Nanoparticles
Small particles are utilized in a seemingly infinite number of industrial applications today; from pigments and strengthening agents to biological decontamination. Today, the scientific forefront of particle technologies is in particles that are smaller than 100 nm in diameter. These materials exhibit properties that are between those of bulk (large-scale) materials and those of atoms due to their large surface area. From different colors than their bulk analogs to greater solar absorption to lower melting points, the properties of nanoparticles can be quite different from bulk materials.
Scientists have been studying the properties of nanomaterials for many decades, and are beginning to understand how these materials can influence bulk properties of other materials they may be combined with. Nano Terra typically approaches nanoparticle development from either the synthetic view or from the formulation perspective.
We use our significant surface engineering expertise to guide our material design and synthesis. Depending on the application demands, we either design custom nanoparticles from the ground up or modify available nanoparticles to improve incorporation into another bulk material. The ultimate modes of use of these materials are determined by the customer needs; we have designed new materials to be used alone for testing and probing purposes and we have designed materials and formulations to be used in combination with other materials for applications such as increasing material strength or modifying flow characteristics.
We work with a variety of nanoparticle chemistries, from carbon nanotubes to nanosilica to magnetic materials. The specific base chemistry is typically dictated by the application, and we apply our expertise to change surface properties to ensure effective integration into new formulations or to provide specific bulk properties.
Our goal is to provide a completely novel material that will give our customer a competitive advantage in the application. Once a solution is developed, we work with our customer to ensure steady supply of the new materials for their continued use.