Adjusting the picture: LCDs and Quantum Dots

An article, "Dotting the Eyes" published in the June 16, 2011 issue of The Economist, noted something that many of us who spend a good part of their day looking into Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screens, such as the monitor for the pc that I'm writing this on or the one you're reading it on, have long known - the color range is very limited. Jason Hartlove, President and CEO of California based Nanosys, believes his company may have found a way to expand the color range available to LCDs, using plastic sheets coated with quantum dots that his company manufactures. which - according to the Nanosys website - enables

 LCDs to display about 50% more color than they can today. This means richer, more viscerally alive reds, a deeper palette of greens (the color the human eye sees more intensely than any other color) and vivid blues. Browsing through photos on a tablet is now more like holding a stack of high quality, professional prints. Watching a movie on a big screen in the living room is more akin to attending a private screening at a Hollywood studio.

Other companies, such as Samsung Electronics and QD Vision of Massachusetts, have also begun to design, test and market their own products with the same goal as Nanosys - using quantum dots to improve the picture quality and color range of LCDs, efficently and at low cost.

California Targets Nanoscale Metal Oxides and Quantum Dots for Data Call Ins

California's Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) held a conference today during which they identified the next six nanoscale materials they intend to target in their second round of data call ins.  Regular readers may remember that CDTSC targeted 26 manufacturers/importers of carbon nanotubes with its first data call in in 2009. 

In addition to identifying the nanoscale materials which will be the subject of the data call in, CDTSC also provided a preliminary list of manufacturers/importers that will receive the data call in, as well as the proposed questions they will be asked.  We cover each material below.

CDTSC also indicated that carbon nanotube manufacturers/importers will receive a second round of data call in questions. 

CDTSC plans to issue all of these new data call ins sometime before the end of the year.  Stay tuned . . .

Nano Silver

Proposed Questions:  What is the chemical composition of your nanosilver material? What is particle size of your nanosilver material used? What is the concentration of nanosilver used in your material? What are the instrumental techniques used to characterize your nanosilver material?What are the analytical methods used in your nanosilver material? How do you measure and monitor fate and transport after useful life of your nanosilver material? How do you detect, measure and monitor releases during facility operations?

Preliminary Recipients:  Nano Composix, Cambrios Technologies, Seashell Technology, Sun Innovations, Stanford Materials, MTI Corporation.

Nano Zero Valent Iron

Proposed Questions:  What are the analytical methods for assessment of toxic effects and safe uses of nano zero valent iron across its lifecycle? How do you sample, measure, and monitor quality? Performance? How do you detect, measure, and monitor releases from facility operations? How do you measure and monitor fate and transport after useful life?

Preliminary Recipients:  American Elements, AMEC Geomatrix, hepure Technologies, OnMaterials, Quantum Sphere, Stanford Materials, Sun Innovations.

Nano Titanium Dioxide

Proposed Questions: What machines and methods do you use to analyze your materials? What are the properties of your materials? After modification? What types of monitoring program are you using in your work place? In air? In water? What is the toxicity when your material is directly contacted with human skin? What is the weathering, liberation rate of your material into the environment? Impacts? What is you actual production amount this year?

Preliminary Recipients:  DuPont, BASF, Evonik, Ishihara, Altair nano, Huntsman, Kronos, Kemira, Kon Corp., Tronox, Nanocompsix, Nano-oxide, Green millenium, MK nano, Advanced Nano, NanoCo, Pilkington.

Nano Zinc Oxide

Proposed Questions:  Describe .specifically the nanostructure, functionalities, and properties (physical, chemical, and biological) of nano zinc oxide material that is produced in the facility.  Describe the in-house instrument and analytical methods you use to determin the presence of nano zinc oxide in the workplace and environment. Describe the chemical information provided by external vendors relative to nano zinc oxide nanostructure, functionalities, and properties.  Describe the instrumentation and analytical methods used by external laboratories that provided the above chemical information.

Preliminary Recipients:  UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, USC, Ferity Zinc Oxide Inc., APF Laboratories, Atomate Corporation, Stanford Materials, Alpha Enivornmental, Nanophase technologies, Sokang nano, Antaria Corporation, Ocean Nano Tech, LaamScience, Advanced nanotechnology, NanoGate, Inframat Advanced Materials, Reade Advanced Materials, KIA, Nanjing Hi Tech Nano Material Co., ltd., Nanozinc Oxide South Africa, NanoMaterials Technology, UmiCore Group, Horsehead Corporation.

Nano Cerium Oxide

Proposed Questions:  What machines and methods do you use to analyze your materials?  What are the properties of your materials? After modification? What types of monitoring program are you using in your work place? In air? In water? Do you know reactions when your material is released into aquatic environment? Do you know reactions when your material is released into air? What is you actual production amount this year?

Preliminary Recipients:  Saint-Gobain, Evonik, Meliorum Tech., Inframat Advanced materials, Antaria, HEFA Rare Earth Canada, Nanocerox, Nyacol, Energenics, MTI Corporation.

Quantum Dots

Proposed Questions:  What are the chemical compositions (purity, concentration, and chemical make-up) of your product's core and shell structures (including organic and inorganic attachments)? Specify its size, hydrodynamic diameter (HD), and surface area.  What analytical detection methods do you use to determine its presence in the workplace and environment? What are the surface properties (surface reactivity, groups, charge) and solubility in water and other solvents? What is the stability of your product in different environments (variable pH, temp, pressure, O2, UV light, water, etc.)? Does it aggregate in aquatic media?

Preliminary Recipients:  Nanosys/QD Soleil, Bloo Solar, Life Technologies, Stio, Quantum Dot Corporation, Chemicon International, Zymera, Invisage Technologies, University of California schools, Intelligent Optical Systems, Kovlo, NanoGram, Philips Lumileds Lighting Co., Toshiba America Electronics Components, Samsung Semiconductor, SEMI, Ultratech, Shrink Nanotechnologies.

 

Quantum Dot Patent Infringement Lawsuit Resolved

Readers may be interested in the recent resolution of a quantum dot patent infringement lawsuit between Nanosys and Nanoco/Sigma-Aldrich

In April 2009, Nanosys sued Nanoco and Sigma-Aldrich in Wisconsin federal court for allegedly infringing three quantum dot patents owned by MIT which were exclusively licensed to Nanosys.  Nanoco purportedly marketed and sold competing luminous quantum dot nanocrystals under its Lumnidot brand through its U.S. distributor Sigma-Aldrich.  The suit was brought in Wisconsin because that was where the products allegedly infringing the patents were sold.

In the complaint initiating the lawsuit, Nanosys explained that its "technology is covered by a portfolio of over 500 patents and patent applications, including patents in the quantum dot field, that is currently being applied to opportunities in multiple industries including energy, electronics, optoelectronics, life science, and defense. Current application areas of Nanosys technology include flat-panel displays, non-volatile memory, fuel cells, solid-state lighting, chemical analysis chips and medical devices."

The lawsuit was resolved prior to any substantive defense.  In June 2009, the parties told the Court that the case had been settled and that they were drafting the final settlement documentation.  In July 2009, Nanosys voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice as to both defendants -- as to any prior act, or infringement by selling quantum dot nanocrystals having a CdSe/Zns core-shell structure.

According to a Nanoco press release, the parties settled the case without an admission of liability by Nanoco or Sigma-Aldrich. However, as part of the settlement, Nanoco agreed to terminate its U.S. business for heavy metal quantum dots. Nanoco's CEO explained the cost of defending the litigation was unwarranted by the amount of business generated by the product.  He further stated that the company would continue to market its quantum dot products based on heavy metal-free technology, differing from the technology involved in the lawsuit.