Dow Building Large-Scale Quantum Dot Factory in Korea

The Dow Chemical Company is starting construction of what it says is the world's first, large-scale, cadmium-free quantum dot manufacturing operation at the company's Cheonan, South Korea site. The plant will use the British company Nanoco's patented, molecular-seeding technology, which enables high-volume manufacturing.

Production at the new facility is expected to begin in the first half of 2015, enabling the manufacture of millions of quantum dot televisions and other displays.

Dow signed an exclusive worldwide rights agreement for the sale, marketing and manufacture of Nanoco's cadmium-free quantum dots for use in electronic displays in January 2013. Preparatory work for construction of the plant is well advanced, according to Nanoco. The start of construction triggers a milestone payment from Dow to Nanoco.

Michael Edelman, Nanoco's CEO, said: "We are delighted that demand for Nanoco's cadmium-free quantum dots is at a point where Dow will begin construction of a large-scale manufacturing plant in South Korea based on our novel manufacturing process. Under Dow's brand name Trevista Quantum Dots, Nanoco's technology will offer an outstanding quality of color reproduction and set the standard for quantum dots globally."

"Today's announcement signals the display industry's desire to move toward quantum dots for brilliant color in displays, but without the use of cadmium," says C.G. Park, Global Business Director, Dow Electronic Materials' Display Technologies. "Anytime we can enable our customers to develop extraordinary products for a more sustainable future, it's a win for our customers, consumers and the environment."

Park adds that Dow's experience in scaling up manufacturing for the semiconductor industry means display makers can plan their quantum dot requirements with confidence.

Dow's Trevista Quantum Dots can be tuned to meet customer requirements for a wider color palette and improved color saturation. "Trevista quantum dots truly do bring a whole new view on color," says Andrew Lee, Business Director, Quantum Dot Technologies. "The difference is significant and we are pleased we can bring this stunning, new technology to our customers and the market."

Multi-disciplinary Lab at Queen Mary University

The cross-disciplinary capabilities of Malvern Instruments' technology are being fully exploited at Queen Mary University London. The Zetasizer Nano, NanoSight Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) and Mastersizer 2000 systems are all employed within the university's multi-disciplinary lab. The instruments serve a wide variety of research groups working in areas as diverse as silica coating formulation through to tissue regeneration, demonstrating the value that Malvern's robust technology brings throughout the scientific arena.

"Our lab is part of The School of Engineering and Materials Science but the instruments are used by everyone from biologists through to physicists," said Dr Krystelle Mafina, Experimental Officer in Materials Characterization at Queen Mary University London. "Stability and particle size define material and biomaterial performance and the Zetasizer Nano is perfectly placed to deliver this information within our multi-user environment. The instrument is robust, easy to use and data acquisition is straightforward. It is as close to ‘student proof' as it is possible to be!"

Capable of measuring particle size, zeta potential, molecular weight and protein mobility, the Zetasizer Nano from Malvern is the world's most widely used dynamic light scattering system. Recently, research groups at Queen Mary University London have been supplementing data from the Zetasizer with data from the NanoSight Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) system to study the behavior of their particles and molecules over time. NTA is a unique particle visualization technique that enables each particle within a solution to be analyzed through direct observation and measurement of the diffusion event. The instantaneous, high level data delivered by NTA is being used both to validate results from Zetasizer Nano analysis and to deliver additional insight into particle behavior.

"NTA is a relatively new addition to the lab but is already bringing value to several areas of research," commented Dr Mafina. "For example, the ability to visualize particles over time is allowing one research group developing self-assembling proteins to trace the changes in size of their molecules over time to better understand the dynamics of aggregation. The more we learn about the technique the greater application it is finding. Malvern Instruments' webinars, live chats and technical support are very useful in this area and continue to help our researchers push the boundaries of materials and biomaterials science."

FEI opening New Technology Center

FEI announced the opening of a new technology center in the industrial estate of Ĉernovická Terasa, Brno, Czech Republic. With a surface area of 27.000 m2 (nearly 300,000 square feet), it is the largest technology plant built this year in the Czech Republic. FEI invested 800 million Czech crowns (approximately $38M USD) in the new building and the construction took 18 months to complete.

"While FEI has had operations in Brno for almost 20 years now, we are pleased to expand our manufacturing, laboratory and office capacity in the region. The larger facility will employ about 600 people and produce approximately 60 percent of our entire electron microscope production," states Jiří Očadlík, director-general of FEI's Czech Republic facility. "The new building is unique, not only because of its size, but also because of the state-of-the-art production facilities and pleasant working environment for our employees."

FEI is the leading world-wide manufacturer of electron microscopes, and the price for some of its most powerful microscopes can reach tens of million crowns. This year it was awarded "Best Employer" of the South Moravia region. The Moravian metropolis is important to FEI because of its strategic location and availability of a high-quality, skilled workforce.

Očadlík adds, "The new facility is an enormous success for Brno, as this investment opens the door to further growth in the area, as well as expanding the scope of FEI's business activities in Brno. In addition to producing the high-end microscopes in the Brno facility, we are also testing and servicing them before they are shipped to customers world-wide."

FEI's new facility is located at Vlastimila Pecha 12, Brno 627 00.

Parker opens New Innovation Center

Parker Hannifin Corp. announced the formal opening of its Polymer Innovation Center at the Parflex Div. in Ravenna, Ohio. The Parflex Division designs and manufactures thermoplastic and fluoropolymer hose, tubing and accessories that provides unique solutions for application market segments such as transportation, medical/life sciences, oil and gas, construction and marine.

The Polymer Innovation Center is a 24,000-sf facility within the Parflex headquarters that consolidates the division’s R&D activities into one location. It will also be used to pilot and prototype innovative new products. The Polymer Innovation Center was made possible through a $2.3 million funding commitment from Ohio’s Third Frontier Research and Development Center Program and a $15 million investment from Parker. The Univ. of Akron and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation have collaborated with Parflex on the project. The center is expected to create 34 high-technology and engineering jobs. The facility currently employs more than 300.

Raytheon and UMass Lowell establish Joint Research Facility

Raytheon Company and the University of Massachusetts Lowell have announced an agreement to establish a joint research facility focused on the advancement of innovative technologies in a collaborative, state-of-the-art institute. Raytheon is committing $3 million with options to $5 million throughout the next 10 years for establishment of this research facility.

Raytheon-UMass Lowell Research Institute (RURI) will feature state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms that will serve as a launchpad for collaboration and learning among UMass Lowell faculty and students and Raytheon employees to benefit both organizations in the pursuit of federal research funding. It will also provide UMass Lowell students with opportunities for research projects and employment opportunities at Raytheon.

Initial research will focus on future technologies for radar and communication systems and could expand into other areas as needed. The institute will leverage UMass Lowell’s strengths in printed electronics and nanotechnology that align with Raytheon’s strategic technology needs including high-frequency printed conformal antennas, carbon-based transistors and photonic devices.

The RURI will be located in the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, an $80 million, 84,000-square-foot research facility on the UMass Lowell campus that is home to cutting-edge research in a variety of science and engineering disciplines. The center – one of nine new buildings opened by the university since 2009 – was constructed to provide not only UMass Lowell faculty and students with the most advanced research facility of its kind north of Boston, but to also support collaboration with businesses from startups to world leaders like Raytheon.

The building’s fourth floor will be specially equipped to house the institute, which will be co-directed by Dr. Christopher McCarroll of Raytheon and UMass Lowell Prof. Craig Armiento, Ph.D., a faculty member in electrical and computer engineering in the university’s Francis College of Engineering.

S2C opens Korean Office

S2C, Inc. announced the opening of a direct sales and support office in Seoul, Korea, appointing Suk-Ha Lee (SH Lee) as country manager.

“We’ve had numerous requests for our systems in Korea – this is clearly an opportunity for us,” said Toshio Nakama, CEO of S2C. “Opening an office in Seoul is a natural decision. A lot of high-end consumer products are developed in Korea, all built upon complex SoCs driven by sophisticated software. Our solutions meet this challenge perfectly.”

Headquartered in San Jose, California, S2C provides SoC prototyping solutions.

Optoscribe moves to New Facility

Optoscribe, a global supplier of 3D waveguide technology for optical communications, announced its plans to expand with a move to new facilities.

The new facility in Livingston UK, boasts a cleanroom with additional office space and room for further expansion. Nick Psaila, CEO of Optoscribe, said “Being based in the Alba Innovation Centre was a good starting point; however the expansion was a necessary and major step for the company. The move will allow us to increase our production capacity as we continue to develop new products.”

Optoscribe is currently recruiting for new positions and will continue to do so over the course of 2014.

McIlvaine Company

Northfield, IL 60093-2743

Tel: 847-784-0012; Fax: 847-784-0061

E-mail: editor@mcilvainecompany.com

Web site: www.mcilvainecompany.com