VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd has developed a new, cost-efficient method of producing various types of metallic nanoparticles. Nanoparticles can be used in applications such as conductive and magnetic inks, medical diagnostics and drug dosing, tailoring the electrical and magnetic properties of polymers and energy technology.
VTT is seeking a party interested in commercializing the technique. VTT’s aerosol technology reactor for nanoparticle production can generate a variety of pure metal particles, particles of various alloys and carbon-coated particles. The reactor can efficiently produce hundreds of grammes or even kilogrammes of nanoparticles per day.
“Demand has outstripped supply in the nanoparticle markets. This has been an obstacle to the development of product applications; nano-metal composites are scarce and often available in small quantities only. We wanted to demonstrate that it was possible to produce nanomaterials in considerable quantities cost-effectively,” comments Ari Auvinen of VTT, head of the research team.
