PowerMetal is a privately held company based in Carlsbad, California and founded in 2005. The company uses nanotechnology developed and patented by the Department of Defense to create stronger and lighter metals and alloys for sports equipment and consumer goods manufacturers. PowerMetal has done an extremely good job getting partnerships and boasts contracts with Head rackets and Grafalloy, a leading golf club shaft manufacturer. PowerMetal was ranked by Lux Research as the top nan
otech startup specializing in sporting goods and 41st overall for partnership value among nanotech startups. PowerMetal currently has 2 products on the market, including the Metallix™ racquets from Head and the new Epic® shaft from Grafalloy.PowerMetalInc.com
Technology
PowerMetal alloys consist of metal n-Ni Fe grains that are 1000 times smaller than the size (~20nm) of typical metal grains (~20um). The result, due to the Hell-Petch effect, is a metal alloy with a level of hardness, durability, smoothness, and strength-weight ratio unsurpassed by many of today's materials. While nanotubes (see my nanotubes post) may have "superior" properties to PowerMetal alloys in these regards, PowerMetal alloys benefit from their layering capabilities. These alloys may be easily used as coating to surround and enhance everyday materials. In fact the CEO, Edward Hughes, is known to use PowerMetal alloy coated ping pong balls to show off the technology. These ping pong balls, at little more than the weight of a normal ball, can support over 200 pounds.
Products
Epic® shaft- This Grafalloy shaft fuses PowerMetal's nano-crystalline metals with a composite polymer. This results in a shaft offering increased distance with a 35% improvement in shot dispersion over current graphite shafts.
Metallix™ racquets- These racquets utilize PowerMetal's nano-crystalline metals to create racquets offering improved power and control in the Head line of racquets.
News
1.29.2007- PowerMetal and Grafalloy officially announce their partnership in the creation of the Epic® shaft, to be released in February.
1.10.2007- PowerMetal is named as the top nanotech startup in sporting goods and as the 41st overal nanotech startup by Lux Research Inc.
12.19.2005- PowerMetal opens its new nanocenter in Carlsbad, CA for prototyping, engineering, and testing.
10.19.2005- PowerMetal closes a $10M financing round led by Mosaic Capital Partners.
Collaborations
6.26.2006- PowerMetal agrees to evaluate a nano-Cobalt phosphorus for potential Chrome replacement applications in sporting goods, luxury and consumer products for Integran Technologies.
FIGURE from PowerMetalInc.com
8 comments:
This looks like another promising southern California company
What got you interested in nano technology?
I first became interested in nanotech about a year an a helf ago when I read a book on the subject. It has always struck me as the next big tech revolution because of its innovative nature (bottom up manufacturing instead of top down) and its applications in such a wide range of fields.
Some books that I really like:
Nanotechnology: a gentle introduction to the next big idea
by Mark and Daniel Ratner
Nanotechnology: science, innovation, and opportunity
by Lynn Foster
Why hasn't the government done more to push nanotechnology in your opinion? Or maybe it has and we just don't know about.
Do you think nanotech could help to solve the energy crisis?
While the government has been rather slow to catch on to nanotech, there has been quite a bit activity on that level. In 2000, the government proposed the National Nanotech Initiative (NNI) to better understand nanotech and its implications. Since then, we have come close to approaching about $1B in nanotech funding, trailing only Japan (a huge nanotech nation). Of course there will always be the problem of politicians not understanding or fearing the technology (recall Sen. Stevens calling the internet "not a truck...it's a series of tubes"), but funding is rising and on its way. Nanotech certainly doesn't face the same hurdles that stem cells do.
As far as energy goes, nanotech cetainly has some serious implications for the sector. Nanosolar and similar companies can help make renewable energy both a cost effective and green industry. Energy tranmission can be improved through the remarkable conductive powers of nanotubes. Energy storge may someday be miniaturized with nanotechnology so that each house may have their own storage battery. Nanotechnology is poised to solve many of the issues facing us in the energy industry today, though the exact means through which it will happen are left to the future.
Is there any place I can go today to buy the nano storage units or anything like that?
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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