Illuminating Research
18/01/2008 No Current Property Set
Nanoco Technologies and Sigma-Aldrich are looking at a bright future together with the signing of a distribution agreement and launch of a new range of products based on Nanoco’s leading edge quantum dots.
Illuminating Research – A bright future ahead as Nanoco sign a distribution agreement with Sigma-Aldrich
Nanoco Technologies Ltd, Manchester, UK 18 January 2008
Nanoco Technologies and Sigma-Aldrich are looking at a bright future together with the signing of a distribution agreement and launch of a new range of products based on Nanoco’s leading edge quantum dots.
The first materials available through this collaboration form the new Lumidot™ range of seven core-shell fluorescent quantum dots . Quantum dots (QDs) are nm-sized semiconductor nanoparticles that emit bright, near-monochromatic light (luminesce) under light or electrical stimulation. Emission color can be tuned by choosing nanocrystal size, making QDs ideal luminophors for cutting-edge applications including ultra-thin displays, solid-state lighting, anti-counterfeit protection, and next-generation solar cells. Nanoco developed unique manufacturing methods for making multi-gram quantities of QDs reproducibly and with precise control of size, structure, and luminescence characteristics. The new core-shell LumidotsTM distributed by Sigma-Aldrich have luminescence colors spanning the entire visible spectrum, in addition to good stability and batch-to-batch reproducibility, essential for research into high-technology applications.
The relationship makes the most of the core skills of both companies. Nanoco is unique in the Nanomaterials market as a company that manufactures large quantities of quantum dots. Sigma-Aldrich provides an excellent distribution channel as they are uniquely positioned to deliver smaller quantities of chemicals to commercial, academic and government labs around the world.
“This partnership is great for both companies and for global research”, said Michael Edelman, CEO of Nanoco Technologies, “It brings Nanoco’s manufacturing expertise together with the excellent distribution network operated by Sigma-Aldrich. We are excited to be working with them to extend the range of nanomaterials available to the worldwide research market. We plan to expand this collaboration by offering new ranges of quantum dots later in 2008 and beyond.”
“The new LumidotsTM is an important addition to our line of nanomaterials products, providing researchers around the world reliable access to high-quality quantum dot nanocrystals. Using these materials, scientists and engineers can focus on developing applications that take advantage of the unique properties of quantum dots. This fits with the main goal of Aldrich Materials Science – we focus on materials so that our customers can focus on results,” said Dr Ilya Koltover, Product Manager, Aldrich Materials Science.
Sigma-Aldrich will distribute research quantities (less than 1 g) of the quantum dots and the Lumidot™ range will be supplied as convenient 2 mL and 10 mL solutions in toluene, available to order from the Sigma-Aldrich website.
Nanoco will continue to offer larger quantities of quantum dots to partners who move beyond research to the development of commercial QD applications.
About Nanoco (www.nanocotechnologies.com)
Nanoco is a nano-material science company that holds patents related to industrial-scale production of Quantum Dots. Quantum Dots are Fluorescent semi-conducting nanocrystals that can be used in a range of applications from biological imaging to next-generation solar cells and displays. The University of Manchester spinout was founded in 2001 and works in partnership with technology driven corporations to bring quantum dot based applications to the market around the world.
About Sigma-Aldrich (www.sigma-aldrich.com)
Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Its biochemical and organic chemical products and kits are used in scientific and genomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical and other high technology manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 36 countries and has 7,800 employees providing excellent service worldwide. Sigma-Aldrich is committed to Accelerating Customer Success through Leadership in Life Science, High Technology and Service. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its award-winning Web site at http://www.sigma-aldrich.com.
For more information contact: info@nanocotechnologies.com
