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Lyondell and Millennium to merge
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Nano-C licences nanotechnology patents Nano-C, Inc., a leader in manufacturing technologies used in the high-volume combustion synthesis and refining of fullerenes, has exclusively licenced patents from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that enable it to produce a range of nanostructured carbon materials critical to companies developing nanotechnology applications. The company says that the agreement enables Nano-C to apply its combustion synthesis method to produce carbon nanotubes for a fraction of current costs, as well as
fullerenic black -- a material composed of curved lattice structures of incomplete fullerenes -- and other related carbon nanostructures. NanoC adds that until now, fullerenic black for commercial use was not available, and production of carbon nanotubes was significantly limited due to the high production costs of current synthesis and refining methods, making most development of commercial nanotechnology applications extremely difficult. The Nano-C synthesis method was invented by Jack
Howard, founder of Nano-C and MIT Chemical Engineering Professor Emeritus. The method enables the scalable, cost-effective production of nanostructured carbon materials for applications such as speciality and conductive polymers. "We tackled the challenge of driving down the cost of fullerenes first because the potential market was more defined and the demand for a highly scalable and low cost manufacturing method was clearly inhibiting commercialization," says Jack
Howard. "As a result, the cost of fullerenes, which was thousands of dollars per pound when we started NanoC, are projected to be priced at around $200 per pound as volumes increase. The addition of these licences will allow us to apply the same scalability and cost saving options to nanotubes and other carbon nano materials that researchers and businesses worldwide are relying on to bring their own commercial applications to market." Contact: Nano-C Website: www.nano-c.com
Lyondell and Millennium to merge Lyondell Chemical Company and Millennium Chemicals Inc. are to merge. The transaction will create North America's thirdlargest independent publicly traded chemical producer with combined pro forma 2003 revenues of more than $11 billion and market capitalization of nearly $4 billion. The deal is subject to customary conditions including approval by both companies' shareholders, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2004. After the close of the transaction, the company will be called Lyondell Chemical Company and will be headquartered in Houston, Texas, USA. The companies say that the transaction combines two U.S. chemical operations that are well positioned globally, with
leading positions in propylene oxide and derivatives, titanium dioxide and acetyls. In addition, through their Equistar joint venture - a major North American producer of ethylene, propylene, polyethylene and aromatics - they have significant leverage to the petrochemical cycle, providing opportunity for the combined company's shareholders to take full advantage of the recovery in the petrochemical cycle. The combined company will operate in 16 countries and employ about 10,000 people worldwide. Contact: Lyondell Chemical Company Website: www.lyondell.com Millennium Chemicals Inc. Website: www.millenniumchem. com
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Plastics Additives & Compounding May/June 2004
News
Nano-C licences nanotechnology patents Nano-C, Inc., a leader in manufacturing technologies used in the high-volume combustion synthesis and refining of fullerenes, has exclusively licenced patents from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that enable it to produce a range of nanostructured carbon materials critical to companies developing nanotechnology applications. The company says that the agreement enables Nano-C to apply its combustion synthesis method to produce carbon nanotubes for a fraction of current costs, as well as
fullerenic black -- a material composed of curved lattice structures of incomplete fullerenes -- and other related carbon nanostructures. NanoC adds that until now, fullerenic black for commercial use was not available, and production of carbon nanotubes was significantly limited due to the high production costs of current synthesis and refining methods, making most development of commercial nanotechnology applications extremely difficult. The Nano-C synthesis method was invented by Jack
Howard, founder of Nano-C and MIT Chemical Engineering Professor Emeritus. The method enables the scalable, cost-effective production of nanostructured carbon materials for applications such as speciality and conductive polymers. "We tackled the challenge of driving down the cost of fullerenes first because the potential market was more defined and the demand for a highly scalable and low cost manufacturing method was clearly inhibiting commercialization," says Jack
Howard. "As a result, the cost of fullerenes, which was thousands of dollars per pound when we started NanoC, are projected to be priced at around $200 per pound as volumes increase. The addition of these licences will allow us to apply the same scalability and cost saving options to nanotubes and other carbon nano materials that researchers and businesses worldwide are relying on to bring their own commercial applications to market." Contact: Nano-C Website: www.nano-c.com
Lyondell and Millennium to merge Lyondell Chemical Company and Millennium Chemicals Inc. are to merge. The transaction will create North America's thirdlargest independent publicly traded chemical producer with combined pro forma 2003 revenues of more than $11 billion and market capitalization of nearly $4 billion. The deal is subject to customary conditions including approval by both companies' shareholders, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2004. After the close of the transaction, the company will be called Lyondell Chemical Company and will be headquartered in Houston, Texas, USA. The companies say that the transaction combines two U.S. chemical operations that are well positioned globally, with
leading positions in propylene oxide and derivatives, titanium dioxide and acetyls. In addition, through their Equistar joint venture - a major North American producer of ethylene, propylene, polyethylene and aromatics - they have significant leverage to the petrochemical cycle, providing opportunity for the combined company's shareholders to take full advantage of the recovery in the petrochemical cycle. The combined company will operate in 16 countries and employ about 10,000 people worldwide. Contact: Lyondell Chemical Company Website: www.lyondell.com Millennium Chemicals Inc. Website: www.millenniumchem. com
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Plastics Additives & Compounding May/June 2004