Promethean opens first nanomaterials plant

NANOMATERIALS manufacturer Promethean Particles has opened a world-first facility, worth €9.7m (US$10.8m) capable of producing over 1,000 t/y of nanomaterials.

The plant, based in Nottingham, UK, can manufacture thousands of different types of nanomaterials that have a variety of uses for many chemical industries such as healthcare, coatings and nanocomposites for applications including artificial bone, scratch-proof coatings, printed electronics and flame-retardant materials.

Promethean – a spin-out company from the University of Nottingham – developed the plant with partner universities and businesses from 12 European countries as part of a European nanomaterials research programme, known as Sustainable Hydrothermal Manufacturing of Nanomaterials (SHYMAN).

SHYMAN was funded by the EU’s Framework Programme 7 (FP7), which enables universities and businesses across Europe to explore the potential of new technologies in industry.

Companies including Solvay, Fiat, PPG, Repsol and others, looking to have specific nanomaterials developed into commercial products will be the primary commercial targets for the plant.

Ed Lester, technical director of Promethean said: “We have already had a lot of interest from companies in a diverse range of sectors. From healthcare, where nanoparticles can be used in coatings on medical devices, to enhanced fabrics, where nanomaterials can add strength and flexibility to textiles, and in printed electronics, as we are able to print materials such as copper.”

The project spent four years in development and was completed on schedule.