Battelle and Unidym Inc. focuse on the use of carbon nanotubes in composites

 carbon nano tube Unidym, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Arrowhead ResearchCorporation (NASDAQ:ARWR), and Battelle have extended theirexisting relationship to include an alliance focused onmulti-functional nanocomposites for aerospace and transportationapplications. Under the alliance the companies will collaboratewith aerospace and automotive companies, and their compositematerials suppliers, which require carbon nanotube formulatedcoatings, sealants, adhesives and load-bearing composites. Researchhas shown that carbon nanotubes enhance these materials throughhigher strength-to-weight ratios, corrosion resistance, toughness,dampening and/or multi-functional electrical properties, such aselectrostatic dissipation, EMI/RFI shielding and electricalconductivity. "Unidym and Battelle have both been approached by customers withstrong interests in seeing carbon nanotubes introduced intocomposite materials, ” noted Art Swift, Unidym ’ s president and CEO. “ For some time now we have supplied sample quantities of nanotubesto a variety of composite materials suppliers and their industrialcustomers. By aligning with Battelle, we are now able to leverageeach other ’ s complementary strengths for the benefit of our customers. ” "Battelle and Unidym have capabilities to advance the developmentand commercialization of high performance composite materials, ” said Carl Kohrt, Battelle ’ s President and CEO. “ We have performed years of research into various applications ofcarbon nanotubes. Combining our experience with Unidym ’ s materials manufacturing capabilities and foundational patentportfolio provides our clients with an opportunity to acceleratethe use of carbon nanotubes in nanocomposite material formulationand fabrication. ” The companies have combined resources in this way to jointlyapproach manufacturers and material suppliers in order to discussthe application of current research, gather specific customerrequirements for high performance composite materials and present alicensing program for their intellectual property portfolios. Bothcompanies have seen significant industrial interest in applicationssuch as high performance carbon nanotube enhanced carbon fibercomposites, carbon nanotube based thermoplastic nanocomposites thatcan be injection molded, and thermoset nanocomposites that can befabricated with various resin transfer molding (RTM) processes andthrough the compression molding of nanostructured sheet moldingcompound (SMC) formulations. In addition to the market interest seen by both Battelle andUnidym, significant academic research has been under way in thearea of carbon nanotube enhanced composites. In his article in theFebruary 15 th 2008 issue of Science (Vol. 319), after briefly covering thesignificant findings of his group ’ s recent research in this field, Professor Satish Kumar of theGeorgia Institute of Technology states that “ Potential applications of carbon nanotube fibers will thus be thoserequiring high strength and stiffness in tension, high energyabsorption, and electrical and thermal conductivity. The lowdensity of these fibers would provide further weight savings. ”