Strategies for using nanomaterials in product development
Landon Mertz , CEO of Cerion , looks at the options for bringing nanomaterials from development to commercialisation
The benefits of nanomaterials are in the unique behaviours they exhibit at nano-scale . How these are leveraged in a product can add significant performance benefits . However , as with all advanced materials , to bring a nano-enabled product to market one must consider the product development roadmap from beginning to end . Planning today for successful commercialisation tomorrow is key . An often-overlooked aspect of working with nanomaterials is that one size does not fit all . Off-the-shelf materials are rarely a ready-made means to achieve specific research goals . The design of a nanomaterial can radically alter its behaviour , and small changes ( no pun intended ) can have an outsized influence on its performance . Thus , if you are not seeing the experimental outcome you expected in your lab testing , your theory could be wrong , but more often than not a myriad of other issues are inhibiting or negating the material ’ s performance potential .
Shelf-stable and monodispersed nanoparticle dispersion
Cerion research scientist observing an experimental nanoparticle reaction
Nanomaterial size , size distribution , mono-dispersity , morphology and surface functionalisation can directly affect performance if it is not designed specifically to fit the application . If they are delivered via dispersions , the choice of surfactant and solvents can also play an outsized role in material performance . Most nanomaterials are incorporated upstream into more complex systems . The process of incorporating them into a product could be fundamentally altering the particle ’ s design or performance . Finally , the material could be interacting with other components of the product in unintended ways , creating a cascade of second and third order impacts .
36 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981