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closeCompany taking micro to new level
NanoHorizons outgrowing incubator
Nick Malawskey
- namalawsk@centredaily.comSTATE COLLEGE — In the labs of NanoHorizons in State College, high technology is applied at the smallest scale — the molecular.
CDT/Christopher Weddle
Amber Grube, a lab technician for NanoHorizons, works on product testing in the company's lab in the Innovation Park Business Incubator, Thursday, January 29, 2009.
The company, which soon will leave the business incubator at Innovation Park, uses nanotechnology to apply silver coatings to products at the molecular level.
The coatings have antimicrobial properties that kill germs and other harmful bacteria. They can be used in many fields, including textiles and health care.
Imagine a blanket that not only keeps the wearer warm, but also eliminates bacteria that would normally grow on the garment, causing odor and other unwanted side affects.
Or hospital equipment that kills germs and other harmful agents, reducing the occurrence of infections in patients.
These are just two of the possible applications of the technology that NanoHorizons is pursuing.
“Silver has been used in health care for decades because of its antimicrobial properties,” said Dave Woodle, CEO of NanoHorizons. “It sounds simple, but behind it is a lot of chemistry.”
Woodle said the company is addressing “real world situations” through the use of its SmartSilver technology.
The company has formed partnerships with a number of clothing manufacturers, including Woolrich, Puma and Titleist, to use its treatment on their sporting goods.
The treatment is attractive to the manufacturers because, while it adds the benefits of silver to their products, it does so in a flexible manner, without affecting the product’s performance.
And unlike other treatments, the nano-bonds do not break down over time, meaning the garment is protected for the product’s lifespan.
“We are the next generation,” Woodle said. “Nano particles have been around forever, it’s just a matter of learning how to work at that level.”
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