1 the challenges in commercializing nanomaterials keith blakely [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
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Contents
Technology exploitation – and lessons learned Nanotechnology as a toolkit Nearer-term opportunities in nanotechnology
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Technology Exploitation…and lessons learned
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“The Valley of Death”The inventor•I have made a prototype•It has really interesting properties•There is a potential market for it
The customer•I want a characterized andeconomic product that fits myprocess, and is produced usinga characterized and scalable process
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Past Technology Booms
Inventions usually in corporate labs or universities Bandwagon of companies jumping on the trend
“Plastics, my boy” (The Graduate) 1960’s Structural ceramics (1970’s-1980’s) Optoelectronics (late 1990’s) Nanotechnology (2000’s)
Boom and bust Consolidation Survivors develop mature profitable businesses
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Structural Ceramics Kent Bowen (MIT) and others – microstructure control is critical
and can allow you to develop great properties Major hype on ceramics use in everything from turbochargers to
kitchen knives Boom, bust, consolidation Why were expectations not met?
Product designs didn’t stand still and wait for the materials to mature The ceramic turbocharger was sidestepped by multiple valves per
cylinder, variable valve timing etc. High strength metals, plastics, and composites competed
Many applications weren’t cost-effective – kitchen knives? Engineers and designers weren’t comfortable with brittle
materials in many applications Still a good business in wear parts, refractories, bearings, armor,
semiconductor equipment, microelectronics…
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Lessons
Your team is critical – creativity balanced by experience (it’s not just the science that matters)
Avoid a one-trick pony – look for a technology or market platform with flexibility and real sustainable market pull
The existing technology won’t stand still Manage your development and execute carefully Manage your product portfolio and bear in mind the
time to commercialize Manage your supply chain to be the low cost
supplier
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Nanotechnology as a Toolkit
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Will Nanotechnology be the Same Boom and Bust Story?
Time will tell! There are similarities and differences
Market pull from electronics / medicine / defense / energy Huge diversity of processes
Chemical Physical Biological
Huge diversity of products Particulate Nanostructured materials Composites Coatings
Too much money chasing opportunities
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How can nanotechnology help?It allows us to develop:
Uniform particles Reactive particles Unusual properties Nano-structured materials (tubes
, balls, hooks, layers, surfaces) Directed assembly and other
novel processes
It is a “toolkit” to allow us to make improved products
The technology behind the improvements will usually be invisible to the consumer(tires, tennis balls, sunscreen, car wax, ski wax, golf balls…..)
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Crossover in technologies and markets is real – NanoDynamics products and markets
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Nearer-term Commercial Opportunities
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Application industries
Automotive Chemical Engineering Electronics Construction Medicine
Textiles Energy Cosmetics Food and drinks Household Sporting goods
(VDI Technologiezentrum EC Report)
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Electronics
MLCC electrode materials and dielectrics 50 – 300 nm Ni and BaTi
O3 New Pd-Ag systems will
revive precious metal electrode systems
Embedded Capacitors Use of nanomaterials to
increase effective KClarkson University / NanoDynamics
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Coatings and adhesives
ITO Electrically conductive
properties from sputtered systems for highest electrical conductivity
IR absorbing coating systems using suspended nanoparticles
Transparent conducting adhesives with <10% ITO
MMP/NanoDynamics
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Nanotech in Energy
Solar Cells
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Solid oxide fuel cell•Fuel flexibility•Rapid start•High efficiency•Cost-effective
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Nanotech in Consumer Products
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Nanotech in Consumer Products
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Nanotech in Defense & Homeland Security
Advanced armor and munitions
Biological and chemical sensors
Adaptive camouflage
“Smart skin” Portable power
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So Why Isn’t Everyone Getting Rich? Application potential is huge; current
consumption is not Design engineers aren’t aware of products,
properties, suppliers, standards, or risks Manufacturers haven’t reached critical mass
or come down the cost curve adequately yet Lots of discussion and dialogue between
material producers and end users is still needed
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Our Strategic Approach
Select a limited number of value-added or end-use products to manufacture that incorporate nanomaterials
Demonstrate the value proposition to the market place and promote it
Expand the interest and application into other industries, products, and markets
Acquire conventional product lines and integrate nanomaterials to create new products and opportunities
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Summary
New materials have historically been challenging to commercialize 15 – 20 years on average from discovery to first
commercial use Nanotechnology has all the necessary
components of a “bubble” Finding products that can use the advantages
of nanomaterials today is critical