Nanotechnology : Fuell cells, Companies and Institutions

GSI Creos

Benj — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:26:31 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.gsi.co.jp/

Contact Email

Short description

Street address

3-1,Kudanminami 2-chome

Zip or postal code

102-0074

Telephone

03-5211-1800

Fax

03-5211-2876

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Under the slogan of ‘Produce the future’, our company covers many fields and products. In the field of textile industry, we handle everything from materials, textiles, to fashion products. We cover many other fields, varying from life science, plastics, functional machinery, amenity facilities to the most advanced Nanotechnology. Covering these various fields, our company is an unique trading company, that aims to become a ‘business-creating company’. Since the change of our company name from ‘Gunze Sangyo’ to ‘GSI Creos’ in November2001， we have been trying to create a new business model， at the same time as deepening recognition of our company principle. By fully utilizing our global network, and knowledge gained from our long experience, we aim to find new values from the changes of the structure of society and industry, and packaging such values as products that fulfill customer needs. By creating values and functions that lead to the improvement of living standards of the new age together with our business partners, we aim to prove worthy of the trust and expectations of all the people concerned, from stockholders, clients, to employees and make everyone of them happy. We are confident that Creos will advance in leaps and bounds in the future.

President 　IZUMI DAIKUBARA

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Patents

ITN Energy Systems, Inc.

Benj — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:47:05 +0000

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.itnes.com/

Contact Email

info@itnes.com

Short description

Street address

8130 Shaffer Parkway

Zip or postal code

80127-4107

Telephone

303-420-1141

Fax

303-420-1551

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Key Strengths:
Our outstanding team, fundamental scientific knowledge, innovative engineering, state of the art Capital infrastructure and the unique Business Process Cycle.

Our Future:
ITN Energy Systems, Inc. focuses on developing advanced products that address the needs of today‘s competitive business environment, which is driven by the technology revolution.

We have built a diverse and growing technology portfolio for Aerospace, Energy, Biomedical and Environment applications, which provided us with an unprecedented growth opportunity in the past as well as in the future.

Over the years we have built strongest team of committed professionals and state of the art Capital infrastructure to develop advanced technologies and products, such as:

* Nanotechnology
* Lithium Ion Devices
* Biomedical Sensors & Actuators
* Flexible Photovoltaic (Solar cells)
* Flexible Thin Film Batteries
* Intelligent Processing-Sensors & Controls for Thin-film deposition
* Fuel Cells
* Ceramic Membranes
* Thin-film Tools for research and manufacturing.

Our emphasis is on maximizing the commercial return on our technologies, processes and products to create an exciting future for our investors, partners and the team.

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Patents

AirNatech Holdings Ltd.

Benj — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 15:31:02 +0000

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.airnatech.com/

Contact Email

Short description

Street address

800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 29F

Zip or postal code

10021

Telephone

(212)355-8542

Fax

(212)355-8563

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

London based AirNatech will finance, structure, control and grow its global operations in the air conditioning, refrigeration, and related nano-technology industries. AirNatech and its partners provide companies and technologies with excellent growth potential and a holistic support system that enables synergy between the companies, traction with strategic partners, employee participation, exit strategies, and access to innovation coupled with protection of intellectual property at early stages. The principal objective of the group is to facilitate but professionally manage billion-dollar industry super-growth, by deploying experienced management together with extraordinary industry innovation.

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Patents

CDT Systems, Inc.

Benj — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:36:22 +0000

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.cdtwater.com/

Contact Email

Short description

Street address

4251 Kellway Circle

Zip or postal code

75001

Telephone

972-934-1586

Fax

932-934-1592

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

The company that creates a technology that makes safe water available to any group with a need will indeed revolutionize the world economy. A technology that could reverse centuries of leaching and contamination of ground water will make a significant contribution to the welfare of humanity for generations. Imagine having the opportunity to be on the ground floor of a new technology that will revolutionize the development of clean water, the remediation of contaminated ground water, and which will ensure an adequate supply of the water required for agriculture and industry.

Such a technology exists, and has been developed to service a wide variety of applications. This is Capacitive Deionization Technology (CDT). This is CDT Systems, Inc.

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Patents

Umicore

Benj — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 17:00:24 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.umicore.com/

Contact Email

Short description

Street address

Zip or postal code

Telephone

+32 477 77 3113

Fax

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Umicore is a materials technology group. Its activities are centered on four business areas: Advanced Materials, Precious Metals Products and Catalysts, Precious Metals Services and Zinc Specialties. Each business area is dividedinto market-focused business units.

Umicore focuses on application areas where it knows its expertise in materials science, chemistry and metallurgy can make a real difference, be it in products that are essential to everyday life or those at the cutting edge of new technological developments. Umicore's overriding goal of sustainable value creation is based on this ambition to develop, produce and recycle materials in a way that fulfils its mission: materials for a better life.

The Umicore Group has industrial operations on all continents and serves a global customer base; it generated a turnover of EUR 6.6 billion in 2005 and currently employs some 14,000 people.

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Patents

Aerogel Composite, LLC

Benj — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 17:09:05 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.aerogelcomposite.com/

Contact Email

Short description

Street address

102 "R" Filley Street

Zip or postal code

06002

Telephone

(860) 242-5500

Fax

(860) 286-9994

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Aerogels are porous materials that are produced by sol-gel polycondensation reactions. A common feature of all aerogels is their small inter-connected pores. The aerogel chemical composition, nanostructure and physical properties can be controlled at the nanometer scale due to sol-gel processing.

There are three major types of aerogels: inorganic, organic and carbon aerogels. Inorganic aerogels are obtained by supercritical drying of highly cross-linked and transparent hydrogels synthesized by polycondensation of metal alkoxides. Silica aerogels are the most well known inorganic aerogels. Organic aerogels are synthesized by supercritical drying of the gels obtained by the sol-gel polycondensation reaction of resorcinol with formaldehyde in aqueous solutions. Carbon aerogels are prepared by pyrolyzing such organic aerogels in an inert atmosphere.

Incorporation of additives into aerogels results in materials that are called aerogel composites. The role of the additives is to enhance the properties of pure aerogels or to impart additional desirable properties depending on the application.

Aerogel Composite, LLC has patented the nanotechnology for the preparation of aerogel composites for a wide variety of applications. Our flagship product is a platinum loaded carbon aerogel nanocomposite for use as an electrocatalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Below is a graphic depicting the process of aerogel formation using sol-gel technology.

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Patents

Conduit Ventures Limited ( CVL )

Benj — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 17:56:28 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.conduit-ventures.com/

Contact Email

Short description

Street address

HQ, Unit B, 2nd Floor Colonial Buildings, 59-61 Hatton Garden

Zip or postal code

EC1N 8LS

Telephone

Fax

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

We are the only firm with such a focus AND a global reach with investments currently in the United States, Canada, Germany and Great Britain. Our ambition is to become the leading independent global provider of venture capital to different fuel cell and related hydrogen technologies industries, in order to generate superior financial returns for investors.

Conduit Ventures Limited is regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority ("FSA").

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Patents

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

Benj — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 15:37:14 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.cfcl.com.au/

Contact Email

enquiries@cfcl.com.au

Short description

Street address

170 Browns Road

Zip or postal code

3174

Telephone

+ 61 3 9554 2300

Fax

+ 61 3 9790 5600

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (CFU) is focused on meeting the requirements in the field of stationary power (electricity).

Our unique fuel cell design, is based on work done within the leading Australian institution, the CSIRO (Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation), from which the Company spun off in 1992 with the support of many contributing partners before listing on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2004. In that time we improved the design, systems and product configuration of our solid oxide fuel cells, whilst winning an international reputation in our field.

The Company has a pragmatic business strategy to take our fuel cells first to the international appliance industry where they will provide both highly efficient electricity plus heat for hot water systems (generally known as micro-CHP). We will also continue to examine other product options.

CFCL is initially focused on an existing and growing micro-CHP market in Europe. We established a UK subsidiary in August 2004 and engaged staff immediately to focus on European prospects. We will then move into other growing micro-CHP markets in Asia and North America.

We also recognise that our testing services, expertise in powders, seals and materials handling are world-class and may provide additional business opportunities.

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Patents

NexTech Materials, Ltd.

Benj — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:01:57 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.nextechmaterials.com/

Contact Email

Short description

Street address

404 Enterprise Drive

Zip or postal code

43035-9423

Telephone

614-842-6606

Fax

614-842-6607

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

NexTech Materials is developing a range of advanced ceramic products for the energy, automotive, medical, defense, and aerospace industries. Its core competencies are inorganic materials development, ceramic product development, synthesis and dispersion of nanoscale oxides, and scale-up of advanced powder synthesis technologies. Some of the products under development are described below.

NexTech focuses on cost reduction and reliability in its development approaches and has 16 active programs relating to development of fuel cell materials and processes. NexTech has introduced over 30 new products for commercial sale over the past two years. NexTech has over 100 customers in more than 25 countries, and numerous development partners throughout the world.

NexTechs business strategy is to expand its manufacturing and materials technologies to meet the needs of the emerging commercial fuel cell market. Its immediate commercial focus is on the development market and on meeting needs for demonstration systems. NexTech ultimately will position itself for strategic alliances with fuel cell power system manufacturers and/or raw materials suppliers in order to meet the large volumes required for commercialization.

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Patents

QuantumSphere, Inc.

kmaloney — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:03:19 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.qsinano.com/

Contact Email

info@qsinano.com

Short description

Street address

2905 Tech Center Drive

Zip or postal code

92705

Telephone

714-545-NANO

Fax

714-545-6265

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Kevin D. Maloney

Number of employees

Long description

Founded in 2002, QuantumSphere, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality nano metals and alloys for applications in renewable energy, electronics, aerospace, defense and other markets demanding advanced materials.

Unlike other manufacturers, QuantumSphere has a proprietary capability to enable production of ultra-pure, highly uniform nano metals and alloys at sizes under 50nm in high volume at commercial prices. This capability unlocks a large number of new applications. The Company has created a fully automated, highly scalable process to supply these advanced materials in large quantity. The Company has also created an extensive intellectual property portfolio around its manufacturing process capabilities and multiple commercial clean-energy applications.

QuantumSphere is leveraging its capabilities to manufacture and ship high-performance catalyst materials. The current global catalyst market is in excess of $20B, annually. The Company is providing catalyst materials and electrode devices for clean energy applications such as batteries and micro fuel cells for portable power, on-demand hydrogen generation as well as high-efficiency thin film solar cells. As there is a critical need to develop low-cost, efficient renewable energy sources and satisfy ever increasing power requirements in ever smaller sizes, QSI-Nano® metals and alloys address key industry bottlenecks. For example, The Company addresses a particular constraint created by platinum in a variety of fuel cells. Platinum is currently the main catalyst, but is the most expensive and scarce ingredient in the system. QSI-Nano® catalyst materials are replacing substantial quantities of platinum, enabling higher performance with proven durability at a small fraction of the cost with large volumes readily available.

QuantumSphere’s proprietary capabilities and intellectual property serve as a platform to uniquely serve multiple multi-billion dollar markets requiring advanced catalyst materials. The Company is committed to addressing these ever larger opportunities while continuing its focus on developing increasingly advanced materials for a wide range of clean-energy applications.

The company accomplishes this without compromising its commitment to the environment and the community. No other known company offers these performance advantages.

Additional Commentaries and remarks

Patents

Pacific Fuel Cell Corp. ( PFC )

Benj — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 16:52:37 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.pfce.net/

Contact Email

contact@pfce.net

Short description

Street address

131 N. Tustin Ave. Suite 100

Zip or postal code

92780

Telephone

1-714-564-1693

Fax

1-714-558-9301

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Pacific Fuel Cell has engineered a next-generation membrane electrode assembly for direct methanol and proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The MEA is the heart of a fuel cell and is critical for efficiently generating electricity. What is unique about the companys next-generation MEA technology?

The unique feature of Pacific Fuel Cells MEA is its use of carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are great electron conductors and electrochemically stable. They can also have high surface area and provides many advantages over previous MEA technologies.

One significant problem with previous MEA technology is the quantities of precious metals required and their associated high cost (e.g., platinum currently is over $900 US dollars/per ounce). In previous MEA technologies, platinum is deposited on carbon black particles and the supported catalysts are then sprayed or brushed onto the carbon paper. However, this process is not ideal and leaves many of the expensive platinum particles not fully utilized in the electricity making process. Pacific Fuel Cell's scientists have solved the problem. By using carbon nanotubes as the catalyst support and aligning them in a unique way, an ideal surface area is realized and the electricity-producing platinum nanoparticles can be fully utilized. In fact, due to this improved utilization of precious metals, much less amounts of the expensive platinum particles are needed to reach a desired power level of the MEA. Therefore, Pacific Fuel Cell's next-generation carbon nanotube MEAТ“ technology still provides maximum power output while significantly decreasing the cost of making fuel cells.

Another significant problem with previous MEA technologies is the limited life span of the electricity-producing precious metals (e.g., platinum). The limited life span of the platinum particles is due to the instability of the carbon black support. During repeated use and under high electrochemical potential, the carbon black supports tend to be corroded causing the platinum particles to dislodge, aggregate, and precipitate into highly inefficient clumps. Since the platinum particles are critical for making power, the MEA becomes gradually inefficient and the fuel cells performance deteriorates. Eventually, the MEA and fuel cell need to be replaced. Again, Pacific Fuel Cell's technology has solved the problem. Instead of attaching to the carbon black, the companyФ”s scientists attach the platinum nanoparticles to the carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are more stable than carbon black and this attachment is stronger and more secure. Therefore, the platinum nanoparticles stay in place and dispersed, and subsequently, increase the life span of the precious metals, MEA and fuel cell.

Pacific Fuel Cell's carbon nanotube MEA technology can help enable a new generation of more efficient and better performing fuel cells. Pacific Fuel Cell's carbon nanotube MEA technology can be engineered to meet your company's different fuel cell wattage and amperage requirements. From small fuel cells to large fuel cells, Pacific Fuel Cell's next-generation carbon nanotube MEA technology can provide your company with an improved fuel cell solution.

Additional Commentaries and remarks

Patents

MetaMateria Partners LLC

Benj — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 16:35:11 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.metamateria.com/

Contact Email

info@metamateria.com

Short description

Street address

1275 Kinnear Road

Zip or postal code

43212

Telephone

614-340-1690

Fax

614-487-3704

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Powders are available dry or in suspensions, slurries and inks. Ceramic components include tubes, cylinders, discs and plates. Filters and catalyst supports are offered in a range of materials and porosities and can be supplied in customer defined shapes and sizes. Components for electrochemical devices include tubular and planar anode or cathode supported structures, membranes, high temperature gas manifolds, insulation, metal felts, interconnects and stand-offs. Components can be finished with a variety of coatings or films.

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Patents

Tekion Solutions, Inc.

Benj — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 19:38:16 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.tekion.com/

Contact Email

info@tekion.com

Short description

Street address

8602 Commerce Court

Zip or postal code

V5A 4N6

Telephone

604 656 6610

Fax

604 656 6620

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

Our first commercially available fuel cell technology will be our direct formic acid fuel cell using Formira as its fuel. Formira is our brand name for a specialized formic acid.

At Tekion, our engineering analysis has shown that one type of fuel cell technology will not satisfy all the different portable power application requirements. For example, small portable electronics like mobile phones require a certain amount of power (usually 3 watts) which must fit within a cavity of approximately 10cc to 30cc. In order for a fuel cell technology to accomplish this, it must have the capability of operating at a high power density. Out of all the direct fuel micro fuel cells, (fuel cells which do not require hydrogen to operate) the direct formic acid fuel cell technology has demonstrated the highest power density. As a result of this unique characteristic the engineers at our U.S. subsidiary, Renew Power, were able to integrate this fuel cell into a mobile phone utilizing the same space used for the battery. This was the worldТ’s first fuel cell inside a mobile phone. These same engineers also made a direct formic acid fuel cell the size of a penny and demonstrated it powering a fan. Our product family for the direct formic acid fuel cell technology will range from milliwatts for sensors to 3 5 watts for mobile phones.

As our product engineers complete the commercialization of our direct formic acid fuel cell technology, they will move forward to developing other direct liquid fueled fuel cell techologies. The applications for these other fuel cells will be determined for each by a sound business case.

Additional Commentaries and remarks

Patents

PolyFuel, Inc.

Benj — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 23:19:36 +0100

Ticker Id

Web url

http://www.polyfuel.com/

Contact Email

info@polyfuel.com

Short description

Street address

1245 Terra Bella Avenue

Zip or postal code

94043

Telephone

650.429.4700

Fax

650.930.0219

Foundation date

Ceo, president

Number of employees

Long description

PolyFuel is the world leader in engineered membranes that provide breakthrough performance in fuel cells for portable electronic and automotive applications. The state of the art in fuel cells is essentially that of the membrane. Our leading-edge, hydrocarbon-based membranes enable a new generation of portable and automotive fuel cells that for the first time can satisfy the desire for long-running, and cost-effective portable power, and can deliver on the long-awaited promise of clean, efficient automotive power based upon renewable energy sources.

PolyFuels unmatched capability to rapidly translate the system-level requirements of fuel cell designers and manufacturers into engineered polymer nano-architectures has led to its introduction of best-in-class hydrocarbon membranes for both portable direct methanol fuel cells and for automotive hydrogen fuel cells. Such capability Т– based on PolyFuels over 150 combined years of fuel cell experience, world-class polymer nano-architects, and a fundamental patent position covering more than 15 different inventions Т– also makes PolyFuel an essential development partner and supplier to any company seeking to advance the state of the art in fuel cells. Polymer electrolyte fuel cells built with PolyFuel membranes can be smaller, lighter, longer-running, more efficient, less expensive and more robust than those made with conventional perfluorinated membrane materials.

PolyFuel was spun out of SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) in 1999, after 14 years of applied membrane research. The company is based in Mountain View, California, and is privately held. Investors include Mayfield, Ventures West, CDP Capital Private Equity, Technology Partners, Intel Capital, Chrysalix Energy, Conduit Ventures, KTB Ventures, Hotung Venture Partners, Yasuda Enterprise Development, and BiNEXT, a part of the Daesung Group.