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NEI Announces Allowance of Two New Patents to Its Portfolio of Functional Coatings

February 7, 2017

Somerset, NJ (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has recently issued a notice of allowance to the company on two patent applications; one for a durable highly hydrophobic coating and the other for an adhesion promoting surface treatment. These patents complement NEI’s portfolio of patents pertaining to superhydrophobic, self-healing, and abrasion resistant coatings. With the allowance of seven patents, and the introduction of an array of coating products, NEI’s concerted efforts to develop and implement practical, multi-functional coatings have now come to fruition.

There is great interest in functional coatings, for both industrial and consumer applications, where the coating or surface treatment provides functionalities beyond the usual protective and aesthetic properties. For example, self-healing coatings autonomously repair damage, hydrophobic coatings are able to vigorously repel water droplets, oleophobic coatings prevent “oil” molecules from sticking to the surface, self-cleaning or easy-to-clean coatings minimize or eliminate the need for chemicals during washing, and adhesion promoter surface treatments enable an ultra-strong bond between the primer and the surface. Commercial products to date have met with limited success because they are not engineered to meet all of the functional performance requirements that an application requires. NEI’s patented and patent-pending technologies address this market need.

The recently allowed patent application describes durable hydrophobic coating compositions that are highly desirable for numerous applications, as they impart easy-to-clean and stain-resisting properties to surfaces. For aesthetic reasons, there is also a need for a thin, transparent, easy-to-clean coating that does not add excess weight and does not change the appearance of the substrate to be coated. The patented compositions are comprised of functionalized perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs), which are known for their non-stick and lubricating properties. It has been a major technical challenge to incorporate PFPEs into a stable formulation that can lead to a coating with sufficient adhesion to various substrates. The patent claims transparent and homogeneous compositions that overcome the stability and adhesion issues. The compositions result in a micron-thick, durable hydrophobic coating that cannot easily be removed by abrasion, harsh cleaners, or chemicals. The patent is the basis for NEI’s hydrophobic coating products, NANOMYTE® SuperCN and SR-100EC.

The adhesion promoter patent application describes a chromate-free, surface pretreatment composition. The environmentally-friendly, waterborne pretreatment promotes the adhesion between a metal substrate and an overlying paint layer by acting as a “double‐sided bonding agent,” while at the same time improving corrosion resistance. The novel composition comprises organo-functional silanes but functions differently from traditional silane treatments. The composition results in a thin film coating having a graded structure, i.e., an inorganic oxide layer that bonds strongly with steel and a loosely crosslinked top layer containing functional groups that can further crosslink with paint overlay. The new technology is valuable to applicators who paint metal structures, such as bridges, ships, and other steel structures. It is also applicable to industrial painting operations, such as coil and spray coatings. The patented chromate‐free pretreatment for steel, offered commercially as NANOMYTE® PT-20, represents a significant advancement in the state‐of‐the‐art for corrosion resistant technologies.

For a more detailed discussion on the company’s patented coating technologies and applications, please see our Patented Coating Technologies Brief.

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About NEI Corporation

NEI Corporation is an application-driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and produce advanced materials. The company’s core competencies are in synthesizing nanoscale materials and prototyping products that incorporate the advanced materials. NEI offers an array of Advanced Protective Coatings for metal and polymer surfaces, which are sold under the registered trademark NANOMYTE® and are backed by a suite of issued and pending patents. The coatings have tailored functionalities such as anti-corrosion, self-healing, scratch resistance, ice-phobic, and self-cleaning.

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Latest Test Results Confirm Performance of NEI’s Newly Optimized Anti-Ice Coating

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October 25, 2016

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that it has enhanced the performance of its anti-ice coating, NANOMYTE® SuperAi, and confirmed its efficacy through rigorous testing under a variety of icing conditions. SuperAi is a nanocomposite coating that imparts anti-ice properties to the underlying substrate. As a consequence of the engineered properties of the anti-ice coating’s formulation, it reduces ice buildup on surfaces, and provides a hard, dense, smooth finish.

Surfaces treated with NANOMYTE® SuperAi exhibit reduced ice adhesion, thereby reducing ice buildup. Precisely calibrated Ice Adhesion measurements showed that SuperAi has an Ice Adhesion Reduction Factor of greater than 5 (relative to a polished metal surface), indicating that NANOMYTE® SuperAi reduces the adhesion of ice by more than 80%, compared to smooth, bare metal and painted surfaces. The performance remains unaltered after repeated icing-deicing cycles, as well as after mechanical abrasion. Further, Icing Wind Tunnel experiments showed that SuperAi allows ice to be removed with minimal force, confirming its usefulness under practical use conditions.

superai_applications

NANOMYTE® SuperAi can be applied to a variety of substrates, including plastic, metal, glass, and ceramic. In some instances, a suitable primer may be required for long term durability of the anti-ice coating. SuperAi is a single component coating that is easily applied by spray or brush. The dry film thickness can be adjusted to be in the range of 5 – 25 microns (1/5th to 1 mil), and only one coat is required to cover the substrate. Current applications include occurrences where ice removal is a challenge (e.g., wind turbine blades, power transmission lines and cables, cellular phone towers, windshields and other glass surfaces in automobiles, aircraft wings, and unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs). SuperAi also provides corrosion protection, which is an added benefit. The use of SuperAi enhances productivity for the user and provides rapid payback, as well as a good return on investment.

Contact us to obtain detailed test results on NANOMYTE® SuperAi.

Additional Information: NANOMYTE® SuperAi Technical Data Sheet | Safety Data Sheet

For more information, contact:
Ms. Krista Martin
+1 (732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
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NEI introduces durable, anti-fog coating – NANOMYTE® SAF-100

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April 26, 2016

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that it has introduced an optical grade anti-fog coating, NANOMYTE® SAF-100, with durable anti-fog performance and excellent water resistance. The coating passes EN 168 for Mist Retardant Anti-fog Coatings and also exhibits anti-frost properties. Further, the anti-fog properties are retained after repeated washing with soap and water. The coating also has excellent mechanical stability, with a pencil hardness of HB.

SAF-100

NANOMYTE® SAF-100 coated polycarbonate resists fogging over hot water (Left), and upon being removed from a freezer (right).

Anti-fog coatings generally work by creating a hydrophilic surface where condensed moisture spreads into an even film without forming droplets. These coatings have typically suffered from limited anti-fog performance, insufficient abrasion resistance and poor cleanability. NEI’s SAF-100 coating overcomes these issues and provides excellent abrasion resistance in addition to anti-fog characteristics. The novel coating technology is based on NEI’s patented scratch-resistant transparent coating, commercially known as NANOMYTE® SR-100. The scratch resistant base coating formulation has been modified with unique amphiphilic compounds which are locked into the coating matrix, thereby leading to durable anti-fog performance. The scratch-resistant coating matrix provides a high degree of mechanical stability.

NANOMYTE® SAF-100 is ideally suited for surfaces where prevention of fogging and frosting is needed. The coating may be used on sports goggles, face shields, respirators, outdoor signage, camera heads, environmental enclosures, bathroom mirrors and other applications where fogging needs to be mitigated. The liquid coating solution can be applied by dipping, spraying, roll or flow coating. NEI also offers in-house coating services for customer’s parts as well as coating development services, wherein coating formulations are created to address specific customer requirements.

The development of NANOMYTE® SAF-100 has come about as a result of NEI’s capabilities in creating functionalized nanocomposite coatings. The NANOMYTE® line of protective coatings and surface treatments provide tailored functionalities, such as hydrophobicity, superhydrophobicity, oleophobicity, superoleophobicity, self-healing, fog resistance, self-cleaning (or easy-to-clean), scratch resistance, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing. In addition to imparting protective and aesthetic properties, NANOMYTE® coatings lead to gains in productivity and efficiency and therefore can be used in many applications that traditionally have not used paints or coatings. The coatings are versatile and can be applied on a variety of substrates – including glass, plastic, fiber-composite, metal, and ceramic.

Additional Information: NANOMYTE® SAF-100 Technical Data Sheet

About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an applications-driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and manufacture Advanced Materials for a broad range of markets. The company’s materials and process technologies are protected by a total of seventeen patents. NEI offers an array of Advanced Protective Coatings for glass, metal and polymer surfaces. The coatings have tailored functionalities such as anti-corrosion, self-healing, scratch resistance, ice-phobic, and self-cleaning.

For more information, contact:

Ms. Krista Martin
+1 (732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
###

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NEI Corporation Extends Its Advanced Materials Capabilities to Develop Fuel Cell Membranes

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March 14, 2016

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that it has started developing polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) for fuel cells that avoid the use of perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomers. PFSA materials, used in state- of-the-art PEM fuel cells, suffer from low proton conductivity at high operating temperatures, water management issues and carbon monoxide poisoning of the catalyst. The Phase I development effort, funded by the Department of Energy Small Business Innovative Research Program, is focused on producing a highly proton conducting heteropolyacid (HPA) based membrane. The new membrane incorporates heteropolyacids in an organic matrix in a way that has not been explored before, producing a unique structure that ensures that the active proton conducting species (HPA) is contained in a continuous interconnected channel. The goal is to develop a robust PEM that has high proton conductivity, low hydrogen and oxygen cross-over, and is highly durable for extended use in a fuel cell.

A fuel cell is a more efficient energy conversion device compared to traditional combustion methods. While a conventional combustion-based power plant generates electricity at efficiencies of about 35 – 40%, fuel cell systems can have efficiencies of up to 60%. Because they are energy-efficient, clean, and fuel-flexible, fuel cells have the potential to replace the internal combustion engine in vehicles and to provide power in stationary and portable applications. Fuel cell vehicle prototypes have been successfully introduced. Despite significant advances in fuel cell technology, there are still technical and economic obstacles in the commercialization of fuel cells. The US Department of Energy Roadmap calls for “accelerating the development of innovative technologies to enable a full range of efficient and clean advanced light-duty vehicles, as well as related energy infrastructure.”

Fuel_Cell_figure

NEI’s foray into fuel cells comes at the heels of creating a growing business in Advanced Materials & Services for the Lithium-ion (and the emerging Sodium-ion) Battery industry. NEI specializes in manufacturing and supplying specialty battery materials. The company supplies materials of compositions and powder morphologies that are difficult to produce and not readily available in the market. NEI also has an extensive battery research and characterization facility, which includes multi-channel cell testers that are utilized by customers. By providing custom-produced materials and tailored testing, developers are given new capabilities to enable next generation batteries.

The new program on fuel cell membranes also leverages NEI’s capabilities to create functionalized nanocomposite coatings. NEI’s NANOMYTE® line of protective coatings and surface treatments provide tailored functionalities, such as hydrophobicity, superhydrophobicity, oleophobicity, superoleophobicity, self-healing, fog resistance, self-cleaning (or easy-to-clean), scratch resistance, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing. In addition to imparting protective and aesthetic properties, NANOMYTE® coatings lead to gains in productivity and efficiency and therefore can be used in many applications that traditionally have not used paints or coatings. The coatings are versatile and can be applied on a variety of substrates – including glass, plastic, fiber-composite, metal, and ceramic.

About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an applications-driven company that utilizes Nanotechnology to develop and manufacture Advanced Materials for a broad range of markets. The company’s materials and process technologies are protected by a total of seventeen patents.

For more information, contact:

Ms. Krista Martin
+1 (732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
###

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NEI Releases a Newly Improved Version of NANOMYTE® SuperCN – a Durable, Hydrophobic / Oleophobic Coating

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February 29, 2016

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that it has introduced an improved version of its NANOMYTE® SuperCN coating. NANOMYTE® SuperCN – a micron-thick, transparent, and highly durable hydrophobic / oleophobic coating – was originally developed for promoting dropwise condensation in condensers to enhance heat transfer efficiency. The newly updated version has increased SuperCN’s ability to repel water and oils, with an improved adhesion to substrates, higher abrasion resistance, and better chemical and solvent resistance, all while remaining highly transparent. The SuperCN coating exhibits excellent anti-fingerprinting, anti-fouling, stain-resistant and easy-to-clean properties. The coating does not change the appearance of the substrate to be coated.

NEI’s SuperCN coating is based on a patent-pending composition comprised of sustainable functionalized perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) that do not contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Although PFPEs are known for their non-stick and lubricating properties, it has been a major technical challenge to incorporate them into a stable formulation that can lead to a coating with sufficient adhesion to various substrates. NEI’s SuperCN formulation overcomes this stability issue. Additionally, while PFPE-based, easy-to-clean coatings that are currently on the market generally form very thin (< 100nm) coatings, SuperCN coatings have a thickness of 2-5 microns, thereby creating a more mechanically stable coating that cannot be easily removed by abrasion or harsh cleaners and chemicals.

The contact angles of SuperCN-coated surfaces are 108 – 120° for water and 60 – 70° for hexadecane. The hydrophobicity and oleophobicity are maintained after thousands of rubs against a wool felt abrasion wheel (ASTM D1044). Additionally, the measured Δ Haze is less than 3% on polycarbonate substrates (CS-10F wheels, 500 gram load, 500 cycles). NANOMYTE® SuperCN adheres exceptionally well via covalent bonding with glass, ceramics, and basic metals (such as aluminum, zinc, and tin plate) with a standard industrial cleaning method. For passivated or noble metals – such as stainless steel, chrome, titanium, and copper alloys – NEI has developed a novel and specific surface pretreatment procedure to activate the surface before the application of SuperCN, leading to durable adhesion. Furthermore, the coating can also be applied to plastics (such as polycarbonate, PMMA, PET, polyurethane, and epoxy) with or without the use of a primer depending on the activation state of the substrate. NEI supplies a primer product, NANOMYTE® SR-Primer, which works well with a range of plastics.

The development of SuperCN was spurred by a high number of requests from customers that expressed a need for a relatively thin coating that is highly hydrophobic and oleophobic, but also hard and transparent. SuperCN is easy to use and ideally suited for a variety of commonly used consumer products, such as kitchen appliances, shower heads, hand rails, faucets, dining tables, shower doors, medical devices, optical lenses, and touch screens. The liquid coating solution can be applied by dipping, spraying, roll or flow coating, and is thermally cured at 80 – 150°C (a room temperature cure version is also available). NEI offers NANOMYTE® SuperCN in liter or gallon quantities, or through its in-house coatings service for customer parts. Finally, NEI also provides development services, wherein coating formulations are created to address specific customer requirements.

Additional Information:

About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an applications-driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and manufacture Advanced Materials for a broad range of markets. The company’s materials and process technologies are protected by a total of seventeen patents. NEI offers an array of Advanced Protective Coatings for glass, metal and polymer surfaces. The coatings have tailored functionalities such as anti-corrosion, self-healing, scratch resistance, ice-phobic, and self-cleaning.

For more information, contact:

Ms. Krista Martin
+1 (732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
###

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NEI Expands Self-Healing Line of Coatings and Broadens Patent Portfolio

November 3, 2015

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that it has expanded its NANOMYTE® MEND line of top coats where a physical self-healing phenomenon leads to gap closing and crack sealing. The innovative technology platform is applicable to a broad range of substrates such as metal, wood, and polymers – including those that require maintaining a clear glossy appearance. NANOMYTE® MEND coatings can be healed multiple times at the same defect location, thereby reducing life cycle costs by increasing the service life and reducing maintenance costs of the various substrates to which it is applied.

Healing_MEND2

In response to the need for self-healing required in different environments, four MEND products have been introduced. MEND 1000 is based on US Patent 8,987,352, where a thermally induced physical self-healing phenomenon leads to gap closing and crack sealing. The self-healing coating involves a unique phase-separated morphology that facilitates the delivery of the self-healing agent to the damage site (such as a scratch or crack) thereby restoring the coating appearance & function. The coating can be self-healed by the application of warm air for several seconds with a simple device, such as a household hair dryer. Additionally, the properties of the coating – such as hardness, gloss, and refractive index – can be altered as needed for the specific application. The more recently developed, patent-pending MEND 2000 allows self-healing at near ambient temperature. MEND 3000 is a solvent-borne self-healing coating that can be cured at room temperature. MEND 4000, on the other hand, is a waterborne polyurethane-based, self-healing coating (US Patent 8,664,298). The current series of MEND coatings are based on polyurethane, but the principle is applicable to other coating systems as well – including acrylics and epoxies, as well as UV-curable systems.

MEND_Selection_Guide

Self-healing principles can also be applied to surface treatments of metals. To this end, NEI has developed a series of pretreatments for different metals, where a chemical self-healing mechanism imparts corrosion resistance. The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued a notice of allowance for NEI’s patent on another self-healing coating technology. The allowed claims describe a chemical conversion coating for protecting magnesium alloys from corrosion (NANOMYTE® PT-60). PT-60 mimics the performance of chromate conversion coatings. The nanoscale structure of the magnesium surface allows ions to diffuse on demand to the damage site, forming a barrier that prevents further corrosion. Additionally, PT-60 has been engineered to act as a tie layer that bonds the overlying primer with the metal. Excellent field performance has been observed in select applications.

The NANOMYTE® MENDTM family of coatings complement NEI’s portfolio of Advanced Protective Coatings and Surface Treatments which provide tailored functionalities, such as hydrophobicity, superhydrophobicity, oleophobicity, superoleophobicity, self-healing, fog resistance, self-cleaning (or easy-to-clean), scratch resistance, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing. In addition to imparting protective and aesthetic properties, NANOMYTE® coatings lead to gains in productivity and efficiency and therefore can be used in many applications that traditionally have not used paints or coatings. The coatings are versatile and can be applied on a variety of different substrates – including glass, plastic, fiber-composite, metal, and ceramic.

Download Press Release (pdf) »

 

About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an applications driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and produce advanced materials. The company’s core competencies are in synthesizing nanoscale materials and prototyping products that incorporate the advanced materials. Founded in 1997, the company manufactures and sells advanced materials products, provides materials development services, and performs contract-based R&D for public and private entities. NEI has built a strong manufacturing and R&D infrastructure that enables rapid transition of concepts to products. The company’s products are backed by a suite of issued and pending patents and sold under the registered trademark NANOMYTE®.

For additional information on our MEND coatings, including product specs & a summary presentation, contact us.

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NEI Expands NANOMYTE® Lithium Battery Product Line

September 9, 2015

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation, a leading developer and manufacturer of specialty cathode, anode, and electrolyte materials for Lithium-ion batteries, has announced an expansion of its NANOMYTE® Lithium Battery Product Line. The new products include:

NEI also offers oxide and sulfide electrolyte powders and dispersions, such as:

Specialty compositions and particle morphologies of your choice can also be custom produced.

About NEI Corporation:
NEI offers cost-effective, comprehensive materials development, characterization, & electrochemical testing services to its customers. As a long, trusted source for materials used in lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, we are also well positioned to reproducibly synthesize small and large quantities of custom cathode, anode, and solid electrolyte compositions. We create a custom materials solution to meet your requirements through a structured approach involving specified milestones, and all work is done in a highly confidential manner.

We look forward to serving your battery needs!

For more information, contact:
Ms. Krista Martin
+1 (732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
###

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NEI Announces the Issuance of Multiple Patents on Self-Healing & Superhydrophobic Coatings

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June 23, 2015

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that the US Patent and Trademark Office has issued patents to the company on self-healing, superhydrophobic, and abrasion resistant coatings. With the allowance of five patents and the introduction of an array of coating products, NEI’s concerted efforts to develop and implement practical, multi-functional coatings are now coming to fruition.

There is great interest in functional coatings, for both industrial and consumer applications, when the coating or surface treatment provides functionalities beyond the usual protective and aesthetic properties. For example, self-healing coatings autonomously repair damage, hydrophobic coatings are able to vigorously repel water droplets, oleophobic coatings prevent “oil” molecules from sticking to the surface, and self-cleaning or easy-to-clean coatings minimize or eliminate the need for chemicals during washing. Commercial products to date have met with limited success because they are not engineered to meet all of the functional performance requirements that an application may need. NEI’s patented and patent-pending technologies address this market need.

In the recent past, NEI has introduced several coatings under the registered trade name NANOMYTE®. For example, NANOMYTE® MEND is based on US Patent 8,987,352, where a thermally induced physical self-healing phenomenon leads to gap closing and crack sealing. The self-healing coating involves a unique phase-separated morphology that facilitates the delivery of the self-healing agent to the damage site (such as a scratch or crack) thereby restoring the coating appearance & function. In response to the need for waterborne, self-healing coatings for non-metallic substrates, NEI has developed a waterborne, polyurethane-based, self-healing coating (US Patent 8,664,298). A more recent patent-pending version of MEND, referred to as MEND-RT, allows self-healing at near ambient temperature. It is used as the inter-layer of a coating stack and has been shown to enhance the corrosion resistance of traditional coating systems. The MEND coating platform is based on polyurethane, but the principle can be applied to other coating systems as well.

Self-healing principles can also be applied to surface treatments of metals, whereby the pretreatments can mimic the performance of chromate conversion coatings. To this end, NEI has developed a series of pretreatments for different metals where a chemical self-healing mechanism imparts corrosion resistance. For example, NANOMYTE® PT-60 is a patent-pending conversion coating for use on magnesium alloys. The nanoscale structure of the surface allows ions to diffuse to the damage site, forming a barrier that prevents further corrosion. In addition, PT-60 has been engineered to act as a tie layer that bonds the overlying primer with the metal, resulting in excellent field performance. Similarly, NEI’s NANOMYTE® PT-10M provides self-healing protection for aluminum, while patent-pending PT-20 is designed for use on steel, and PT-30 (US Patent 8,741,074) is used on copper alloys.

As previously mentioned, combining multiple functionalities in a coating, such as self-healing and superhydrophobicity, presents new opportunities not available until now. For example, NEI has been issued a patent (US Patent 8,968,459) for a superhydrophobic coating composition that also has a self-healing function similar to that of plant leaves. This self-healing, superhydrophobic coating mimics lotus leaves, which maintain their superhydrophobicity by repairing the damaged surface layer with a continuously-secreting hydrophobic epicuticular wax. Equipped with the ability to repair or renew itself, the novel NEI coating overcomes the durability problem of traditional superhydrophobic coatings. Most recently, NEI was awarded a patent for a transparent and scratch resistant coating (US Patent 9,006,370) for use on plastic substrates, including polycarbonate and acrylic. NANOMYTE® SR-100 is a hardcoat that exhibits significantly better abrasion resistance than commercially available scratch resistant coating products. Scratch resistance is a sought-after property for coatings in a variety of applications, such as 3-D printed objects, ophthalmic and sports-wear lenses, automobile and airplane windows.

For a more detailed discussion on the company’s patented coating technologies and applications, please see our Patented Coating Technologies Brief.

About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an application driven company that manufactures and sells Advanced Materials products, provides materials development services, and performs contract-based R&D for public and private entities. NEI’s products, which are sold under the registered trademark NANOMYTE®, are backed by a suite of issued and pending patents. NEI has built a strong manufacturing and R&D infrastructure that enables rapid transition of concepts to products. The company has a 10,000 square foot, state-of-the-art materials manufacturing and testing facility in Somerset, New Jersey, equipped with high temperature furnaces with controlled atmospheres, mixing, blending and drying equipment, coaters, particle characterization instruments, corrosion testing equipment, polymer films & coatings characterization, and a Li-ion battery testing laboratory. Since its inception, NEI has partnered with small companies, large multinational corporations, U.S. Defense Laboratories, U.S. National Laboratories, and Universities. The relationships take on different forms, ranging from a strategic partnership to joint development efforts targeted at specific applications.

For more information, contact:
Ms. Krista Martin
+1 (732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
###

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NEI Introduces Custom-Produced Solid Electrolyte Materials

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June 17, 2015

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation, a leading developer and manufacturer of specialty cathode, anode, and electrolyte materials for Lithium-ion batteries, has announced an expansion of its services for producing Custom Solid Electrolyte Materials. Most commercial Lithium-ion batteries usually contain an electrolyte that is dissolved in flammable solvents. The use of a solid electrolyte eliminates the flammability issue associated with currently used liquid electrolytes. Customers can now purchase solid electrolyte materials with the composition of their choice. Whether it is an oxide material (e.g., LATP, LLTO, LNBO or any other mixed metal oxide) or a sulfide material (e.g., LPS, LSPS, or composites of sulfide containing compounds), NEI can produce powders anywhere in the range of small lot quantities to multiple kilograms. Additionally, the primary particle size can be reduced further into the ultrafine or nanoscale regime, if needed.

NEI has also developed processes to combine cathode particles and solid electrolyte materials. For example, in a composite morphology, the cathode and solid electrolyte particles are in intimate contact with each other and evenly distributed throughout the material. Customers can specify the cathode and solid electrolyte compositions of interest, and NEI can custom produce powders with the composite morphology. Similarly, the solid electrolyte material can be deposited as a conformal film on cathode particles. Ionic conductivity measurements indicate that the ionic conductivity of the pristine solid electrolyte is largely preserved when it is combined with the cathode materials (the ionic conductivity of pristine solid electrolyte is 8 x 10-4 S/cm, whereas the ionic conductivity of solid electrolyte combined with a cathode is 5 x 10-4 S/cm). Finally, the composite material can be mixed with an ionically conducting binder and cast as a dense film. By making solid state electrolyte materials available in a more useable form, it is our intent to make it easy for Li-ion battery researchers to develop the next generation all-solid-state Li-ion batteries.

NEI Custom Solid ElectrolytesNEI’s Custom Solid Electrolyte Materials services build upon NEI’s patent-pending, ready-to-cast, solid electrolyte materials. Over the past year, NEI has supplied multi-kilogram quantities of their newly developed solid electrolyte powder, NANOMYTE® SSE-10 (Li10SnP2S12 or LSPS). NANOMYTE® SSE-10, which has been used by a number of scientists and engineers for developing and prototyping “all solid” Lithium batteries, has also been made available in the form of a slurry (dispersion), NANOMYTE® SSE-10D, which can be cast into flexible tapes. SSE-10D is composed of surface-modified LSPS particles dispersed in organic solvent, which can be removed after the tape or film is formed.

CSE_Fig4Post Process Solid Electrolyte and Composite Powder into a Slurry and Tape

NEI Corporation has been a long trusted source for customized cathode and anode materials used in lithium batteries. The company specializes in developing new compositions and particle morphologies, including nanoscale particle engineering. NEI also has an extensive battery research and characterization facility, which includes multi-channel cell testers. The introduction of NEI’s service for custom produced solid electrolytes will provide new capabilities to lithium battery developers and manufacturers to enable practical solid state batteries.

For more information, see our slideshow on Custom Produced Solid Electrolytes »

About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an application driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and produce advanced materials. The company’s core competencies are in synthesizing nanoscale materials and prototyping products that incorporate the advanced materials. NEI Corporation offers cathode and anode materials (both powders and coated electrodes), and solid state electrolytes for use in lithium-ion batteries. The company produces battery materials through a scalable and economical synthesis process, which is adaptable to different materials compositions and particle morphologies.

For more information, contact:
Ms. Krista Martin
+1 (732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
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NEI’s New Coating Technology Provides Self-Healing Protection for Traditional Coating Systems

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March 24, 2015

Somerset, New Jersey (USA) – NEI Corporation announced today that it has introduced NANOMYTE® MEND-RT, a self-healing, polymer nanocomposite coating for use as an intermediate layer in coating systems on metal substrates. When the coating system is physically damaged, the self-healing intermediate layer repairs the damage autonomously at near ambient conditions, closing and sealing the gap and protecting the metal from exposure to the elements. This new feature of physical gap closing provides an alternative to chemical self-healing observed in chromate coatings. The universal nature of this new technology makes it applicable in any chromate-free coating system where self-healing is desired. This unique feature can lead to preserving the aesthetics of a coated surface or providing active corrosion protection on metal surfaces, without changing the formulation of the conventional coating. The intermediate layer can be easily applied by dip, spray, brush or drawdown methods.

The MEND-RT layer is introduced in a traditional coating system without deteriorating the original properties of the coating stack. The technology is applicable to coatings on both ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, such as magnesium, aluminum, copper, zinc and alloys thereof, and steel. The efficacy of the NANOMYTE® MEND-RT coating was confirmed on aluminum alloys, which are used extensively in the aerospace industry. Two sets of coating systems were applied and compared for corrosion resistance. The first coating stack consisted of a chromate-free corrosion resistant pretreatment, a chromate-free epoxy primer, and a standard polyurethane topcoat. The second stack was identical to the first one, with the additional MEND-RT layer inserted between the primer and topcoat. Corrosion resistance was evaluated using the Salt Spray Test (SST) ASTM B-117 method. Artificial defects were made on the coated panels before exposing them to salt spray. The first set of panels, i.e. without the self-healing inter-layer, exhibited early signs of corrosion with white corrosion buildup in the scribed region. The samples with MEND-RT showed enhanced protection with no signs of corrosion after 1,250 hours of exposure.

MEND-RT_Fig.2

Photographs showing trends in corrosion resistance for Al 2024 and 7075 4” x 6” panels after 1,250 hours in salt spray test – (a) Commercial non-chromate coating system; (b) Commercial non-chromate coating system with NANOMYTE® MEND-RT.

NANOMYTE® MEND-RT is available as a two-part product. Given that different applications utilize a variety of coating systems, NEI can undertake an in-house study to evaluate the efficacy of MEND-RT in the specific coating system used by the customer. If needed, the MEND-RT formulation can be customized to suit the requirements of the application. Alternatively, customers also have the option of purchasing MEND-RT and applying the coating at their facilities or through their vendors.

Additional Technical Information:

About NEI Corporation:
NEI Corporation is an application-driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and produce advanced materials. The company’s core competencies are in synthesizing nanoscale materials and prototyping products that incorporate the advanced materials. NEI offers an array of Advanced Protective Coatings for metal and polymer surfaces. The coatings have tailored functionalities such as anti-corrosion, self-healing, scratch resistant, impact resistant, ice-phobic, and self-cleaning.

For more information, contact:
Ms. Krista Martin
(732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
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