A
major commercial producer of carbon nanotube-based lightweight sheets,
tapes, wires, and yarns, Nanocomp is expanding its production capacity
with the launch of a new advanced manufacturing center and headquarters
in Merrimack, N.H.
The
commercialization of carbon nanotubes created significant advancements
across several industries and attracted the attention of the Department
of Defense, which has designated Nanocomp’s materials as “critical for
national defense.” It also drew the interest of DuPont, who entered into
a financial and strategic development relationship with Nanocomp
earlier this year.
The
company’s advanced nanotube manufacturing facility will enable it to
meet accelerating market demand for high performance CNT-based sheet,
tape, and conductor products for military and commercial industrial
markets. Over the next year, the company intends to increase its
employment base through the addition of over 50 manufacturing, sales,
marketing and technical positions at both the Merrimack headquarters and
its technology research center in Concord, NH.
With
the availability of dramatically increased manufacturing capacity,
Nanocomp’s CNT sheet, tape and wire products will be able to address an
unprecedented array of application categories including:
Structural
materials: higher performance armor protection for military and police
forces; structural components that reduce weight and vibration in
aerospace, automotive and consumer electronics applications.
Electrically
conductive materials: lightweight replacement for copper wires;
shielding for electro-magnetic interference (EMI); non-metallic
electrodes for lithium and other batteries.
Thermal
management materials: heaters (Joule) for aerospace and automotive;
thermal transfer solutions for space and aviation; de-icing for
aerospace; and fire retardant materials.
Multi-functional
materials: Combined solutions such as: a CNT-based airplane wing with
an exterior layer that de-ices and manages LSP; a smart phone case that
is strong and light that also contains an embedded antenna
simultaneously serving as a thermal/electrical backplane as well as an
EMI shield.
Source: Nanocomp Technologies, Inc.