Grant Number: IIP-0646322

Award Dates: March 1, 2007 – February 28, 2009.

Award Type: SBIR Phase II

Topic: EL-D.1

Company Name: Tetramer Technologies, L.L.C.

Address: 657 S. Mechanic Street,

Pendleton, SC 29670

PI: Dr. Earl H. Wagener

Tetramer Technologies was formed in 2001 as a faculty-driven start-up company commercializing high value research activities pursued at Clemson University. It currently employs 11 people- 9 PhDs, 1 Masters, and 1 BS level.

Our business model is to focus on developing specialty polymeric or oligomeric materials through synthesis, structure/activity development, in close research development relationships with device or other downstream customers.

SBIR Phase II: Quantum Dot / Fluoropolymer Composite: A new approach for enhancing performance in light sources

Tetramer Technologies. L.L.C. Overview

Market Opportunity

The global market for QD is expected to reach $500 million by 2009.2

Solid State Lighting – this industry continues to grow with predicted revenues of $10 billion dollars per year nationally.3

Scintillator Applications – a supply shortage of conventional crystals will be a limiting factor.

Flat Panel Display – projected to grow from 85 billion in 2005 to 141 billion dollars in 2010.4

Photovoltaic - average annual growth rate of 23.8% through 20095 with $125 million in 2009.2

Competitive Advantages and Critical Customer Needs Addressed with Tetramer Technology

Compared to epoxy, silicones, acrylics, polycarbonate, and polyurethane matrices, TetramerNDM can increase 5 to 10 times the nanomaterial loading levels.

TetramerNDM exhibits superior processing properties, using only heat to provide thermoplastic or thermoset encapsulation stable up to 250 C with no free radicals or by-products.

Optically clear in the telecommunication windows.

No major commercial polymer manufacturer has concentrated on serving as a nanoparticle matrix due to its relatively small market.

Finance and Revenue Model

Stage 2 and 3 Development will be achieved through Phase IIB Joint Development Agreements with Target Customers through 2010

Initial Scale-up will be accomplished locally with contract manufacturers in 2009-20011 producing revenue streams from sale of product

Scale up will come from local VC firms or customer manufacturing (producing a royalty stream)

Commercialization Strategy

References

1. J. D.Gosnell, et al., “Cadmium selenide nanocrystals as white-light phosphors,” Proceedings of the SPIE “Sixth International Conference on Solid State Lighting,” 6337, 633708 (2006).

2. Robert Moran, “Display Technology Review and Forecast,” BCC Research, GB-SMC062A (February 2006), http://www.electronics.ca/reports/fpd/display_technology.html

3. “The Promise of Solid State Lighting for General Illumination Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)”, prepared by the Optoelectronics Industry Development Association, 2001.

4. Robert Moran, “Photovoltiacs: Markets and Technologies,” BCC Research, GB-RE038V (June 2005), http://www.electronics.ca/reports/power_supplies/photovoltaics.html

Technical Objectives/Goals

Develop a host matrix based on Tetramer’s perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) polymer technology which provides superior dispersion and optical properties for quantum dots / nanomaterials

Optimize polymeric host for specific nanomaterials and specific applications

Technical Results to Date

Loading levels of greater than 40 wt % have been obtained without agglomeration.

Quantum yields of quantum dots in Tetramer polymer are between 80 and 100% of the quantum yield in solvent.

An Enabling Technology

15 wt % of “magic” sized CdSe quantum dots in TetramerNDM enabled white LEDs through conversion of UV LED as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. UV LEDs conversions to white LEDs using different host for “magic” sized white quantum dots.1

White-light NCs in epoxy resin

White-light NCs in PFCB polymer

White-light NCs in silicone resin

White-light NCs in polyurethane

PbSPbSeLn:LaF3

Ln:CaF2

Nanomaterials Dispersed

CdSeCdSe/ZnSMn:ZnSeInAs

TetramerNDM (Nanoparticle Dispersion Matrix)

Tetramer’s Nanoparticle Dispersion Matrix (TetramerNDM) is a new specialty polymer product family derived from the commercially available semi-fluorinated Tetramer Optical Polymers (TOPs). TetramerNDM adds superior nanoparticle dispersing properties to the qualities you expect from TOPs technology: transparency from 400-2000 nm, high chemical and thermal stability, and ease of processing.

Large films of optically transparent nanocomposites have been produced with TetramerNDM. By obtaining high concentrations of nanomaterials, thinner films of nanocomposite can be used. Figure 2 shows quantum dots dispersed in TetramerNDM at the 0.9 and 10 wt% loading levels. The samples can be seen to be quite transparent.

Figure 2. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots dispersed in TetramerNDM under room lighting (top) and long wave UV light (bottom). (a) 0.9 wt% loading levels films are ~1.5 inch on a side. (b) The 10 wt% film is approximately the size of a quarter.

a) b)

In addition to thin films, bulk materials can also be produced using m-TetramerNDM. Figure 3 shows a disk ~3 mm thick with 0.5 wt% quantum dot loading levels. Current research is focused on producing monoliths 2.5 cm thick.

Figure 3. Monolithic disk of TetramerNDM with 0.5 wt% loading of quantum dots (CdSe/ZnS)

Monolithic TetramerNDM