Support Enables Breakthrough in Nano Cluster Technology

The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), has announced details of SuperREACT, a project led by UK manufacturer Teer Coatings, Miba Coating Group, which will develop enhanced nano cluster technology after a successful bid for funding.

Kevin Cooke, Teer Coating’s R&D Technology Centre Manager believes support offered by the NanoKTN has helped the company secure crucial funding and business contacts which have been integral to its success in recent years; it has recently been awarded a share of £480,000 via a scheme run by the Technology Strategy Board, to fund the ‘SuperREACT Project’ with Johnson Matthey.

The two companies will work together with academic partner, the University of Birmingham, to develop innovative technologies which can upgrade research tools into production equipment for the cluster technology market.

Central to the project, is Teer Coating’s new equipment which can deposit nano-clusters at high rates, with the ability to size select and deposit on a range of different substrates including powders and other particulates. This provides users with a route to enhanced catalyst and photo catalyst performance. Separately, Teer Coatings is working on multi-layer and nanostructured coatings which can improve both the electrical and corrosion resistance characteristics of bipolar plates in PEM fuel cells.

Both Teer Coatings and Johnson Matthey attended the NanoKTN’s mission to Germany & Switzerland in 2010, with discussions on the mission helping to cement their relationship, which now includes their collaboration on the SuperREACT project.

Two other successful projects emerged from the NanoMission 2010 to Germany and Switzerland. Teer Coatings met UCL and has subsequently won a share in an industrial grant from the Technology Strategy Board with UCL and others, worth a further £444,000 in funding for industry; and PSI Switzerland with whom a successful bid for a FP7 project 'NOVEL' will be worth approximately €280,000 to Teer Coatings when it starts later this year.

“The benefits we have seen from working with the NanoKTN as an active member have been incredible. By meeting companies and individuals with similar interests at NanoKTN events and international missions, we have been able to find potential collaboration partners for joint development projects and secure significant funding which is now enabling us to carry out research which will benefit not only UK industry but ultimately also the European economy,” Kevin Cooke said.