They are so small, these molecules, but so powerful when applied properly. They are often the difference between machines working properly and not properly. The companies who can master molecular technology can carve a major niche in the world.
Austin-based Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:APNT) solves problems concerning matters molecular. This aggressive company’s business model is to license patents and technology to partners that will manufacture and distribute products using the technology. APNT has over 250 patents or patents pending.
The company was founded in 1989, went public four years later, and during that time focused on next-generation display applications. It was in 2005, though, to diversify from in terms of technology, APNT expanded its focus to other areas leveraging previous work.
In mid-September, the company made it known that it had been awarded a $1.6 million Phase III SBIR grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to establish a pilot production facility to make and market proprietary ink materials for the application of metallic conductor layers on thin silicon solar cells.
The funding, to avoid being too technical, is part of a $57-million program to help small business develop manufacturing processes, focusing on the transition of technology related to photovoltaic compatible inks successfully demonstrated during a Phase II research Program into a pilot scale production, set to be operational by the end of the year or so.
This is revolutionary because, current cell manufacturing relies on screen-printing processes for the application of the metallic contacts. The applied pressure during the screen printing process can break or damage silicon wafers when their thickness is below 200 microns.
Nanotechnology is critical for the 21st century because of the breadth of its potential applications. It involves materials, systems, and technologies that have one thing in common -- the presence of at least one dimension smaller than a few hundred nanometers, or said another way, less than 1/100th the width of a human hair.
The week before this announcement, APNT had been selected for a SBIR Phase II award to develop carbon foils for the next generation ion beam accelerators. The amount of the award was approximately $750,000.
As the week in which the big announcement was made drew to a close, APNT found its stock price around the 29-30-cent mark, still in the middle section of a 52-week trading range that peaked in early March at 37 cents, after dipping in January to 19 cents. As more of this technology is understood and marketed, however, APNT could gather more momentum and take investors along with it.
