CHASKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2004--Entegris, Inc., (Nasdaq:ENTG) a materials integrity management company, and Carbon Nanotechnologies, Incorporated (CNI) announced today a joint agreement to develop and commercialize new and improved polymer products. CNI's breakthrough (single-wall) carbon nanotubes will be incorporated into Entegris' products, which protect and transport the critical materials that enable the world's leading technologies in diverse industries such as semiconductor, data storage, biopharmaceutical, medical device and fuel cell.

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), also known as Buckytubes, are the ultimate engineering polymer, 100 times the strength of steel at less than one-sixth the weight. This cylindrical polymer of pure carbon, said to be the strongest, toughest, stiffest material known, conducts electricity like metals and conducts heat better than diamonds. "We are pleased to be working with Entegris, a recognized leader in materials integrity management," said Bob Gower, CEO of CNI. "We strongly believe that carbon nanotubes will lead to a new generation of Entegris products with even better performance in critical technology infrastructure.

This relationship represents another important step in SWNT commercialization." Wayne Olson, Entegris' vice president of engineering and technology, said, "CNI's leadership in carbon nanotechnology complements Entegris' expertise in materials integrity management. Through this joint development we will provide our customers with products and services on the cutting edge of technology that improve the way they protect and transport their critical materials." "This is an investment in our future," said Michael Wright, COO, Entegris. "By working jointly to apply CNI's expertise in single-wall carbon nanotubes to our products, we should speed the implementation of this technology into products offering a distinct advantage to our customers. This, coupled with our leadership in the industries we serve, our strong management team and expertise in materials integrity management makes us uniquely positioned to accelerate the commercialization of the emerging single-wall nanotube technology."

ABOUT ENTEGRIS

Entegris products and services protect and transport the critical materials enabling the world's leading technologies. As a leading materials integrity management company, Entegris provides products and services used in key technology industries including the semiconductor, data storage, chemical processing, biopharmaceutical, medical device and fuel cell. Entegris is ISO 9001 certified and has manufacturing or service facilities in the United States, Germany, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Its advanced research laboratories are located in Minnesota and Colorado, USA. Directly and through distributors, Entegris provides customer support on six continents.

Additional information can be found at www.entegris.com

ABOUT CARBON NANOTECHNOLOGIES, INC. CNI was founded in early 2000 to commercialize the scientific breakthroughs in carbon nanotechnology made at Rice University under the direction of Nobel prize-winning scientist Dr. Richard Smalley. CNI's intellectual property portfolio will bear on most applications that use carbon nanotubes -- CNI controls approximately 100 patents and patent filings across SWNT production, modification and applications, with a total of about 4,000 claims, of which more than 700 are composition of matter claims. The issued and allowed claims total about 850, with more than 40 of those being composition of matter claims.

The May 2004 issue of Technology Review, cites one 2003 patent for derivitization of carbon nanotubes as one of "5 killer patents" which are "poised to change computing, medicine, communications, and security."

Since 2000, CNI is actively developing new processes and applications for carbon nanotubes in its own laboratories and in those of industrial partners. CNI has completed several pilot plants at its Kellogg Brown & Root location in west Houston. During the third quarter of 2004, CNI expects to complete a demonstration plant that is designed to have a capacity of approximately 100 pounds per day.

CNI plans to be responsive to market demand and expects to be able to provide commercial production of approximately 1,000 pounds per day of carbon nanotubes as early as 2005.