ROMEOVILLE, Ill., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nanophase Technologies , a technology leader in nanomaterials and advanced nanoengineered products, announces that the Company has been issued U.S. Patent No. 7,303,891 -- entitled "Surface Treatment of Nanoparticles to Control Interfacial Properties and Method of Manufacture". The patent discloses the formation of surface treated nanoparticles with looped and/or linear polymeric structure on a star-graft polymer coating. Nanophase's novel surface treatment controls the interfacial properties of the nanoparticle with controlled polymer physical properties and controlled polymeric chemical properties. Nanophase now owns or licenses 18 United States and 49 foreign patents and patent applications.
The technology described in this patent overcomes a number of problems long associated with the use of nanoparticles in product formulations, such as component reactivity, nanoparticle compatibility, and the formation of stable dispersions, suspensions, and emulsions. In addition, the patented surface treatment enables control of the particle-matrix interface in a bulk or thin film composite and can strongly affect the amount of free volume in the composite material. With this technology, composite properties, e.g., mechanical properties, glass transition temperature, flexure strength, interaction with liquid and gas sorbents, the transport of sorbent materials, dielectric and magnetic properties, etc., may be controlled by the judicious selection of the nanoparticle surface treatment.
"Nanophase continues its leadership in nanomaterials and applications of nanomaterial technologies, including the development of intermediate products which enable high-value composite products," stated Dr. Richard Brotzman, Nanophase's CTO. "We regard this patent as seminal technology and it is significant for the Company in multiple applications in diverse market segments ranging from personal care to plastics to coatings."
Nanophase Technologies Corporation (NANX), http://www.nanophase.com/, is a leader in nanomaterials technologies and provides nanoengineered solutions for multiple industrial product applications. Using a platform of patented and proprietary integrated nanomaterial technologies, the Company creates products with unique performance attributes from two ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001 facilities. Nanophase delivers commercial quantity and quality nanoparticles, coated nanoparticles, and nanoparticle dispersions in a variety of media. The Company owns or licenses 18 United States and 49 foreign patents and patent applications. Information about Nanophase may be found in the Company's public filings or on its website.
This press release contains words such as "expects", "shall", "will", "believes" and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements in this announcement are made based on the Company's current beliefs, known events and circumstances at the time of publication, and as such, are subject in the future to unforeseen risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's results of operations, performance and achievements to differ materially from current expectations expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risk and uncertainties include the following: a decision by a customer to cancel a purchase order or supply agreement in light of the Company's dependence on a limited number of key customers; uncertain demand for, and acceptance of, the Company's nanocrystalline materials; the Company's manufacturing capacity and product mix flexibility in light of customer demand; the Company's limited marketing experience; changes in development and distribution relationships; the impact of competitive products and technologies; the Company's dependence on patents and protection of proprietary information; the resolution of litigation in which the Company may become involved; and other risks described in the Company's Form 10K filed March 14, 2007, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the Company's forward-looking statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates. Except as required by federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events, uncertainties or other contingencies.
