Glossary

Important terms and their meanings

Additive

Additional material that is added to the products in small quantities in order to achieve or improve specific properties.
Additives have a positive influence on the production process, the storage and the processing.

Agglomerate

An arrangement of small particles that are bound closely to each other.

Anti-adhesive

Avoiding adhesion on the surface.

Anti-microbial

A property that prevents the growth repression of bacteria and fungus.

Application

Integration of nano formulations in the customer application, e.g. by means of wet chemical or electrochemical procedures

Barrier coatings

The objective of barrier layers is to protect the respective surface or the product underneath it from damaging influences. The protective mechanisms can refer to environmentally related effects (e.g. sun’s rays) or process-related effects (e.g. aggressive media, like acids and lyes). On this basis, Nanogate offers, among others products in the area of corrosion protection for light metals (e.g. aluminum, magnesium) and in the area of weathering protection (e.g. textiles, leather). The advantages of the Nanogate systems are, for example, the thin layer thickness (ultra-thin layers) compared to conventional solutions with simultaneously greater resistance.

Basic materials

Chemical basic materials that are modified for the required function by means of chemical nanotechnology procedures and processes.

Chemical nanotechnology

Chemical nanotechnology covers a sector of nanotechnology that concerns itself with the production and further processing of nano materials. In the chemical nanotechnology that Nanogate uses for the development of solutions and the production of their products, basic materials with typical properties are combined in chemical processes in order to achieve the desired material property. Already at the start of the previous century we saw the first activities with so-called collides (materials with finely distributed solid particles), one of the key foundations of chemical nanotechnology. Colloid chemistry is a sector of chemistry where research is made into the production, characterization and modification of respective systems. Amongst the procedures used in chemical nanotechnology, colloidal processes where germ formation reactions (e.g. by to chemical coagulation or secretion reactions) are used to generate small structures in liquid starting substances are of particular importance. The challenges that arise here particulary for industrial use include the tendency of these materials to agglomerate (clump), which often causes the loss of specific properties. Suitable procedures for effectively countering these challenges are represented, for example, by sol-gel processes, which Nanogate implements among others.

Colloid chemistry

Colloid chemistry is a sector of chemistry where research is made into the production, characterization and modification of respective systems. Amongst procedures used in chemical nanotechnology, colloidal processes where germ formation reactions (e.g. by chemical coagulation or secretion reactions) are used to generate small structures in liquid starting substances are of particular importance.

Colloids

Material with finely distributed solid particles that forms one of the key foundations of chemical nanotechnology.

Cross-sectional technology

A technology that is used independent of product and across all sector and applications.

Demolding

Describes the process where a cast component is removed from the form leaving behind as little residue as possible.

Diffusion barrier layers

Typical application area for barrier layers, (nanoBarrier^®), which should prevent the penetration of liquid and gas media or specific light wave lengths to the substrate.

Dispersions

Compositions made up of at least two materials that do not (or only partially) dissolve in one another or chemically combine with one another.

Dotfarm^® Optics

Dotfarm^® Optics is a technology platform for the production of high-performance and, at the same time, cost-effective light- guiding systems. It can be used in applications especially in the fields of consumer electronics, signal processing and photonics. The technology is based on the creation of optical waveguides with three-dimensional grid structures directly on the surface of the respective component. In the process, individual grids (“dots”) are formed locally; their characteristics, such as grid constant, size, shape or vector, are individually configured. Many different types of components can be enhanced in this way. An optical overall design tailored to the specific application produces an optimised light mixture and characteristic light distribution in a space. The required precision is achieved through the use of a special nanocomposite material. Due to its extremely fast processing time this special material, in combination with the finishing process established by Nanogate, allows highly efficient cost structures. With Dotfarm^® Optics Nanogate makes it possible for its clients and partners to manufacture highly sophisticated diffractive structures for cost-effective mass components.

Electrochemical processes

Electrochemistry is a sector of physical chemistry which concerns itself with the connection between electrical and chemical procedures. If a chemical reaction is linked to electric power, then this is an electrochemical process. The reaction is either forced by an external electrical voltage (electrolysis) or generated from a spontaneous chemical reaction of suitable substances (galvanic element). In this connection, Nanogate has also developed independent procedures or optimized conventional ones for its applications.

Electrolysis

Causing a reaction by means of an external electrical voltage.

Hybrid composite

Within their chemical evolutionary process, hybrid composites use exclusively organic and inorganic compounds as basic materials.

Hydrophilic

Water-attracting

Hydrophobic

Water-repelling

Integrated material systems

Nano formulations and their integration in customer-specific products and processes.

Intermediate products

The development and manufacturing of nano additives.

Multifunctional composite materials

The desired products are equipped simultaneously with various new and improved functions (water-repelling, dirt-repelling, anti-bacterial, odor-preventive, transparent, ultra-thin etc.).

nano

Greek: dwarf

nanoAdd^®

In addition to the already available technology platforms
(nanoTension^®, nanoBarrier^®, und nanoGlide^®) and their special property profiles even more functions can be made available. In principle, these can be integrated into the existing technology platforms or developed as unique applied nano formulations (e.g. electrical conductivity, anti-bacterial, catalytic properties etc.).

Nano additive

Intermediate products that are already prepared in such a way that these can be used in further process stages and applied to products in order to achieve specific properties.

Nanoanalytics

In the area of nanoanalytics devices and procedures are used that can analyze the world of nanotechnology by making it more visible.

nanoBarrier^®

The objective of barrier layers is to protect the respective surface or the product underneath it from damaging influences. The protective mechanisms can refer to environmentally related effects (e.g. sun’s rays) or process-related effects (e.g. aggressive media, such as acids and lyes). Based on this, Nanogate offers, among others, products in the sector of corrosion protection for light metals (e.g. aluminum, magnesium) and in the sector of weathering protection (e.g. textiles, leather). The advantages of the Nanogate systems are, for example, the thin layer thickness (ultra-thin layers) compared to conventional solutions with simultaneously greater resistance.

Nano components / nano devices

Nano components / devices are the small components, such as those that are used in the semiconductor industry.

Nano composites

Nanogate refers the nano-structured materials that arise from the processes of chemical nanotechnology as composite materials (composites) or nano composites. In terms of composite materials, the company differentiates between hybrid composites and nano particle composites. Within their chemical evolutionary process, hybrid composites use exclusively organic and inorganic compounds as a basic material (precursor). On the other hand, in the beginning or already during the chemical evolutionary process, external nano particles can be systematically added to the nano particle composite.

Nano dispersions

Modified nano particles that are stable in liquid media and are included in the group of nano additives.

Nano formulations

By using further auxiliary and supplementary materials, nano composites created from chemical processes can be further processed to become operational material systems. The focus is on cost-effective and quality-increasing production in sufficient quantities.

Nanogate application centre

the Nanogate application center customer-related development work for process and product integration, partially also with external partners, is carried out ready for series production. Here Nanogate can perform not only extensive sampling, but also surface enhancements of small series production, typically in the pilot phase of a project.
The Nanogate application centre therefore represents a key competence element of the business, as it not only enables the prompt “proof of concept” of the respective process and product integration, but also serves to collect cross-sector technology know-how from series applications.

nanoGlide^®

Nano formulations are being increasingly used in the field of so-called tribological applications. This field concerns itself with the description of friction, wear and lubrication as well as the development of technologies for optimizing friction processes. This way the reliability, lifespan and efficiency of industrial components can be improved. On this basis, Nanogate offers, among others, already successful wear-proof layers in the field of tool demolding or the printing industry, with the help of which considerable cost savings can be put into effect. Nanogate can fall back on both wet chemical as well as electrochemical procedures, therefore possessing numerous opportunities to compile efficient solutions with its partners.

nanoinject^® procedure

Nanogate also develops and optimizes for its applications independent processes like the nanoinject^® procedure. Here the generation of efficient function layers is immediately integrated into the existing thermal hardening process of the ceramic production. The procedure enables maximum flexibility with utmost quality. Our customers also profit from an optimum cost position and application security.

Nano materials

Nano materials relates to the use of nano structures to generate and improve the material properties.

Nanometer (nm)

A nanometer is a billionth of a meter (10-9 m) and around 50000 times finer than the average human hair.

Nano particle

Particles under 100 Nanometers, referred to as nano particles, describe a compound of less than several thousand atoms or molecules. The name corresponds to its size, which is typically around a few Nanometers (10-9 meter or 1 billionth of a meter).

Nano particle composite

These are also added at the beginning of or during the chemical evolutionary process of the nano-structured materials.

Nano particle specialists

Highly specialized producers of basic materials.

nanoplating^®

Nanogate has already developed a unique integrated process technology. We call this nanoplating^®. In doing so we take already established electrochemical processes (like galvanic or electrolysis procedures) as a basis and enable new surface functions through the custom-made and homogenous integration of nano particle systems.

Nano-structured materials

Nano composites produced by means of procedures and processes of chemical nanotechnology (e.g. sol-gel process). In doing so, the production and targeted use of nano-scaled structures form the focus of generating and improving material properties. This field of nanotechnology is considered the most progressive and enables already today cross-sector solutions.

Nanotechnology

Innovative motivator of this century – the biggest secret in the smallest possible dimension. Nanotechnology (“nano” – Greek: dwarf) is a comparatively young technology. It deals itself with the research, processing and production of items as well as structures that are smaller than 100 Nanometers (nm) in at least one dimension. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter (10-9 m) and around 50000 times finer than the average human hair. The small size of the nano particles or nano structures is one of the main reasons for their particular properties. The relative surface increases as the particle size decreases. For this reason, nano structures have an extremely large surface that considerably influences the behavior. Nano structures therefore lie in the dimension range in which the surface properties play an increasingly greater role in view of the volume properties of the materials, and quantum physical effects must also be taken more into consideration.
However, the mechanical, optical, magnetic, electrical and chemical properties of these tiny structures do not just depend on the nature of the basic material. Instead, they depend in a particular way on the size, shape and the nature in which these small structures are generated and integrated into materials.

nanoTension^®

In principle, every material and every surface has a specific surface energy with which the wetting behavior with liquid media can be influenced. In this way, for example, liquids can be either repelled from or attracted to the surface. With watery media, we generally differentiate between hydrophobic (water-repelling) and hydrophilic (water-attracting) systems and with oleiferous media between oleophobic (oil-repelling) and oleophilic (oil-attracting). By influencing the surface energy you can change surfaces in a targeted manner. Typical examples are easy-to-clean, transparent and permanent surfaces („Easy2Clean^®“), which are used, for example, increasingly in industrial machines and plants or have established themselves in bathroom applications (like sanitary ceramics and in glass shower cabinets). Both the increased comfort (convenience) for the end consumer as well as the increase in efficiency (productivity gains) of industrial processes are of interest. Already today and with increasing importance for the future, variable surface energy systems can be combined with even more properties (multifunctional systems).

Nano tribology

Tribologically effective coatings based on nanotechnology are behind the term nano tribology, which, for example, has been researched since 2002 pursuant to the EU-promoted research cluster Nanotrib. The aim is to understand the basic principles of tribology in order to enable a systematic development of trbiologically effective surfaces and contact surface systems, and influence such systems in a targeted manner.
The modification of surfaces or contact surfaces through nanotechnology, and the fact that tribological effects occur on such thin contact surfaces and surfaces justifies the integration in nano tribology.

Oleophilic

oil-attracting

Oleophobic

oil-repelling

Optical systems

We work on the production of unique, considerably simplified and also highly efficient light-directing systems. So-called background lighting systems (backlights) for liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are of particular importance.
Our aim is to create lighting constructions that enable an optimum function security combined with utmost efficiency by means of a completely new nano-optical system. Such systems can offer our customers varied new applications with simultaneously significantly reduced costs on account of fewer components (e.g. by omitting the light-directing foils that are used today). The corner stones of our technology affect the development of nanotechnologically improved materials with particular optical characteristic values and the generation of unique, highly efficient, nano-structured optical systems that can be immediately integrated in the light conductors.

Permeation

Permeation is the process where a material (permeate) penetrates or migrates to a solid material.

Precursors

Chemical basic materials that are modified for the required function by means of procedures and processes of chemical nanotechnology.

Security technical applications

We use chemical nanotechnology to produce highly specialized material systems based on chemical nanotechnology that suit the security technical applications. It concerns solutions for the sectors of Product and Brand Protection as well as for the designation of top-security products.

Sol-gel chemistry

During sol-gel processes nano-structured materials are produced systematically or structured by controlled reactions from the most varied of basic materials (precursors). Typical application materials in sol-gel processes are metal alcoholates, silanes or salts, which in solutions can react in a targeted manner in solutions to so-called germs. This can, for example, take place by varying the pH value or by adding additional solvents. These germs are particles that consist of just a few molecules. By means of the targeted change in the process parameters, the germs can further develop into different functionalized particles or structures. It is therefore possible to manufacture from identical basic materials (precursors) different functional structures that differentiate in their physical properties. By introducing molecular structures, e.g. with specially adapted charge carrier topology (electronic stabilization), with suitable chemical fuctionalization (chemical stabilization) or from steric molecular spacers (mechanical stabilization), the particles that are produced can be stabilized in the solvent and further growth can be controlled. Moreover, in further process steps supplementary materials (among others, also modified nano particles) can also be integrated with the already nano-structured material (sol) in order to enable additional functions and supplementary applications at a later date.

Tribology

Addresses the description of friction, wear and lubrication.
Tribology is the science and technology of surfaces that affect each other in relative movement. It includes the entire sector of friction and wear, including lubrication, and encompasses respective contact surface affects, both between the solid materials as well as between solid materials and liquids or gases.

Vapor deposition, chemical

Coating procedure whereby a fixed component is deposited on the heated surface of a substrate on account of a chemical reaction from the vapor.

Vapor deposition, physical

Vacuum-based coating procedure where the coating is formed from the condensation of a material vapor.

Wet chemical processes

Here liquid, organic and / or inorganic layers, which contain either solvents and / or are water-based, are applied to a surface and then hardened. Typical procedures that can be used here are spraying, immersing, flooding, stretching, roller application or the so-called “spin coating”. The hardening takes place in a temperature range from 20°C – 300°C. In individual cases the temperature range can be clearly in excess of this. In conjunction with this, Nanogate has also developed independent procedures or optimized conventional ones for its applications.