NEC Concludes First Carbon Nanotube Patent License Agreement in U.S. with SouthWest NanoTechnologies, Inc. |
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By: NEC Corporation Posted: 2006-08-06 04:46:41 |
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NEC Corporation (Nasdaq: NIPNY) announced that it has concluded an agreement with SouthWest NanoTechnologies, Inc. (SWeNT(TM), note 1), by which it grants SWeNT(TM) a non-exclusive license under basic patents owned by NEC covering the carbon nanotube discovered by Dr. Sumio Iijima, a senior research fellow at NEC, in 1991.
SWeNT(TM) manufactures and supplies carbon nanotube materials for a wide variety of applications worldwide employing its proprietary CoMoCAT(TM) process (note 2) that was invented independently at the University of Oklahoma in the U.S. Anticipating a rapid increase in demand for carbon nanotube materials in a wide variety of fields and applications, SWeNT(TM) has recognized the necessity to acquire a license from NEC under its basic patents in order to expand its business and has signed an agreement with NEC. "NEC's carbon nanotube patents are basic patents covering single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and licenses under our patents are essential for entities to manufacture or sell carbon nanotubes," said Keiji Ushijima, Executive Expert at NEC's Intellectual Asset Business Development and Licensing Division. "We are currently in negotiations with a number of entities worldwide who require a license from us under our patent rights, and we will continue to grant licenses to such entities, from venture companies to multinational corporations, with reasonable terms and conditions, in order to expand the markets of carbon nanotubes and their applications." The carbon nanotube is drawing significant attention worldwide as a core material for nanotechnology. Owing to an extremely fine structure that has a diameter measuring on the nanometer-scale (thin tube-shaped material) and superior physical and chemical properties, the carbon nanotube is expected to be used for various applications including high-resolution AFM probes, flat panel displays, extremely lightweight and high-strength materials, high performance transistors, interconnect materials, fuel cells, ultra-sensitive sensors, absorbents and conductive coatings. NEC is actively supporting new business and value chain creation among licensees, trading companies and application manufacturers through the licensing of its patents, not only in the field of nanomaterials, but also in a wide variety of business and industrial fields. It will continue to advance the licensing of its patents in connection with carbon nanotubes and their applications worldwide. For more information please visit NEC Intellectual Assets (http://www.ipr-nec.com/en/ ), which is a patent search database operated by NEC Corporation to introduce its intellectual assets to the market. These assets include a broad range of patents, technologies, know-how and engineering services. Notes (1) SouthWest NanoTechnologies, Inc. is a privately held independent specialty chemical firm, manufacturing single wall carbon nanotubes for a broad array of specialty products. SWeNT(TM) was incorporated in April of 2001 to spin off nanotube research developed by the University of Oklahoma. For more information please access: http://www.swnano.com/ . (2) CoMoCAT(TM) process: A catalytic method (CoMoCAT(R)) that produces single wall carbon nanotubes of high quality at very high selectivity, and with a remarkably narrow distribution of tube diameters. In this method, single wall carbon nanotubes are grown by CO disproportionati(decomposition into C and carbon dioxide) at 700-950°in flow of pure CO at a total pressure that typically ranges from 1 to 10 atm. This method is based on original work conducted by the research group of Prof. Daniel Resasco (currently Chief Scientist at SWeNT(TM)) at the University of Oklahoma. About NEC Corporation NEC Corporation (Nasdaq: NIPNY) is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and had net sales of approximately 4,825 billion yen (approx. $41.2 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2006. |
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