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NEW
YORK, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate nanotechnology
researchers frequently purchase nanomaterials -- nanoscale
structures in pure form, like carbon nanotubes, fullerenes,
and quantum dots -- which are the basic building blocks
of nanotechnology. But these buyers frequently fail
to get what they pay for, according to a new report
from Lux Research entitled "Nanomaterials: Buyer
Beware."
"More than 200 companies
worldwide sell nanomaterials today. As a group, they
have a frighteningly poor track record, " said
Matthew Nordan, Vice President of Research at Lux
Research. "In our interviews with nanomaterials
buyers, we've heard horror story after horror story
from companies that haven't gotten the nanomaterials
they expected from suppliers. Nanotubes, metal oxide
nanoparticles, and fullerenes generate the most complaints
while nanoporous materials and dendrimers generate
the least."
Among the experiences that Lux Research documents
in its report:
* An electronics
company bought samples of carbon nanotubes from multiple
vendors and found that up to 30% of what was shipped
was actually
leftover catalyst used to grow the nanotubes -- not
the nanotubes
themselves.
* A specialty chemicals company purchased samples
of carbon nanotubes and
found that in at least one case, the sample provided
by the vendor
included no nanotubes at all -- just amorphous carbon
soot.
* One widely regarded nanomaterials supplier considered
to be a pivotal
player in its segment cannot actually supply product
in commercial
quantities, and secretly resells product from its
own competitors when
asked to do so.
* One buyer of metal-oxide nanoparticles found many
vendors eagerly
claimed they could synthesize particles of the buyer's
desired size
dimension. But none could package or ship them in
a way such that they
didn't agglomerate into bigger particles, rendering
them useless for
the buyer's application.
Lux Research projects that nanomaterials supply won't
improve quickly. Many suppliers are part-time operations
that lack robust quality control, suppliers' ever-changing
production processes all but ensure that one batch
of material differs from the next, and buyers and
suppliers disagree over fundamental terminology. Standards
from groups like the American National Standards Institute
and the International Organization for Standardization
could solve the problem, but they will require years
of negotiation to develop. All told, it will take
three years for competition to weed out ineffective
suppliers and for agreed-upon standards to take shape,
according to Lux Research.
"In the interim, nanomaterials buyers and suppliers
have no choice but to act defensively," Nordan
said. "Buyers should use secret shopping to qualify
suppliers, requesting price and availability for large
quantities -- a kilogram for carbon nanotubes, for
example -- to weed out suppliers that can't actually
deliver. In addition, they should clearly describe
to suppliers how they plan to use the material to
eliminate ambiguity, and enlist a procurement specialist
to finalize T's and C's. On the other side of the
table, suppliers must obsessively document each shipment
using tools like scanning electron microscopy images,
as well as educate customers on how to use the nanomaterial
without contaminating or destroying it," he added.
The report is available immediately to clients of
Lux Research's Nanotechnology Strategies advisory
service. For information on how to become a client,
contact Rob Burns, Vice President of Sales, at (646)723-0708.
About Lux Research:
Lux Research is the world's premier research and advisory
firm focusing on the business and economic impact
of nanotechnology and related emerging technologies.
Lux Research provides continuous advisory services,
customized consulting, and reference studies to corporations,
start-ups, financial institutions, and public sector
organizations. Our founders and our research staff
are the most widely recognized nanotechnology visionaries
throughout the world. Visit http://www.luxresearchinc.com/
for more information.
Source: Lux Research
CONTACT: Peter Hebert
of Lux Research, Inc., +1-646-723-0702,
peter.hebert@luxresearchinc.com
Web site: http://www.luxresearchinc.com/
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