than 200 nm thick, enabling the creation of significantly smaller electronic components and features than are currently available.

"The electronics industry consumes more than 109 million ounces of silver annually," said Michael Metz, Director of Business Development at Ames Goldsmith and NanoDynamics Business Development Consultant. "With prices currently around $10 an ounce, silver is a major expense for electronics manufacturers. There is growing demand for a product like nanosilver to replace traditional silver."

The silver powders traditionally used in the electronics industry have a key disadvantage: they sinter (that is, fuse under heat) at very high temperatures, generally between 650-850 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the substrate upon which the silver rests must itself be able to withstand such high temperatures. By comparison, NanoDynamics' nanosilver sinters at around 200 degrees Celsius and lower, depending upon the particle size, and can be printed onto a substrate with ink-jet technology. What this means is that electronics can be printed, cheaply and efficiently, directly onto a wider variety of substrates, including paper, cardboard and Mylar.

"Our nanosilver products have huge cost advantages for the electronics industry," said Dr. Alan Rae, NanoDynamics VP of Market and Business Development. "In the radio frequency identification (RFID) industry, for example, we could print RFID tags directly onto, say, a cereal box. About 600 million RFID tags were sold in 2005 at a cost of $1-2 per tag. But because of the savings in substrate materials, production processes, and silver usage, our technology offers the opportunity to create tags that could cost around 3 cents each."

According to industry analysts, the market for printable electronics could generate revenues of over $7 billion by 2010 driven by demand for printable displays, RFID, photovoltaics, computer memory and other printable products. To drive this vision of printable electronics forward, NanoDynamics has put together a team of experts globally acknowledged as leaders in the field of nanoscale metal powders, including Dr. Bruce Kahn of Rochester Institute of Technology, Dr. Dan Goia of Clarkson University and Michael Metz of Ames Goldsmith Corp. In addition, Greg Berube, the former Director of Technology at Ferro Electronic Materials Systems, has been brought on to lead NanoDynamics' nanosilver development and commercialization initiatives.

Beyond electronics, NanoDynamics is commercializing nanosilver to protect health and safety, including 20 nm silver particles that can be incorporated into house paint, for example, or coated onto ceramic tiles, medical instruments and even sheetrock to slow or stop the growth of potentially dangerous bacteria and fungi. Countertops, doorknobs, tables, and other surfaces can be contaminated by a wide variety of killer pathogens including e. coli, salmonella, the "bird flu" virus, and the ebola virus, to name just a few.

"In the past 20 years, molds and fungi have become a major health threat, primarily to the ever-increasing number of patients who have compromised immune systems and those receiving chemotherapy," said Mark Modzelewski, Vice President for Strategic Opportunities at NanoDynamics. "Fungal infections are the seventh leading cause of infection-related mortality. And consider the cost to treat these illnesses: the overall world market for antibacterials alone exceeds $24 billion. If we can intercept bacteria and fungi at their key sources, surfaces, we can potentially save billions of dollars in medical costs."

####

About NanoDynamics:
NanoDynamics is a diversified technology and manufacturing company utilizing nanoscale engineering to address some of the world's biggest challenges. With nanotechnology solutions ranging from energy, water processing, and personal and national security to medicine, electronics, advanced materials and consumer products, NanoDynamics is committed to delivering the Power of Nanotechnology(TM) to the global marketplace.

For more information, please click here.


Contact:
Antenna Group (for NanoDynamics)
Nathan Tinker
203-229-0358
nathan@antennagroup.com

Rosalind Jackson
415-977-1923
rosalind@antennagroup.com

Copyright © NanoDynamics

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

Products

Spectradyne Partners with Particle Technology Labs for Measurement Services December 6th, 2018

Mode-Changing MEMS Accelerometer from STMicroelectronics Combines High Measurement Resolution and Ultra-Low Power for Industrial Applications November 7th, 2018

Fat-Repellent Nanolayers Can Make Oven Cleaning Easier October 17th, 2018

Aculon, Inc. Enters into Strategic Partnership Agreement with Henkel Corporation to Supply Key Mobile Device Manufacturers with NanoProof® PCB Waterproof Technology October 17th, 2018

Possible Futures

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Nanomedicine

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Sensors

$900,000 awarded to optimize graphene energy harvesting devices: The WoodNext Foundation's commitment to U of A physicist Paul Thibado will be used to develop sensor systems compatible with six different power sources January 12th, 2024

A color-based sensor to emulate skin's sensitivity: In a step toward more autonomous soft robots and wearable technologies, EPFL researchers have created a device that uses color to simultaneously sense multiple mechanical and temperature stimuli December 8th, 2023

New tools will help study quantum chemistry aboard the International Space Station: Rochester Professor Nicholas Bigelow helped develop experiments conducted at NASA’s Cold Atom Lab to probe the fundamental nature of the world around us November 17th, 2023

TU Delft researchers discover new ultra strong material for microchip sensors: A material that doesn't just rival the strength of diamonds and graphene, but boasts a yield strength 10 times greater than Kevlar, renowned for its use in bulletproof vests November 3rd, 2023

Nanoelectronics

Interdisciplinary: Rice team tackles the future of semiconductors Multiferroics could be the key to ultralow-energy computing October 6th, 2023

Key element for a scalable quantum computer: Physicists from Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University demonstrate electron transport on a quantum chip September 23rd, 2022

Reduced power consumption in semiconductor devices September 23rd, 2022

Atomic level deposition to extend Moore’s law and beyond July 15th, 2022

Materials/Metamaterials/Magnetoresistance

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Focused ion beam technology: A single tool for a wide range of applications January 12th, 2024

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Home

Nanomaterials enable dual-mode heating and cooling device: Device could cut HVAC energy use by nearly 20% in the US December 2nd, 2020

New surface treatment could improve refrigeration efficiency: A slippery surface for liquids with very low surface tension promotes droplet formation, facilitating heat transfer May 17th, 2019

Bosch Sensortec launches ideation community to foster and accelerate innovative IoT applications : Creativity hub for customers, partners, developers and makers February 18th, 2019

Iran Develops Water-Repellent Nano-Paint December 5th, 2018

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project