Nanotechnology

Researchers from IMDEA-Nanociencia Institute and from Autonoma and Complutense Universities of Madrid (Spain) have managed to give graphene magnetic properties. The breakthrough, published in the journal 'Nature Physics', opens the door to the development of graphene-based spintronic devices, that is, devices based on the spin or rotation of the electron, and could transform the electronics industry.  Scientists were already aware that graphene, an incredible material formed of a mesh of hexagonal carbon atoms, has extraordinary conductivity, mechanical and optical properties. Now it is possible to give it yet one more property: magnetism, implying a breakthrough in electronics.

Lack of regulations and liberalization of many of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region have opened up prospective opportunities for microscopes in several end-user industries. The demand of effective microscopy techniques is increasing in these regions due to the progressive shift of manufacturing facilities in the semiconductor manufacturing and electronics industries. Additionally, the greater emphasis on quality levels in industrial and biological research activities has augmented the demand for effective and advanced microscopy techniques. The electron microscopes market is bigger than that of ion microscopes. A wide range of applications of electron microscopes is the driving factor for this market. Product innovations and increasing applications are also driving the market for electron microscopes. The fluorescent and bioluminescent probes market is larger than the nanoparticles and quantum dots markets. Commercially available quantum dots are promising competitors of fluorescent and bioluminescent probes. Therefore, the market for quantum dots is increasing at a higher growth rate than the fluorescent and bioluminescent probes market.

Quantum dots will cascade into the marketplace. They offer lower cost, longer life, and brighter lighting.  The commercialization of quantum dots using kilogram quantity mass production is a game-changer. High quality, high quantity and lowest price quantum dots increase product quality in every industry. The rate of change means speeded products cycles are evolving. Once manufacturers learn to integrate higher efficiency luminescent quantum dots into their products, each vendor will need to follow or dramatically lose market share. This level of change brought by quantum dot and quantum dot displays (QLED) represents a new paradigm that will create new industries, products and jobs in science and industry. The list of possible quantum dot applications is ever expanding. New applications are waiting for the availability of more evolved quantum dots. Quantum Dot LED (QLED) commercial focus has remained on key optical applications: Optical component lasers are emerging as a significant market. LED backlighting for LCD displays, LED general lighting, and solar power quantum dots are beginning to reach the market. Vendors continue to evaluate other applications.

Solid nanoparticles and nanostructured monolithics are expected to gain significant market share over the next five years, reaching 7.4% and 2.1%, respectively, by 2017. Nanosensors’ market share is expected to increase slightly by 2017, and hollow nanoparticles should achieve their first commercial sales (other than nanoparticles used in nanocomposites). Applications in energy production, refining, storage, distribution, and transmission collectively accounted for 37% of the market in 2011 vs. 63% for applications in increasing energy efficiency. By 2017, production, refining, storage, distribution, and transmission applications are projected to have a combined market share of 33% vs. 67% for energy efficiency. Industrial processing was the largest user of nanotechnologies in 2011 with 46.1% of the total market.  Refining was the second-largest application segment in 2011 with 17.6% of the market. Other major application segments in 2011 were ethanol production with 16.4% of the market and energy-saving consumer products (mainly detergents) with 11.8%.

Various power factors have impinged on the advancement and development of micro devices. Power density, cell weight, battery life and form factor all have proven significant and cumbersome when considered for micro applications. Markets for solid state thin-film batteries at $65.9 million in 2012 are anticipated to reach $5.95 billion by 2019. Market growth is a result of the implementation of a connected world of sensors.

According to a new technical market research report, global revenues from carbon nanotube (CNT) production totaled $192 million in 2011, and are projected to reach $238.9 million in 2012, and $527 million in 2016, a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.4%. The CNT market can be split into three segments based on grade: Multi-wall, few-wall, and single wall. The multi-wall segment was valued at $189 million in 2011 and is expected to account for $292 million in 2016, a CAGR of 9.1%.

Researchers at Rice’s Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology have come up with a set of facts and figures about carbon nanotubes that appear to collapse during the growth process; they found that these unique configurations have properties of both nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons. Researchers at Rice University found that nanotubes of a large diameter can spontaneously collapse into closed-edge graphene nanoribbons when atoms on the inside wall get close enough to attract each other.

World demand for nanomaterials will rise more than two-and-a-half times to $5.5 billion in 2016, driven by a combination of increased market penetration of existing materials, and ongoing development of new materials and applications. Nanotubes, along with other materials such as nanoclays and quantum dots, will grow at the fastest pace, with the energy storage and generation and construction markets undergoing the most rapid expansions. Regionally, the Americas and the Asia/Pacific region will continue to dominate demand, though the fastest growth will occur in Eastern Europe and the Africa/Mideast region.

The total market for Quantum dots is expected to reach $7480.25 million by 2022, at a CAGR of 55.2% from 2012 to 2022. In the present scenario of QD technology market, Healthcare is the only industry, which has gained significant market share. Healthcare needs high precision in tissue labeling, cancer therapy, tumor detection, etc. and QD-based devices work for the same.

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and their compounds exhibit extraordinary electrical properties for organic materials, and have a huge potential in electrical and electronic applications such as photovoltaics, sensors, semiconductor devices, displays, conductors, smart textiles and energy conversion devices (e.g., fuel cells, harvesters and batteries). This updated report brings all of this together, covering the latest work from over 100 organisations around the world to details of the latest progress applying the technologies.