Plastics News staff reporter Frank Esposito covered the following items at Nano-App Summit, Oct. 17-19 in Cleveland.
Nanotech golf ball can improve game
The worlds of plastic and metal have combined to create a golf ball that goes farther and straighter.
That's the aim of Nanodynamics Inc., a Buffalo, N.Y., nanotechnology firm that is making golf balls with an enhanced nano-titanium inner shell that does not buckle when struck with a golf club. The external shells of the balls are made from Surlyn-brand ionomer made by DuPont Co.
Nanodynamics began commercial testing of the NDMX-brand balls in late June. When commercialized, they are expected to retail for about $60 a dozen, said Chief Executive Officer Keith Blakely.
``That's not much when you consider some golfers spend $400 on a new driver every three or four months trying to improve their game,'' Blakely said.
DuPont, Ohio firm working on coatings
Ecology Coatings Inc., a nanotechnolgy firm in Akron, Ohio, hopes to expand metals work it is doing with DuPont Co. into the plastics arena.
Rich Stromback, EC's chief executive officer and president, said his firm has discussed plastic projects with DuPont of Wilmington, Del. DuPont is testing EC's polycarbonate and thermoplastic olefin coatings on metal products.
The coatings can be used to improve abrasion and scratch resistance in automotive glass, quarter panels and bumpers. EC has produced the material in pilot amounts at its Akron site.
