MetaMateria Partners Acquires Ceramics Company For Nano-Enabled Clean Water Technologies
Columbus, OH - MetaMateria Partners, LLC, a subsidiary of nanomaterial manufacturer NanoDynamics, Inc., recently announced the acquisition of Pourous Ceramic Shapes LLC including all technology and Cell-Pore™ products. According to MetaMateria Partners, the company's proprietary technology enables the manufacture of lightweight ceramic products with controlled porosity that can be used for highly efficient, cost-effective water filtration and remediation applications. Already commercialized for small applications, the ceramic technology is currently in development for larger scale, nanotechnology-enabled bioremediation, chemical absorption and filtration processes. Under the terms of the acquisition, Cell-Pore™ products are now sold directly by MetaMateria Partners.
The acquired technology consists of a proprietary colloidal manufacturing process that can be used to make both porous and dense ceramic parts in complex shapes. MetaMateria Partners is optimizing the process for non-clogging, lightweight and highly porous structures that allow for high flow rates while enabling significant exposure to the ceramic's surface. The resulting structures serve as an ideal framework for a spectrum of nanotechnology-enabled water filtration, purification, and remediation technologies including those currently under evaluation and development at MetaMateria Partners and NanoDynamics.
MetaMateria is currently developing the ceramic technology with an aim to improve three general approaches to water cleanup.:In bioremediation applications, the ceramic's porous structure makes it an ideal home for both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that naturally convert waste to non-toxic substances. The high surface area ensures efficient contact between the water and the beneficial bacteria, creating healthy ecosystems for commercial aquaculture and high-value water gardens. In chemical absorption applications, the ceramic can replace materials like activated alumina and charcoal that are currently burdened with costly manufacturing and disposal issues. Coupled with application-specific nanoengineered reactants, the resulting systems effectively remove phosphates, heavy metals, lead, arsenic and other pollutants as water flows through. The ceramic can also be used as a membrane support that offers efficiency benefits over conventional reverse-osmosis filtration systems, which involve costly organic membranes and waste significant quantities of water in the cleanup process. Against the backdrop of rising oil prices driving the cost of plastic ever higher, the ceramics constitute an ideal support structure for MetaMateria's inorganic nanoparticle membrane capable of producing 100 times more clean water per gallon than its organic counterparts. MetaMateria Partner claims that the underlying ceramic technology has additional applications in insulation, hot gas filters, catalyst supports, building materials and other products where lightweight, durable porous materials are desirable.
SOURCE: Antenna Group (for NanoDynamics)