Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Nanocomp gets $1.5M to lighten soldier armor

By Mass High Tech Staff

Nanocomp Technologies Inc. reports it has landed $1.5 million from the U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Systems Center.

Under the deal, Nanocomp will continue to develop its proprietary carbon nanotube technology to improve body armor worn by soldiers. The goal of the research is to reduce the weight of the armor while improving its ability to protect soldiers from bullets and fragments from improvised explosive devices, according to Nanocomp.

Nanocomp makes carbon nanotubes up to one millimeter in length. The company said it uses the long nanotubes to make stronger, more conductive and safer products compared to short, powder-like nanotubes.

In March, Nanocomp announced the production of an ultra-thin sheet of carbon nanotubes measuring 3 feet by 6 feet. Also In March, Nanocomp landed a contract from the U.S. Navy, under the Small Business Innovation Research program, to develop lightweight, electrically conductive wires, cables and materials. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In January 2007, Nanocomp was named the winner of the New Hampshire High Tech Council’s first Product of the Year competition.

Concord, N.H.-based Nanocomp launched from the Lebanon, N.H., technology incubator Synergy Innovations Inc. in 2004. The company makes long carbon nanotubes and fabricates them into strong, lightweight and electro-thermally conductive yarns and sheets.