Nano-composites

“Industrial applications within reach”

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■  Nano-composites represent a very active branch of advanced research. The launch of the US National Nanotechnology Initiative or the Institute of Nanotechnology in Great Britain are clear examples.

■  In addition to the production of powders and other nanometric forms (tubes, whiskers, flakes, etc.), this research envisages developing products and systems for micro-mechanics, micro-electronics and, more immediately, plastic transformation.

■  We know that the development of the use of plastic materials – thermosettings and thermo-plastics – has been inextricably linked to that of charges and reinforcements since the beginning. With the latter, it is indeed possible to modify practically all physical and chemical characteristics, with certain restrictions of course. However, the appearance of nanocharges (up to one hundred nm for the biggest) has revealed that the effect becomes more and more marked over time while the individual size of the charge reduces.

■  Noteworthy points include the possibility to have charges with an aspect factor above 1,000 for a highly interesting reinforcing effect, with dimensions shorter than wavelengths of visible light, and conservation of a material’s original optical properties, which thus gives "faultless" products. We also note that recycling such charges tends to reduce their thickness, and therefore improve their aspect factor.

■  Among the properties that researchers most often try to improve, we can cite barrier properties (in liquid product packaging), thermal stability, behaviour to light and fire, and electrical properties (conductivity, dissipation of charges), etc.

■  Nanometric charges can be obtained:
- from “fine” charges, in practice micronised, which are refined as much as possible,
- from “massive” materials, which are exfoliated in order to remove in a controlled manner (up to the mono-molecular layer) the nano-particles, whose final form will be controlled (carbon-nano-tubes, fullerenes, etc.). The original material has to be sufficiently pure (free of silica amorphous as with clays). A similar technique involves exploding ductile metallic wires,
- if necessary through sol-gel type synthesis, which enables the nanocharge to be constructed – at a higher price today – from a homogenous solution.

■  In every case, it is essential that the nano-products do not re-agglomerate before their implementation. Production and compounding technologies are tricky: in general, it is necessary to use master batches from a quality industrial partner. Some even envisage incorporating these charges as early as the resin polymerisation phase (which cannot be possible as long as implemented quantities are low). For the time being, these technologies are the subject of work of different organisation in North America, Japan and, more recently in Europe, before moving on to industrial production.

■  The first applications are emerging today in a variety of fields such as textiles, building, cosmetics, transport and other uses are envisaged in electrical engineering, for example. We observe that General Motors expects considerable advantages from the development made by Montell/Basell of a thermoplastic olefin with nano-composite charge; Toyota is developing a solution with Ube based on NCH nylon.

■  The first supplier is the American Nanocor, whose nano-montmorillonites are already available. According to the firm, BCC, the first estimation of the US nano-composite market is 25,000 tonnes in 2004, amounting to around USD 200. It is clear that if these products are used in making car parts, these figures will be quickly exceeded.

■  Activity now is focused on industrialisation and on moving from the laboratory stage to industrial integration; the first applications reveal high potential for these nano-composites, but there are still many uncertainties as to their development. In order to enable industrial players concerned to keep an eye on these upcoming developments, Innovation 128 has been providing, since 2002, a new multi-client technological watch programme, which aims to regularly select technical and industrial information validated by the best experts.

■  The information and product summaries of this programme will be forwarded to participants on CD-ROM and/or will be directly accessible via Internet.

Main themes

■  Production of nano-charges

  • carbons and derivatives
  • mineral oxides
  • clay-type products
  • metallic-type products
  • metallic-type products
  • other

■  Production of nano-charged polymers

  • thermoplastics
  • thermosettings

■  Formulation studies

  • mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties
  • electrical and electromagnetic properties
  • surface properties
  • barrier properties
  • resistance in environments
  • bio-behaviour

■  Application studies

  • automobile construction
  • aeronautical construction
  • shipbuilding
  • electronics and electrical engineering
  • packaging
  • textile industry
  • cosmetics
  • biomedical
  • other

■  Technical and economic data

  • Europe
  • USA
  • Japan