Nanopolymer Systems is developing a molecular “nanostructural self-assembly system” for efficient bottom-up manufacturing of peak-performance materials. This Nanopolymer Design Platform™ allows fully nanostructured materials to be manufactured from self-assembling “vector directional” parts. These polymer materials are capable of a wide range of functionalities not possible with existing polymers.

Nanostructural self-assembly facilitates rapid prototyping, efficient scale-up, short delivery time frames, and low cost per nanostructural part.  NSi's platform is the first self-assembly system with the potential to meet commercial-suitability requirements. Our Nanopolymer Design Platform™ is a transformative technology and should be the first commercially viable nanostructural design tool to enter the market.

Our targeted first products are nanostructured, highly efficient electrolytes for batteries, two of which are also enabling technologies for the thermoelectric converter and lithium battery anodes.

NSI’s technology can be applied to a wide range of R&D problems faced by today’s corporations and can dominate the technology sector for decades.

Other Summaries 

See the Value Proposition page for a two-minute summary of economic issues.

See the Products and Markets page for a two-minute summary of business prospects.

See the Technology Summary page for a two-minute paragraph on NSI's core technology.

Notes and Elaborations .

Nanostructural self-assembly means that the parts assemble themselves into the desired nanostructured material, molecular assemblage or nano-sensor.  The energy for the assembly is carried as chemical energy in each monomer unit.  No extra energy is required.

A nanostructural self-assembly system means that there are multiple polymers (iminols, aramids and bisoxazoles), each of which has a library of parts (like plumbing has couplers, tees, 90º elbows, 45º elbows, PVC-to-iron-pipe adapters, etc.), each of which lock together in a one-direction-only manner (like jigsaw-puzzle pieces) to create a one-dimensional (a strand, coil or fiber), two dimensional (a sheet, film or weave) or three dimensional assemblage (matrix or lattice).

Peak performance means nanostructural optimization of function.  This can be considered in a one-step process, by which the structure itself is nanostructurally optimized, like the Stevlar analog of Kevlar in which the "structural flaw" (steric conflict) between the ring and amide linkage of Kevlar prevents semiconductivity, but when corrected (in Stevlar) facilitates semiconductivity.  Or this can be considered as an iterative, multi-step process in which subtle variations in nanostructure are compared to determine the specific structure that has the desired function.  We refer to this iterative process as rapid prototyping.

Highly efficient electrolyte means the optimization of function of the internal circuit within batteries, specifically between the two battery electrodes.  This internal circuit carries the positively charged ion (cation) current, which matches the external, negatively charged electron current (the electricity).  Current electrolytes have "islands" of negative charge, to and from which the positively charged cations "hop" to travel from one electrode to the other.  During discharging, the cations travel spontaneously one way, and during charging, the cations are driven the opposite way.

A thermoelectric converter is a small-scale device that works like a fuel cell, but taps a thermal gradient instead of a fuel source. The enabling technology is a membrane, through which cations can pass freely but electrons cannot. Existing art membranes made of Nafion polymer can accomplish the necessary ion selectivity, but do not operate at sufficiently high temperatures.  NSC has proposed a membrane which should raise the operating temperature of such membranes by 100ºC.  One of the initial phase-1 prototypes for battery electrolyte are anticipated to be able to provide test data to predict the temperature gains for the thermoelectric membrane product, which can then be developed in phase 2.

Dominance of the technology sector depends on two factors.  1.  An effective patent strategy with sufficient intellectual property protection (see patents for further information).  2.  High commercial demand for product and services (see technology, competition and applications for more information).  We believe that these are both achievable.

See also Definitions for further explanations of terms not defined here.