Technology transfer at UA

1
Technology transfer at UA
a real life example

• Ignacio Martin-Gullon
• Chemical Engineering Department

2
Outline of the talk

• 1. Introduction
• 1.1. Brief overview to our former expertise
• 1.2. Brief introduction to Grupo Antolin (GA)
• 2. History of cooperation GA-UA
• 3. International Contacts
• 4. New contacts plans from this cooperation

3
1. Introduction
4
Our expertise before 2003
Chemical Engineering Dpt
Carbon nanotubes nanofibers
5-100 nm
Carbon Fibers Pitch
Production Applications Composites
UA experience
C A R B O N M A T E R I A L S
Production Filler for tyres Catalyst support
Carbon blacks
Production Applications
Adsorbents
Fuel Thermal processes
5
Brief summary of our expertise
Chemical Engineering Dpt
Carbon nanotubes nanofibers
My personal experience
Carbon Fibers Pitch
Production Applications Composites
UA experience
Ph.D. at UA (91-95)
C A R B O N M A T E R I A L S
Production Filler for tyres Catalyst support
Carbon blacks
Post-Doc in University of Kentucky (96-97)
NORIT (NL) RD dept. world leader Productor
carbon ads.
Production Applications
Adsorbents
Prof at UA (99-02)
Fuel Thermal processes
6
Grupo Antolin
?Family company ?Origin 50s ? Steering and
suspension ball-joints ?60s/70s ? Product
diversification strategy (first self supporting
- rooflinings) ?Nowadays ? Multinational
leader in the conception and manufacture of
interior automotive components and modular
systems
7
Grupo Antolin
8
Grupo Antolin
9
Grupo Antolin
?Europe ? Spain ? United Kingdom ?
Germany ? Czech Republic ? Slovakia ?
Portugal ? France ? Turkey
HEADQUATERS DESIGN TECHNOLOGY RD Located in
Burgos (SPAIN). over 300 graduated employees.
?America ? United States ? Mexico ?
Argentina ? Brazil
?Africa-Asia-Pacific-Japan ? South Africa ?
China ? South Korea ? India ? Thailand ?
Japan
10
2. History of co-operation UA-GA
11
GA Carbon Nanofiber Project

• Up to mid 1990s No industrial production of
  MWNT/CNF, only lab-scale.
• Late 1990s. GM RD and subsidiary companies led
  an active research program for producing Carbon
  Nanofibers and using them in conductive plastic
  based composites for exterior automobile parts.
• Applied Sciences Inc. (with GM technology) became
  first CNF industry
• Showa Denko (Japan).

• APPLICATIONS OF CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS

• UNDERHOOD COMPONENTS

12
GA Carbon Nanofiber Project

• 2000. Grupo Antolin started Carbon Nanofiber
  Project Production for using in new automobile
  parts.
• Mid 2002. Grupo Antolin produced their first
  experimental CNF product at industrial scale.
• So, GA started a search for a technology partner,
  and among others, UA.

GA Needed external knowledge to characterize and
purify
Purification A
Purification B
Purification C
13
First annual Contact UA-GA. 2003

• Prof. Linares. GA proposed Characterization and
  purification of CNF through method C
• Prof. Linares answered sincerely Not much
  experience in CNF, characterization and
  preliminars of purification C. For purification
  C, support from Martin-Gullon
• In my first meeting (summer 2003.) I have no
  knowledge of CNF, but method C will never
  succeed and I agreed to make a deep literature
  review of CNF, and laboratory work to propose
  alternatives to method C.
• A fluent communication began (phone contacts, two
  more meetings)

2003. First annual Contract GA-UA. Managed by
Prof. Linares. 50 k
14
Formation team UA-GA

• A fluent dynamic communication began (phone
  contacts, two more meetings)
• Nov 2003. GA was invited to a European Research
  Consortium (Eureka) for MWNT/CNF. GA
  invited UA. Objetive of the meeting for us
  Learn. Nevertheless
• We realize we were not so behind.
• Objectives of project 2003 clearly attained.

I communicated conclusions I made questions
Big efforts in literature review Lab work
They aswered inquiries. And asked questions
WORKING AS A TEAM MUTUAL SATISFACTION
15
2004. Second annual contract

• Second consecutive annual contract, managed by
  myself. 40 k.
• With the same structure
• Characterization of product for optimizing
  production conditions.
• Purification of different products (D type)
• Post-treatment of carbon nanofibers for plastic
  composites.
• Summer GA produced an excellent CNF product
  (GANF1).
• UA-GA relation increased their activity. New
  science findings.
• GA began to present their product to the market.
• September We attended a Workshop in USA
  organized by Applied Sciences Inc.
• We convinced to ourselves that we were in a
  good level.

Strength, confiance
Required us one step forward to introduce in
plastic composites
16
2005/06. Biannual contract

• Third private contract for two years managed by
  myself. 150 k (75 k/year).
• Objectives
• Optimization of production through
  characterization (new products as GANF3)
• Purification and post-treatment of GANF1.
• Introduce in composite technology for support
• Consortium of different Research Centers and
  companies
• Trainning period in University of Kentucky (USA)
  for half year, to get abilities in introducing
  CNFs into plastics

17
2007-2010. CENIT DOMINO Project

• Participation in CENIT project Program
• Creation of a new consortium of companies and RD
  Centers.
• USE OF NANOMATERIALS IN DIFFERENT PRODUCTION
  SECTORS
• Private contract with GA at around 200 k.
• Developing new products. Optimizing production.
• To scale up post-treatments.
• Developing nanocomposites with polymers
• Possible alliance among Grupo Antolin customers

18
CENIT DOMINO
Consortium with leader end-users in different
industrial sectors
Nanoclays
Carbon Nanofiber
19
CENIT DOMINO
S1 Auto
Lehoiko Biotz
S2 Container
S3 Textiles
S4 Electr.
LÍNEAS Y CABLES
S5 Ceramic
BIOKER
S6 Coatings
S7 Construc.
Horizontal tasks
S8 Windmill, Aeronaut.
20
2008-2010. DISCOMNANO project

• Special program (Ministry of Science) for
  transfering technology to companies.
• Spanish Government gives finnacial support, but a
  company must co-fund (10)
• Leaded by UA. Budget 300 k, GrupoAntolin
  supports with 50 k

Composites GANF PA 66
Melt-mixing
Solvent
In-situ polimerization
Elctrical Properties
Dispersion analysis
Mechanical properties
21
3. International contacts
22
Apolynaire Consortium (2003-2007)
Country Center Switzerland Spain Germany United Kingdom
Academic -SUPSI (leader) Center for Polymer Engineering of Aargau UA AIMPLAS IVW- University of Kaiserslautern University of Cambridge
Industrial MatSim GmbH TIMCAL GA Grupo Repol Two IP One IP
Ph.D. Exchange
23
FP7 Application 2007

• NMP (Nanosciences and Nanotechnology) Large Scale
  Industrial Project

24
FP7 Application 2007. Innofun.
Innofun did not pass the thresolds But we
created a relevant group for future FP actions
25
4. Other local companies
26
Other local companies

• Due to our partnership with Grupo Antolin, our
  work is interesting for small local end-users
• Avenida Plastics Project for developing
  CNF-doped pultrusion
• Sipem Project for developing new resistant
  polymer nanocomposite
• Nanobiomatters Nanoclay productor. Possible
  cooperation project
• Ferro Polymer compounder. Possible cooperation
  project
• AIJU. Toy Research Institute. Interests in
  cooperation

27
Summary
28

• Before 2003
• No experience with carbon nanofiber at all.
• What is a Carbon Nanofiber? What is done for?
  Price?
• 2008
• UA is the main technological-scientific partner
  of the first European CNF productor (Grupo
  Antolin).
• 2 Patent application of GANF product

Conclusion The technology developed in the last
three years could be never produced without the
intensive cooperation and understanding between
the research teams