technology transfer at ua… … a real life example ignacio martin-gullon chemical engineering...

Technology transfer at UA…

… a real life example

Ignacio Martin-GullonChemical Engineering Department

Alicante, May 8 2006

Outline of the talk

1. Introduction 1.1. Brief overview to our former expertise 1.2. Brief introduction to Grupo Antolin (GA)

2. History of cooperation GA-UA

3. International Contacts

4. New contacts & plans from this cooperation

1. Introduction


Our expertise before 2003

Chemical Engineering DptC

A R

B O

N

M A

T E

R I

A L

S

AdsorbentsProduction

Applications

Carbonblacks

ProductionFiller for tyresCatalyst support

Carbon Fibers &Pitch

Production

Applications: Composites

Carbon nanotubes &nanofibers

5-100 nm

1

Fuel: Thermal processes

3

4UA

experience

2


Brief summary of our expertise

Chemical Engineering DptC

A R

B O

N

M A

T E

R I

A L

S

AdsorbentsProduction

Applications

Carbonblacks

ProductionFiller for tyresCatalyst support

Carbon Fibers &Pitch

Production

Applications: Composites

Carbon nanotubes &nanofibers

Fuel: Thermal processes

UAexperience

My personal experience

Ph.D. at UA (91-95)

Post-Doc in Universityof Kentucky (96-97)

NORIT (NL)

R&D dept. world leaderProductor carbon ads.

Prof at UA (99-02)


Grupo Antolin

Family company

Origin 50s Steering and suspension ball-joints

60s/70s: Product diversification strategy (first self supporting - rooflinings)

Nowadays: Multinational leader in the conception and manufacture of interior automotive components and modular systems

801957

1.120

1.2841.500

1.771

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

million €

1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006


Headliner

Sunvisors

Accessories

Pillars

Package tray

Sound insulation

Safety

Overhead System

Door panels

Window regulators

Accessories

Safety

Door Function

Seats

Seat frames

Seat covers

Mechanisms

Seat Function

Grupo Antolin


Grupo Antolin


Europe

Spain United Kingdom Germany Czech Republic Slovakia Portugal France Turkey

America

United States Mexico Argentina Brazil

Africa-Asia-Pacific-Japan

South Africa China South Korea India Thailand Japan

Grupo Antolin

HEADQUATERSDESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

R&D

Located in Burgos (SPAIN).over 300 graduated employees.

2. History of co-operation UA-GA


GA: Carbon Nanofiber Project

Up to mid 1990s: No industrial production of MWNT/CNF, only lab-scale.

Late 1990s. GM R&D and subsidiary companies led an active research program for producing Carbon Nanofibers and using them in conductive plastic based composites for exterior automobile parts.

Applied Sciences Inc. (with GM technology) became first CNF industry Showa Denko (Japan).

APPLICATIONS OF CONDUCTIVE PLASTICS

Mirror Housing Door handles

Bumpers

Petrol tank

UNDERHOOD COMPONENTS


2000. Grupo Antolin started Carbon Nanofiber Project: Production for using in new automobile parts.

Mid 2002. Grupo Antolin produced their first experimental CNF product at industrial scale.

So, GA started a search for a technology partner, and among others, UA.

GA Needed external knowledge to characterize

and purify

GA: Carbon Nanofiber Project

Purification A Purification B Purification C


First annual Contact UA-GA. 2003

Prof. Linares. GA proposed “Characterization and purification of CNF through method C”

Prof. Linares answered sincerely: “Not much experience in CNF”, “characterization” and “preliminars of purification C”. For purification C, support from Martin-Gullon

In my first meeting (summer 2003.) “I have no knowledge of CNF, but method C will never succeed…” and I agreed to make a deep literature review of CNF, and laboratory work to propose alternatives to method C.

A fluent communication began (phone contacts, two more meetings)

2003. First annual Contract GA-UA. Managed by Prof. Linares. 50 k€


Formation team UA-GA

A fluent & dynamic communication began (phone contacts, two more meetings)

Nov 2003. GA was invited to a European Research Consortium (Eureka) for MWNT/CNF. GA invited UA. Objetive of the meeting for us: Learn. Nevertheless…

We realize we were not so behind.

Objectives of project 2003: clearly attained.

Big efforts in literature review &

Lab work

I communicated conclusionsI made questions

They aswered inquiries. And asked questions

WORKING AS A TEAMMUTUAL SATISFACTION


2004. Second annual contract

Second consecutive annual contract, managed by myself. 40 k€.

With the same structure Characterization of product for optimizing production conditions. Purification of different products (D type) Post-treatment of carbon nanofibers for plastic composites.

Summer: GA produced an excellent CNF product (GANF1). UA-GA relation increased their activity. New science findings. GA began to present their product to the market.

September: We attended a Workshop in USA organized by Applied Sciences Inc. We convinced to ourselves that we were in a good level.

Strength, confiance

Required us one step forward:to introduce in plastic composites


2005/06. Biannual contract

Third private contract for two years managed by myself. 150 k€ (75 k€/year).

Objectives Optimization of production through characterization (new products as

GANF3) Purification and post-treatment of GANF1. Introduce in composite technology for support

Consortium of different Research Centers and companies:

Trainning period in University of Kentucky (USA) for half year, to get abilities in introducing CNFs into plastics


2007-2010. CENIT DOMINO Project

Participation in CENIT project Program Creation of a new consortium of companies and R&D Centers.

“USE OF NANOMATERIALS IN DIFFERENT PRODUCTION SECTORS”

Private contract with GA at around 200 k€. Developing new products. Optimizing production. To scale up post-treatments. Developing nanocomposites with polymers

Possible alliance among Grupo Antolin customers


Consortium with leader end-users in different industrial sectors

Nanoclays

CarbonNanofiber

CENIT DOMINO


CENIT DOMINOS1

Auto

S2Container

S3Textiles

S4Electr.

S6Coatings

S7Construc.

S5Ceramic

Horizontaltasks

S8Windmill,Aeronaut.

SispraSispra

Lehoiko BiotzLehoiko Biotz

LÍNEAS Y CABLES

BIOKERBIOKER


2008-2010. DISCOMNANO project

Special program (Ministry of Science) for transfering technology to companies. Spanish Government gives finnacial support, but a company must co-fund (10%) Leaded by UA. Budget 300 k€, GrupoAntolin supports with 50 k€

CompositesGANF – PA 66

Melt-mixing SolventIn-situ

polimerization

ElctricalProperties

Dispersionanalysis

Mechanicalproperties

3. International contacts


Apolynaire Consortium (2003-2007)

Country

Center

Switzerland Spain Germany United Kingdom

Academic

-SUPSI (leader)

Center for Polymer Engineering of Aargau

UA

AIMPLAS

IVW- University of Kaiserslautern

University of Cambridge

IndustrialMatSim GmbHTIMCAL

GAGrupo Repol

Two IP One IP

Ph.D. Exchange


FP7 Application 2007

NMP (Nanosciences and Nanotechnology) Large Scale Industrial Project


FP7 Application 2007. Innofun.

Innofun did not pass the thresolds

But we created a relevant groupfor future FP actions

4. Other local companies


Other local companies

Due to our partnership with Grupo Antolin, our work is interesting for small local end-users:

Avenida Plastics: Project for developing CNF-doped pultrusion

Sipem: Project for developing new resistant polymer nanocomposite

Nanobiomatters: Nanoclay productor. Possible cooperation project

Ferro: Polymer compounder. Possible cooperation project

AIJU. Toy Research Institute. Interests in cooperation

Summary


Before 2003 No experience with carbon nanofiber at all.“What is a Carbon Nanofiber? What is done for? Price?”

2008UA is the main technological-scientific partner of the first European

CNF productor (Grupo Antolin).2 Patent application of GANF product

Conclusion

The technology developed in the last three years could be neverproduced without the intensive cooperation and understanding

between the research teams

technology transfer at ua… … a real life example ignacio martin-gullon chemical engineering...

Documents

grupo antolin ga

uaga relation

introduction slide

annual contract gaua

cooperation slide

ua experience

history of cooperation

formation team uaga