ALTAIR INTL INC. | Symbol: AWV | WKN: 902675 | ISIN: CA02136W1023 - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[WWolfgang]

Nanotechnologie! die Technik der Zukunft (5 Jahre)
Kennt jemand diese Aktie?
Kann man so etwas kaufen?
Wie schätzt Ihr die Entwicklung ein - in Bezug zu NANOPHASE WKN: 910885
WWolfgang

[Captain Cash]

Also ich hab mich letzte Woche für Nanophase entschieden. Ich schätze sie ähnlich ein wie eine Millennium vor 5 Jahren.
Schau dir den 5 Jahreschart von Millennium an, dann weisst du auf was ich mich freu
Nanophase könnte der Nano Bluechip werden.

[Ypsy]

Bin durch dein Posting auf NANX aufmerksam geworden und hab sie mir nähers angeschaut. Sowohl der MACD als auch (bald) das Momentum geben Kaufsignale. Auch der Chart sieht sehr gut aus. Aber Mo oder Die unbedingt noch steigende Kurse, sonst gibt es eine Divergenz zum Momentum(grün).
Hochinteressanter Chart....

[WWolfgang]

und zu ALTAIR INTL INC. WKN: 902675 kann niemand etwas sagen?

Soviel weiss ich inzwischen - Heimatland ist Canada - mehr habe ich noch nicht herausgefunden.
Der Chart sieht allerdings nicht gut aus. Könnte aber auch daran liegen, dass noch wenig über das Unternehmen bekannt ist.

Wolfgang

[Superlampi]

Lt. earnings.com sollen die Zahlen am 14. November kommen.
Interessant werden eh erst die Zahlen vom 4. Quartal 00.
Altair scheint mir recht weit zu sein was die Forschung angeht (bin aber leider kein
Wissenschaftler um die Produkte genau beurteilen zu können).

Aber interessant ist es schon auf der Homepage www.altairint.com

[WWolfgang]

Superlampi,
danke für die Homepage - leider verstehe ich noch nicht einmal Englisch. Und so lasse ich mich nicht auf einen Kauf ein, von dem ich nicht weiss um was es geht.
wenn ich näheres erfahre, dann melde ich mich wieder.
Ich bin auch an ehrlichen Infos interessiert und gebe auch solche weiter.
Wolfgang

[Superlampi]

QUELLE: http://www.nano.org.uk/altair.htm
Infos:

ALTAIR ANNOUNCES NANO PRODUCT DIVERSIFICATION

Altair International Inc. (NASDAQ:ALTI) today announced that its
wholly owned subsidiary, Altair Technologies,
(www.altairtechnologies.com) has completed its first phase of Ti02
nanoparticle development including 5 grades of TiNano40. These
products with data sheets will soon appear on the website.
TiNano40 products are nominally 40nm and range from very high
purity products, to highly photocatalytic products, to wet coated non
photocatalytic products. "We believe Altair nanoparticles have an
economic advantage and are superior products for a wide variety of
uses from photo catalytics to cosmetics" said Dr. William Long,
president of Altair International Inc. "The team at Altair Technologies
has done an outstanding job to develop the TiNano40 product line in
just 6 months. Sales from these products are anticipated later this
year."

To supply other markets, Altair has implemented a diversification
program that includes its TiNano20 series of products, nominal
product size of 20nm, and specialized products of Ti02 and other
metal oxides in combination. The first of the diversified products was
the 10 micron rutile lattice it is developing for fuel cell applications.
At the request of a major catalyst producer, Altair has made a
proprietary copper oxide/aluminum oxide co-crystalline nanosized
material used for specialized catalyst. A patent application for the
Altair process for copper/aluminum oxide product was filed this
week.

Additionally, Altair has shipped trial quantities of materials
containing mixtures of aluminum and titanium oxides to Inframat
Inc., of North Haven, CT, for use in ceramic hardcoatings. Hardmetal
and ceramic coatings are used in the thermal spray business to
improve wear and corrosion resistance in machinery, heavy
equipment, marine vessels, and other like applications. Altair`s
collaboration agreement with Nanopowder Enterprises, Inc.,
previously announced, is also targeted at the thermal spray market
with specialized materials. "Now that we have completed product
development of our standard TiNano40 product line, we will actively
market those products while we analyze specialty product
applications for our next standard line of smaller TiNano and
combined nanoparticles" said Ken Lyon, president of Altair
Technologies. "Our process lends itself to efficient economic
production of a variety of ceramic oxides alone or in combination.
Today, in the real world of nanotechnology - these are the products
needed. The possibilities appear to be unlimited and we are focusing
our efforts in major market areas with major market customers."

In addition to the products and markets mentioned previously, to
satisfy other developing markets, Altair is developing special
technology approaches to making nanoparticles of zirconium oxide,
titanium dioxide nanoparticles with molecular coatings of alkaline
earth metal titanates and other metal compounds, and catalyst
materials using nanoparticles of mixed metal oxides. The total
catalyst market is estimated at $14 billion per year. Nanoparticle
products may capture a significant portion. Altair International owns
a proprietary technology for making nanocrystalline materials of
unique quality, economically in large quantities.

The company is currently developing special nanomaterials with
potential applications in fuel cells, hard coatings, catalysts,
cosmetics, paints, batteries, semi-conductors and
telecommunications. The technology may also be used to make
paint pigment at a cost forecast to be substantially lower than
commercial technologies employed today. Altair holds mineral
leases on a "world class" titanium mineral sand deposit in
Tennessee and is in the process of constructing a pilot plant at that
site.

The company`s other principle asset is the Altair Centrifugal Jig, an
environmentally friendly breakthrough technology for mining, coal
treatment and environmental remediation. This press release may be
deemed to contain certain forward-looking statements with respect
to Altair that are subject to risks and uncertainties that include, but
are not limited to, Altair`s ability to obtain necessary capital,
performance and reliability of technology, market acceptance of
products using Altair technology, variance in anticipated production
costs and unanticipated effects of regulatory requirements related to
the technology, as well as those identified in the Company`s press
releases or discussed from time to time in the Company`s Securities
and Exchange Commission filings. Actual results may vary
materially.

[WWolfgang]

ALLES KLAR UND GUT VERSTÄNDLICH oder?
Klingt etwas blöd - die Übersetzung!!



@@ALTAIR MELDET @@NANO PRODUKT-VERÄNDERUNG an

@@Altair Internationales Inc. (@@NASDAQ:@@ALTI) meldete das @+sein heute an
besass Tochtergesellschaft, @@Altair Technologien, gänzlich
(www.altairtechnologi) hat seine erste Phase von Ti02 vollendet
@@nanoparticle Entwicklung einschliesslich 5 Grade von TiNano40. Diese
Produkte mit Daten werden Laken auf dem @@website bald erscheinen.
TiNano40 Produkte sind nominell 40nm und Bereich von sehr hoch
Reinheit-Produkte, zu hoch @@photocatalytic Produkten, um überzogen nicht zu durchfeuchten
@@photocatalytic Produkte. "Wir glauben, dass @@Altair @@nanoparticles @+ein hat
ökonomischer Vorteil und sind überlegene Produkte für eine breite Vielfalt von
Gebräuche von Photo-@@catalytics zu Kosmetiken" sagten Dr. @@William Lang,
Präsident von @@Altair Internationales Inc. "Die Mannschaft an @@Altair Technologien
hat eine ausstehende Arbeit getan, um die TiNano40 Produktgruppe in zu entwickeln
gerade 6 Monate. Verkäufe von diesen Produkten sind später dieses vorweggenommen
Jahr."

Um andere Märkte zu liefern, hat @@Altair eine Veränderung durchgeführt
Programm , das seine TiNano20 Serie von Produkten, nominell einschliesst
Produkt-Grösse von 20nm, und spezialisierte Produkte von Ti02 und andere
Metall-Oxyde in Kombination. Der Erste der diversifizierten Produkte war
das 10 Mikron @@rutile Gitter , das es für Brennmaterial-Zelle-Anwendungen entwickelt.
Auf Veranlassung von einem bedeutenden Katalysator-Erzeuger, hat @@Altair @+ein gemacht
Eigentum-Kupfer-Oxyd/Aluminium-Oxyd-@@co - kristallinisches @@nanosized
Material benutzte für spezialisierten Katalysator. Eine Patentanmeldung für @+der
@@Altair Prozess für Kupfer/ Aluminium-Oxyd-Produkt war dieses abgelegt
Woche.

Zusätzlich, hat @@Altair Verhör-Mengen von Materialien versandt
Beinhalten von Mischungen von Aluminium und @@titanium Oxyden zu @@Inframat
Inc., von Norden-Hafen, @@CT, für Gebrauch in keramischem @@hardcoatings. @@Hardmetal
und keramische Überzüge werden in dem thermalen Spray-Geschäft zu benutzt
verbessern Sie Kleidung und Korrosion-Widerstand in Mechanismus, schwer
Anlage, See-Gefässe, und andere wie Anwendungen. Altair`s
Zusammenarbeit-Übereinkommen mit @@Nanopowder Unternehmen, Inc.,
angemeldet, wird an dem thermalen Spray-Markt vorher auch angesprochen
mit spezialisierten Materialien. ", jetzt nachdem wir Produkt vollendet haben
Entwicklung unseres Massstabes werden TiNano40 Produktgruppe, wir aktiv
vertreiben Sie jene Produkte , während wir Spezialität-Produkt analysieren
Anwendungen für unsere nächste Standard-Linie kleineren @@TiNano und
kombiniertes @@nanoparticles" sagte @@Ken @@Lyon, Präsident von @@Altair
Technologien. "Unser Prozess leiht sich zu leistungsfähig ökonomisch
Produktion einer Vielfalt keramischer Oxyde allein oder in Kombination.
Heute, in der wirklichen Welt von @@nanotechnology - diese sind die Produkte
brauchte. Die Möglichkeiten erscheinen , unbeschränkt zu sein , und wir konzentrieren
unsere Anstrengungen in bedeutenden Markt-Gebieten mit bedeutenden Markt-Kunden."

Zusätzlich zu den Produkten und Märkte erwähnten vorher, zu
befriedigen Sie andere entwickelnde Märkte, @@Altair entwickelt Sonderangebot
Technologie nähert zu Herstellung von @@nanoparticles von @@zirconium Oxyd,
@@titanium Dioxyd-@@nanoparticles mit molekularen Überzügen von alkalisch
Erde-Metall-@@titanates und anderes Metall setzt zusammen, und Katalysator
Materialien unter Benutzung von @@nanoparticles gemischter Metall-Oxyde. Der Gesamtbetrag
Katalysator-Markt wird auf $14 Milliarde pro Jahr eingeschätzt. @@Nanoparticle
Produkte mögen einen bedeutungsvollen Anteil gefangennehmen. @@Altair International besitzt
eine Eigentum-Technologie für Herstellung von @@nanocrystalline Materialien von
einzigartige Qualität, ökonomisch in grossen Mengen.

Die Gesellschaft entwickelt spezielles @@nanomaterials mit gegenwärtig
potentielle Anwendungen in Brennmaterial-Zellen, harten Überzügen , Katalysatoren,
Kosmetiken, malt, Batterien, Sattelschlepper - Leiter und
Fernmeldewesen. Die Technologie mag auch benutzt werden, um zu machen
Farbe-Pigment an @+ein Kosten, das vorhergesagt wird, um wesentlich tiefer als zu sein
geschäftliche Technologien beschäftigten heute. @@Altair hält Mineral
Mietverträge auf einer "Welt stufen" @@titanium Mineral-Sand deponiert in ein
@@Tennessee und ist in dem Prozess von Bauen einer Versuchsanlage daran
Gelände.

Das company`s, das anderes Prinzip-Gut das @@Altair Zentrifugaler Montagebock, @+ein ist
umweltsmässig freundliche Durchbruch-Technologie für Bergbau, Kohle
Behandlung und Umwelt-@@remediation. Diese Presseverlautbarung mag sein
betrachtete , bestimmte zukunftsweisende Aussagen mit Respekt zu beinhalten
zu @@Altair , das abhängig von Risiken und Ungewissheiten sind die einschliessen, aber
werden auf, Altair`s Fähigkeit nicht begrenzt , notwendiges Kapital zu erhalten,
Ausführung und Zuverlässigkeit von Technologie, vertreiben Sie Annahme von
Produkte Benutzen @@Altair Technologie, Abweichung in vorweggenommener Produktion
Kosten und @@unanticipated Effekte vorschriftsmässiger Auflagen verwandt mit
die Technologie, wie auch jene identifizierten in dem Company`s Presse
Befreiungen oder besprochen von Zeit zu Zeit in dem Company`s Sicherheiten
und Tausch Beauftragt Ablegen. Tatsächliche Ergebnisse mögen abwechseln
materiell.

[WWolfgang]

Entschuldigung.
meine Posting war ein Witz. Ich kann nun mal nicht Englisch und so sieht eine Übersetzung aus, wenn sie mit einem einfachen Übersetzungsprogramm gemacht wird.
Wirklich Sch...
Wolfgang

[heide1]

hat dem Kurs heute ja etwas auf die Beine geholfen, befürchte nur das dies nicht von langer Dauer ist:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 28, 2000

Altair Creates Alternative Energy Group
CODY, WY -- Altair International Inc. (NASDAQ:ALTI) today announced that
its wholly owned subsidiary Altair Technologies Inc.
(www.altairtechnologies.com) has created an Alternative Energy Group. The
group will be responsible for developing fuel conversion units for fuel cell
power applications. Altair has also entered into an agreement with
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (web.met.edu) to sponsor and
carry on joint research aimed toward developing a nanostructured fuel cell
system for direct hydrocarbon conversion. The group will also focus on
nanoparticle applications in batteries, solar cells, and photovoltaics. Altair`s
Research to date indicates that Altair`s nanoparticle technology has
applications in many alternative energy markets.

Dr. Bruce Sabacky will head the group. Dr. Sabacky holds a Ph.D. in Materials
Science and Engineering from the University of California Berkeley and has
extensive experience in development of advanced materials for semiconductor
applications and in compound semiconductor crystal growth. His expertise will
be key in solving problems currently associated with manufacturing fuel cells.

There are many advantages to using fuel cells for power production - they
are clean, efficient, compact, operate quietly - they can be placed in remote
locations. Many unsolved problems remain, however. Remaining technical
issues include - expensive and fragile materials, uncertain long-term
durability, manufacturing efficiencies, fuel processing, and control of chemical
reactions at the cell electrodes. "Altair`s objective is not to develop a new
fuel cell design", said Dr. Sabacky. "Altair`s goal is to produce and supply
superior performing fuel cell components that address and overcome current
technical shortcomings in today`s fuel cell designs. We believe that coupling
Altair`s nanomaterial technology with MIT`s expertise in catalysts gives a high
probability for success."

The Altair business strategy is to become the preeminent supplier of the key
component in a fuel cell power supply unit. We are not alone in our belief that
this strategy holds the best economic opportunity. The following is a quote
from April 2000, Distributed Energy Services, a Bear Stearns Equity Research
Publication: "Investors who have embraced new technologies, especially early
on, have sometimes enjoyed extraordinary results. What`s interesting with
respect to fuel cells and other forms of distributed power generation and
distributed energy services are the parallels that exist between these market
opportunities and those that existed in the telecommunications market. For
instance, some of the most important investment opportunities in the
telecommunications/Internet market were what we call the
"plumbing"companies - names like Cisco, Nortel, QUALCOMM, and Lucent
Technologies. These companies did not focus on becoming suppliers to end
users, they became suppliers/enablers to the network providers - and they
have proved to be among the biggest beneficiaries and the best investments.
We can envision a similar phenomenon unfolding as a result of the revolution
that is taking place in the power market . . . it is also our opinion that
investors will profit most by ultimately owning/playing the enabling
technologies." Altair will soon be in a position to initiate discussions with
strategic partners interested in applying the Altair fuel conversion units to
produce fuel cells.

Altair International owns a proprietary technology for making nanocrystalline
materials of unique quality, economically in large quantities. The company is
currently developing special nanomaterials with potential applications in fuel
cells, hard coatings, catalysts, cosmetics, paints, batteries, semi-conductors
and telecommunications. The technology may also be used to make paint
pigment at a cost forecast to be substantially lower than commercial
technologies employed today.

This press release may be deemed to contain certain forward-looking
statements with respect to Altair that are subject to risks and uncertainties
that include, but are not limited to, Altair`s ability to obtain necessary capital,
performance and reliability of technology, market acceptance of products
using Altair technology, variance in anticipated production costs and
unanticipated effects of regulatory requirements related to the technology,
as well as those identified in the Company`s press releases or discussed from
time to time in the Company`s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Actual results may vary materially.

[trendwatcher]

Altair dürfte (wenn das Umfeld stimmt) bald wieder steigen.

trendwatcher

PS.: Diese Info kam heute von Altair:
__________________________________________________________

ALTAIR EXTENDS RESEARCH AGREEMENT WITH HEYROVSKY INSTITUTE

CODY, WY -- Altair International Inc. (NASDAQ:ALTI) today announced that its Alternative Energy Group has completed a first phase of testing Altair nanocrystalline materials and is advancing its services agreement with the J. Heyrovsky Institute of physical chemistry, Prague Czech Republic. Doctors Ladislav Kavan and Jaromir Jirkovsky reported that the fast and creative cooperation between Altair and the J. Heyrovsky Institute, "will allow us to arrive at a better understanding of photochemical and electrochemical properties of advanced oxide materials and to develop tailored materials for applications in lithium batteries and solar cells."

First phase tests at the Institute determined that the Altair TiNano40 materials showed that the reversible voltammetric insertion charges and the insertion rate constants compare well with the most active form of anatase titanium dioxide. They also concluded that Altair materials exhibited unusually high thermal stability as compared to ordinary nanocrystalline anatase.

According to Dr. Bruce Sabacky, director of Altair`s Alternative Energy Group, these findings mean that the technology and materials Altair uses to create crystalline titanium dioxide anatase do not impede the application of the material in rechargeable batteries. In fact, the researchers indicated a correlation between photoactivity and physical properties which Altair controls with its process.

Ken Lyon, president of Altair Technologies, added that these exciting results from Drs. Kavan and Jerkovsky are particularly relevant commercially. Once the precise characteristics are defined by the researchers, the Altair process, originally developed as a paint pigment process, can produce commercial quantities at low cost. It is precisely these process capabilities that allow Altair to start with nanocrystalline material for a wide variety of advanced energy devices. Both our catalyst support elements and the solid oxide membrane we are developing for fuel cell applications utilize these same process capabilities.

Altair International owns a proprietary technology for making nanocrystalline materials of unique quality, economically in large quantities. The company is currently developing special nanomaterials with potential applications in fuel cells, hard coatings, catalysts, cosmetics, paints, batteries, semi-conductors and telecommunications. The technology may also be used to make paint pigment at a cost forecast to be substantially lower than commercial technologies employed today. Altair holds mineral leases on a ?world class? titanium mineral sand deposit in Tennessee and is in the process of constructing a pilot plant at that site. The company?s other principle asset is the Altair Centrifugal Jig, an environmentally friendly breakthrough technology for mining, coal treatment and environmental remediation.

This press release may be deemed to contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to Altair that are subject to risks and uncertainties that include, but are not limited to, Altair?s ability to obtain necessary capital, performance and reliability of technology, market acceptance of products using Altair technology, variance in anticipated production costs and unanticipated effects of regulatory requirements related to the technology, as well as those identified in the Company?s press releases or discussed from time to time in the Company?s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Actual results may vary materially.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

William P. Long, President
Altair International Inc.
PH: [phone]

Paul Savageau
Savageau & Associates
PH: [phone]

News releases and other information on Altair can be accessed at no charge at Altair?s website www.altairint.com
For technical information on Altair?s nanoparticle operations visit our business-to-business informational website www.altairtechnologies.com

[Techseeker]

Hallo Leute,

ich hoffe, dass ALTI und NANX noch ein paar Wochen do bleibene wo sie sind. Bei Nanax mache ich mir Sorgen, dass die nächste Woche steigen (wegen dem Analystentreffen).

Hoffentlich bleibt ALTI noch ne Zeit unten.

Warum ? Da ich noch was kaufen will und nicht so schnell ans Cash komme wie ichs gerne hätte.

Immerhin ist Nanopierce ja schön gesunken zum Nachkaufen.

Das mag ja einige stören, aber Nanomaterialfirmen brauchen evtl. noch ein paar Jahre. Das ist auch o.k. so, denn man will ja von Anfang an dabei sein.

Also, sonst noch einer in beiden investiert ?

Techs

[forward]

Jawohl, in Beiden !
Wobei ich mein Engagement in NANX dieser Tage zu Gunsten von ALTI etwas abgebaut habe.
Die ALTI-Marktapitalisierung war ja lächerlich im Vergleich zu NANX.
Gut, die letzten 2 Tage haben wir ja schon eine Erholung um über 100 % bei ALTI miterlebt, was allerdings bei knapp unter 2,--$ immer noch weit von dem von Shonstorm avisierten Kursziel von 9,-- bis Sept. 2001 entfernt ist.
Der Bericht v.Donnerstag scheint jedoch den ALTI-Kurs der nächsten Wochen vorzugeben !

[Superlampi]

Schaut hier mal rein. Da gibt es auch ein Shonstrom update
mit KZ 9 USD, etc.(Quelle:ragingbull.com)

http://www.dejong.org/stocks/altif/docs/Shonstrom2.htm

Viele Grüsse und Geduld,

SL

[forward]

Wieso Geduld ?
Daytrader konnten die letzten Tage über 100 % machen.
Heute wieder + 16 % bei schwachem Nasdaq.
Übrigens hier noch ein recht interessanter Bericht über Nanotechnologie und speziell ALTI:

Titanium nanoparticles move to the marketplace How a mining company got into the nanotechnology business and wound up making materials for everything from environmental cleanups to cosmetics.Recently, a company with core business interests in a mature industry acquired a new technology for processing a product that can be dug out of the ground. That’s when things got interesting. Altair International was founded as a mining exploration company in 1973 and in 1994 moved into making and developing equipment for mineral recovery and processing. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a commodity mineral product that is used to make white pigments for paints, paper, plastics, and printing inks. The United States currently produces more than 1 Mt of TiO2 annually (1). Competition from imports has kept prices of TiO2 from going up significantly, but over the next few years, demand for TiO2 is likely to exceed supply (2).Altair International realized when it first considered entering the TiO2 business that entry into the US $9 billion pigment market would require assets and resources beyond its immediate reach, so it asked SRI Consulting (Menlo Park, CA) to identify other profitable niche markets. SRI recommended the ultra-fine TiO2 nanoparticle technology as a stepping stone to other TiO2 markets (3, 4). Precursors of the nanoparticles had been observed in intermediate products generated from the ilmenite (FeTiO3) upgrading process, and Altair believed that it was possible to produce highly stable anatase nanoparticles. (Anatase and rutile are the most common naturally occurring polymorphs of TiO2.)Acting on the advice of the consultants, Altair purchased proprietary ilmenite processing technology from BHP Minerals (Melbourne, Australia) in November 1999. They found that simple modifications to the process produced significant quantities of nanoparticles. The ability to produce nanosized particles opened up several new marketing possibilities for TiO2.Unusual optical properties appear when the average particle size of TiO2 is reduced to <100 nm, including high transparency to visible light and high UV absorption. Depending on the angle of incidence of light, nanoparticles of TiO2 also cause some components of visible light to be reflected and refracted differentially, leading to the phenomenon of iridescence. Several market applications take advantage of these properties, including certain pearlescent or “metallic” paint formulations used in cosmetics, hard coatings, plastics, and self-cleaning additives for porcelain, ceramics, and specialty coatings. Reprographics applications are emerging, in which toners contain resin and hydrophobic TiO2 particles, as well as TiO2 particles surface-treated with alkyl polysiloxane. Other applications include industrial and residential filters that exhibit strong germicidal properties and remove odors.Acquiring the technologyPrior to Altair’s 1999 acquisition of a proprietary ilmenite-processing technology from BHP Minerals, SRI Consulting had issued a very encouraging techno-economic feasibility study of the innovative process (2). Altair’s president and the board of directors agreed that the process had economic potential and synergies with existing projects. Altair acquired the technology and the physical demonstration plant, leased the BHP facility in Reno, NV, and secured the services of key BHP Ilmenite Upgrade Project personnel. The technology transfer included documents detailing 7 years of laboratory and pilot plant test work and several patent applications. The demonstration plant was sized to process 5 tons of ilmenite concentrate per day, and it was operational at the time of purchase. In addition, Altair acquired analytical instrumentation, the use of BHP’s scanning electron microscope, and the shop and fabrication equipment.The demonstration plant was designed to produce TiO2 pigments from ilmenite feedstock. Simple modifications of that process and some additional equipment have made it possible to produce significant quantities of nanoparticles economically and made Altair an immediate supplier to the growing nanoparticle market.The proprietary technology was originally developed to make paint pigment at a cost forecast to be substantially lower than commercial technologies used today. This technology was subsequently modified to make nanocrystalline materials of superior quality, economically, and in large quantities. Shortly thereafter, in November 1999, a decision was made to defer work temporarily on the ilmenite upgrading process and pursue the nanoparticle and controlled crystal growth technology.The company is currently developing special nanomaterials with potential applications in fuel cells, hard coatings, catalysts, cosmetics, paints, batteries, semiconductors, and telecommunications. The main focus has been to develop a range of TiO2 nanomaterials with properties adapted to different applications.Advantages and challenges
Figure 1. The new TiO2 process allows for tightly controlled and relatively large-scale production. A thin-film hydrolysis technique is coupled with a controlled thermal treatment and dispersing package.
The new pigment process (Figure 1) handles a variety of raw materials, ensuring good recovery from the ore. Waste streams are greatly decreased because HCl is regenerated and recycled as a concentrated solution. By separating the purification of the solution from the TiO2 hydrolysis step, the process produces very pure TiO2 and allows great flexibility in setting the particle size and other characteristics of the product. Further development of one step of the pigment process gave birth to the new method for making nanosized particles at very low cost compared with existing methods. This process presents the possibility to incorporate additives during the crystal growth process, which provides the ability to vary particle size, photocatalytic activity, and other characteristics.The lixiviant acid (the HCl used to leach the ore) is recycled, leaving the metallic impurities—predominately iron—as innocuous metal oxides that are suitable for sale or use as landfill. These waste products are more benign than the waste discharges from the sulfate and chloride TiO2 pigment processes, which include soluble iron compounds, dilute acids, and miscellaneous inorganic ore contaminants. Disposal of the waste products from the sulfate and chloride processes has become an international environmental issue, challenging the viability of existing plants. The costs of waste disposal have also been responsible for large increases in the manufacturing costs of TiO2 pigments in areas where the iron salts produced by the traditional process can no longer be disposed of in deep wells.Re-engineering the processExisting equipment was used for the test work, and all energies were focused on developing the novel nanotechnology. Hundreds of combinations of experimental conditions were tested, and bench-scale experiments expedited the process development. In-house analytical laboratory capabilities provided the rapid product characterization required to develop the Commercial products
Altair’s Altium TiNano 40 series of nanosized anatase-based materials covers a range of applications: · VHP is produced without contamination and without the use of chemical controls. It exhibits high UV absorption, high photocatalytic activity, and high thermal stability. It is suitable for environmental purification, photocells, catalysts, and similar ceramic applications. · USP qualifies as a U.S. Pharmacopeia-grade material. It has UV absorption characteristics that make it suitable for cosmetics and other applications requiring USP-grade material. · HPC exhibits high UV absorption, high photocatalytic activity, and high thermal stability. Its uses and characteristics are similar to the VHP grade. · LPC exhibits very high UV absorption, an important factor in cosmetics and coatings applications. It has the least photocatalytic activity of the TiNano 40 series without special coatings. Applications include pigments, cosmetics, and chemical modification of surface chemistry and physical characteristics. · CNPC is a nonphotocatalytic product. Its very high UV absorption makes it suitable in cosmetics and coatings applications requiring USP-grade base material. A hydrous alumina and silica wet treatment totally eliminates photocatalytic activity.
nanotechnology quickly. When an acceptable combination of conditions was achieved, a production-scale run was made to demonstrate the feasibility of operating at a large scale under those conditions. More than 30 production-scale runs were made in a period of 3 months. Within a few months, the technical team successfully defined the conditions that enabled control of size and morphology, as well as the ability to control photocatalytic activity and the development of several anatase commercial products (see box, “Commercial products”).The new proprietary process couples a dense-film crystal-growth technique with a controlled thermal treatment and dispersing package (Figure 1). This process allows for tightly controlled and relatively large-scale production.External R&D affiliations Altair has quickly established relationships with several renowned academic research organizations including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); the J. Heyrovsky´ Institute of Physical Chemistry and the Czech Republic Institute of Chemical Technology (both in Prague); and the University of Nevada, Reno. Altair has also contracted the services of BHP Steel Research in Port Kembla, Australia. Industrial collaborators include Nanopowder Enterprises Inc. (Piscataway, NJ) and Inframat Corp. (North Haven, CT).MIT is working with Altair on the research and development of a novel fuel cell using micrometer-size rutile crystals, stabilized at 1150 °C, as a support substrate. The research program will focus on the synthesis and fabrication of a superior anode and cathode material. The integration of these structures with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) solid-film electrolytes produces a fuel cell that exhibits superior mechanical and thermal stability. The collaborative program will examine Altair’s stable porous structures as the support materials for cathode and anode catalysts.The J. Heyrovsky´ Institute of Physical Chemistry is collaborating with Altair Technologies to enhance the understanding of nanomaterial photocatalytic activity (PCA) mechanisms (see box,“Photocatalytic TiO2”). The PCA of TiO2 semiconductor materials has been studied for several years (5). The photocatalytic mechanism using nanosized TiO2 has been applied to the low-cost detoxification of organically polluted waters (5), destruction of bacteria and viruses (5, 6), and air purification (5). Several of these areas are now commercially successful.The J. Heyrovsky´ Institute conducted photocatalytic activity experiments using a research standard test that measures the kinetics of disappearance of 4-chlorophenol. Their results indicate that Altair’s proprietary surface treatment process provides control over the PCA kinetics; that is, low-level treatments provide relatively high-PCA materials and vice versa (7). Preliminary experiments demonstrated that the PCA of TiNano 40 HPC was ~2.5 times that of the benchmarking material, Degussa’s P25 product.The J. Heyrovsky´ Institute also studied the fundamental mechanisms of lithium insertion in Altair’s nanosized TiO2 particles (8). It is believed that the mechanisms being defined will ultimately apply to a range of photoelectrochemical applications, including secondary lithium batteries, solar cells, and electrochromic devices. The results from these experiments indicate that Altair’s TiO2 nanoparticle material behaves similarly to nanocrystalline anatase produced through exhaustive laboratory preparation from titanium isopropoxide. In addition, Altair’s TiNano 40 products exhibited unusually high thermal stability.Photocatalytic TiO2
In general, the mechanism for the photocatalytic conversion is where Ebg is the band gap energy of the TiO2 semiconductor (5).Commercializing applications that use the unique capabilities of semiconducting TiO2 requires a material that is photoactive, able to use visible or near-UV light, biologically and chemically inert, photostable, and inexpensive. Altair’s TiNano 40 series products fulfill all of these criteria.
The Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Institute of Chemical Technology are also collaborating with Altair in understanding the nanoparticle physical and chemical characterization by providing supplemental data and verifying previous analytical work. Analytical techniques include BET (Braunauer–Emmett–Teller method) surface area measurements, chemical analysis using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy (ICP–MS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging.BHP Steel Research is studying PCA as it applies to paint pigments (9–11). Using their proprietary technique, the coatings group has performed numerous experiments on Altair’s nanoparticles. Electron spin resonance (ESR) is used to measure the rate of formation of hydroxy radicals to determine the degree of PCA. This technique is used to estimate the chalking (weathering oxidation) of the coated materials. Ordinarily, it requires years of testing to gain this PCA insight, but the ESR technique measures the formation of the extremely reactive hydroxyl radical (HO·) by “trapping” the free radicals using 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). For the most part, the results of the BHP Research experiments were consistent with the ones carried out at the J. Heyrovsky´ Institute.Nanopowder Enterprises Inc. (NEI) and Inframat Corp. have collaborated with Altair to develop a nanoparticle feed for ceramic hard-coating applications. Hard-metal and ceramic coatings are used in thermal spray applications to improve wear and corrosion resistance in machinery, heavy equipment, marine vessels, and similar applications. A significant part of the funding in these areas comes from the U.S. Office of Naval Research.Altair is organizing a technical steering committee that currently includes executives from BHP and SRI Consulting to provide technical and commercial guidance in the pigment and the nanoparticle technology development markets. It was this committee that saw the potential in developing the emerging nanoparticle technology.Putting the process to workCurrently, Altair has filed five patents in the U.S. and international patent offices. Ten additional invention conceptions have been recorded with emphasis on controlling particle size, morphology, and chemical and electrochemical activity. Research and experimental work is being carried out to define the scope of these innovative technologies.While Altair pursues these research objectives, the primary focus has been to commercialize the TiNano 40 series products as quickly as possible. Altair hired Ken Lyon as operations manager and president of Altair Technologies Inc. in January 2000 to assist in moving from a research mode to a production mode of operating. He has developed a program for scaling up capacity to 200 t/year by the fall of 2000 then to 1500 t/year in 2001. Initial sales to customers have been scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2000.Product characterization
Figure 2. SEM images are used to determine particle sizes and shapes, a critical factor in determining material properties. This photomicrograph shows a typical TiNano 40 nanosized TiO2 material before dispersion.
For many applications, it is critical to determine the median particle sizes and size distributions. These measurements are made directly using a laser scattering instrument. Individual particle sizes and shapes are determined using scanning electron microscope images. Figure 2 is a photomicrograph showing typical TiNano 40 nanosized TiO2 before dispersion. The primary particles are ~40 nm in diameter.X-ray diffraction is used to determine the degree of crystallization of the nanoparticles. The Scherrer formula (12) estimates particle size by measuring the crystal diffraction line broadening that is directly related to the crystal spacing and size. Crystalline TiO2 exists predominately as the anatase polymorph in Altair’s TiNano 40 series products. The Scherrer formula is wheret = characteristic crystal size (nm) = wavelength of incident radiation (Cu K 1 = 0.1540562 nm) = characteristic diffraction angle (0.221 radians for anatase)B = angular width of the peak at half maximum height (radians)A third approach to particle size estimation is applied by calculating a spherical diameter (dBET ) from the BET surface area (SA) and specific gravity ( ). Used together, laser scattering, X-ray diffraction, surface-area-derived diameters, and SEM images ensure a high degree of confidence in particle size estimates and distribution.Altair’s chemical and physical characterization laboratory is also equipped with inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometers (ICP–OES), differential thermal and thermal gravimetric analysis (DTA, TGA) instruments, colorimeters, and scanning UV spectrometers to determine impurities, thermal properties, whiteness, and UV absorption. This complement of equipment allows for thorough chemical and physical characterization. Development of the understanding of these characteristics is ongoing and is necessary to consistently produce a high quality nanoparticle product.Building on successAltair International has entered the field of nanosized materials by engineering, marketing, and producing the TiNano 40 series products. The proprietary technology possesses special attributes to control the purity of the product, select the size of the resulting particles within a very narrow range, and precisely define surface morphology.Altair Technologies is participating in the acceleration of the development and commercialization of nanotechnology by broadening the range of materials available to meet the interests of different markets and industries. Development of the ilmenite upgrading and visible pigment processes will begin in earnest when appropriate development partners are selected.References1. Production and Stocks of Titanium Dioxide; Current Industrial Report M325AT(00)-09, U.S. Census Bureau, September 2000. (Available at www.census.gov/ftp/pub/cir/www/m28a.html; accessed Oct 24, 2000). 2. www.infac.com/inorganic.htm (accessed Oct 5, 2000). 3. Thiers, E. Technoeconomic Assessment of a Novel Process for Upgrading Titanium Dioxide; SRI Consulting: Menlo Park, CA, July 1999. 4. Thiers, E. SRI Consulting Report to Altair on Nano Technology Development and Market Strategy; SRI Consulting: Menlo Park, CA, 1999. 5. Mills, A.; Le Hunte, S. J. Photochem. Photobiol. 1997, 108, 1–35. 6. Matsunaga, T.; Tomoda, R.; Nakajima, T.; Nakamura, N.; Komine, T. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 1998, 54, 1330. 7. Jirkovsky, J. Characterization of Photocatalytic Properties of the Titanium Dioxide Samples R45, R47, and R51; J. Heyrovsky´ Institute of Physical Chemistry: Prague, 2000. 8. Kavan, L. Lithium Insertion Electrochemistry of Altair Titanium Dioxide; J. Heyrovsky´ Institute of Physical Chemistry: Prague, 2000. 9. Barker, P. Preliminary Summary of Findings—Photocatalytic Activity of Altair Products by the DMPO Spin Trapping Technique; BHP Research, Port Kembla, NSW, Australia, 2000. 10. Barker, P. Evaluation of TiO2 Pigments by ESR Spectroscopy Part 1: Principles of Spin Trapping and Feasibility Study; BHPR/N/1998/079; BHP Research: Port Kembla, NSW, Australia, 1998. 11. Barker, P. Evaluation of TiO2 Pigments by ESR Spectroscopy Part 2: Scale-up, Method Development, and Correlation with Accelerated and Natural Exposure Data, BHPR/N/1998/080; BHP Research: Port Kembla, NSW, Australia, 1998. 12. Cullity, B. D. Elements of X-ray Diffraction, 2nd ed.; Addison-Wesley: London, 1978; pp 101–102. Douglas K. Ellsworth is the manager for technical support at BHP Minerals, Center for Minerals Technology International Inc. (BHP Minerals International Inc., 204 Edison Way, Reno, NV 89502). He received his B.S. degree in chemistry and geology from the State University of New York College at Oneonta. He has worked as a chemist at Skyline Labs in Colorado and Alaska, and as a chemist for Utah International Inc.’s Mineral Lab in California. He began work at BHP as the chief chemist. Dirk Verhulst is a senior metallurgical engineer with BHP Minerals, Center for Minerals Technology. He received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the Free University of Brussels and his Eng.Sc.D. in extractive metallurgy from Columbia University. He worked as an R&D engineer at ASARCO Inc. in South Plainfield, NJ, and at Union Minière, Hoboken, Belgium.Timothy M. Spitler is a project engineer for BHP Minerals, Center for Minerals Technology. He received a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Tri-State University, Angola, IN, where he received the AIChE Design Award. Before coming to work for BHP, he worked for Dupont White Pigment and Mineral Products Operations and Dupont Freon R&D at several locations.Bruce J. Sabacky manages process development for BHP Minerals, Center for Minerals Technology. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in metallurgical engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, and his Ph.D. in materials science and mineral engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He has worked as a metallurgical engineer at AMAX Extractive Research Laboratory, and he was the manager of engineering at Bandgap Technology Corp. He began work at BHP Minerals as a principal process engineer.

[forward]

ALTI - Zukunft gesichert?:


SOURCE: Altair Technologies, Inc.
BHP Employees Join Altair
RENO, Nev., Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Altair Technologies, Inc. (www.altairtechnologies.com) announced that all 14 BHP service employees that were offered employment with Altair have accepted the offers. This outstanding technical, research and development group was originally provided to Altair for a one-year transition period within the November 1999 purchase agreement with BHP.

``We now have the money, people and production facility to manufacture commercial quantities of nanoparticles,`` said Mr. Ken Lyon, president of Altair Technologies. ``We are pleased that our research team holds the same belief that Altair is on the threshold of becoming a preeminent supplier of nanoparticles to a rapidly growing marketplace.``

Dr. William Long, president of Altair International Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTI - news) commented further, ``These people embody the intellectual property acquired from BHP. As the inventors of the technology, they truly know the promise it holds, and they have participated in Altair`s program to commercialize their technologies. We are extremely pleased to have this group on our team.``

Altair International owns a proprietary technology for making nanocrystalline materials of unique quality, economically in large quantities. The company is currently developing special nanomaterials with potential applications in fuel cells, ceramic hard coatings, catalysts, cosmetics, paints, batteries, semiconductors and telecommunications. The technology may also be used to make paint pigment at a cost forecast to be substantially lower than commercial technologies employed today.

In addition to owning Altair Technologies, Altair holds mineral leases on a world class titanium mineral sand deposit in Tennessee and is in the process of constructing a pilot plant at that site. The company`s other principle asset is the Altair Centrifugal Jig, an environmentally friendly breakthrough technology for mining, coal treatment and environmental remediation.

This press release may be deemed to contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to Altair that are subject to risks and uncertainties that include, but are not limited to, Altair`s ability to obtain necessary capital, performance and reliability of technology, market acceptance of products using Altair technology, variance in anticipated production costs and unanticipated effects of regulatory requirements related to the technology, as well as those identified in the Company`s press releases or discussed from time to time in the Company`s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Actual results may vary materially.

For further information please contact William P. Long, President of Altair International Inc., 307-587-8245; or Paul Savageau of Savageau & Associates, 303-756-8045.

News releases and other information on Altair can be accessed at no charge at Altair`s website www.altairint.com. For technical information on Altair`s nanoparticle operations visit our business-to-business informational website www.altairtechnologies.com.

[Babyelch]

Habe beide Werte auch schon seit längerem im Visier und habe mit nanx nun auch schon (wenn auch mickrige) Gewinne gemacht. Beide Unternehmen klingen vielversprechend.
Trotzdem muß ich euch ein wenig auf den Boden der Tatsachen zurückbringen. Das was diese zwei Firmen entwickeln und herstellen ist keineswegs eure so hochgelobte Nanotechnologie, sondern bezeichne ich schlichtweg als "ANORGANISCHE SPEZIALCHEMIE"( Glaubt mir, ich weiß von was ich als angehender Chemiker rede). Huch, der coole Name NANO*** kommt gar nicht mehr vor!!!Bin aber selber vom Konzept überzeugt und warte nur noch mal den nächsten Einstieg ab.

[Aktienratgeber]

Alles sieht jetzt für ALTAIR für die nächsten Jahre sehr positiv aus. Vorhin habe ich im US-Yahoo-Board (quote.yahoo.com unter Messages) folgendes gefunden, was mich optimistisch für 2001 stimmt:

Recent Developments
by: tx1376 12/28/00 10:43 pm
Msg: 1786 of 1786

Others may disagree, but I think recent developments during the past month have been very positive. The stock is still speculative, but I am more resolved to hold on for the long term.

(1) The fact that the BHP employees are staying is encouraging. If they have confidence in the company and its work, maybe we shareholders should also.

(2) The fact that the company could get any type of non-equity financing seems encouraging. The fact that the lender puts its option price for purchasing shares at $3.00 is also encouraging - it`s more than 2X times the current stock price.

(3) As in the playoff cliche, the company`s "destiny is now in its own hands." They own the technology, they have the employees - they simply have to make the sales or collaborations that will enable them to pay off the debt and pay costs. Paying $291,667 plus interest on the 15th of each month seems a little steep from the point of view of the company`s pre-loan cash position. On the other hand, there must some confidence (looking at near-term future sales or collaborations) that make the company and the lender think that ALTI can do it.

(4) Thanks to old mining fart and infoclips for the link to the American Chemical Society article. The possible applications of TiO2 (not to mention nanoparticles of other elements and molecules) are amazing. I think that the implications of nanoparticles are truly under the radar of most investors and companies. Most articles on nanotechnology seem to focus on sci-fi possibilities of nano-manufacturing and nano-robots. However, the most important applications may come from something that even a layperson can understand - the magnified surface areas and alterable photo and catalytic possibilities that come simply from making smaller particles.

(5) It appears that the MIT and Czech research programs are sponsored by ALTI. I thought the releases could have been clearer. However, this seems a common practice among development-stage companies - you get the most use of your money by having graduate institutions do the work. At least in this case, MIT is probably the best institution working in nano-materials, and the former Eastern Bloc has some of the best scientists, available at a very small price.

Staying long.

[Aktienratgeber]

@babyelch

Klar haben NANX und ALTI eher was mit Chemie zu tun, aber genauso gut gehören doch Nanopartikel in den Bereich Nanotechnologie.
Zwar stellen NANX und ALTI keine "Nanogeräte", wie z.B. Miniroboter, etc. her, aber die beiden liefern doch mit den Nanopartikeln die Rohstoffe, die andere Nanotechnologiefirmen zukünftig verwenden können.
ALTI und NANX sind für die Nanotechnologie-Industrie quasi wie die Schaufelhersteller in der Goldgräberzeit.
Solche Zulieferer machen meist die besten Gewinne, siehe z.B. auch Cisco in Bezug zur Internetindustrie oder Qiagen in Bezug zur Biotechnologiebranche.

[Babyelch]

So es ist soweit!
Jetzt bin ich zumindest in NANX wieder drin. Da wir aber vielleicht nochmal Kurse leicht unter 10 sehen werden, habe ich nur mal eine halbe Position(100) aufgebaut und werde bei entsprechenden Kursen verdoppeln oder ver3fachen.

Ach wär ich doch Dornröschen und könnte 100 Jahre schlafen, ich würde als Millxxxxx (wenigstens Millionär) aufwachen.

[Aktienratgeber]

Aktuelle US-nachbörsliche Kaufempfehlung u.a. für Altair. Morgen werden die am NASDAQ wieder sehr gut zulegen. Schon heute waren die geringen Umsätze dort auffällig. Kaum noch einer war bereit die Aktie unter 2$ zu verschenken.
Schnell morgen günstig in Deutschland rein ;-), bevor nach 16.00 die Aktie wieder explodiert.

Thursday January 11, 3:57 pm Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Shonstrom Research Associates llc
Shonstrom Research Associates Identifies 3 Microcap Bargains, Altair International, Infonow and Interactive Network
DENVER, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- This release is from Shonstrom Research Associates, which provides proprietary research to NASD firm PCS Securities, Inc. CRD # 23734:

Shonstrom Research Associates` list of Speculative Buy rated stocks include three candidates for upside January-effect gains. Analyst Michael Shonstrom notes that the prices of these stocks had been driven down by year end selling to the point that any uptrend in stock market prices could result in attractive risk adjusted near term returns for speculative investors.

Altair International (Nasdaq: ALTI - news) reached a low of $0.72 early in December then rallied to $2-1/4 before closing on Wednesday at $1-3/4 representing a gain of 134%. This company has developed a scaleable commercial process for producing a variety of nanomaterials at one-third the cost of other production methods and recently announced a $7.0 MM debt financing to support initial production. Applications for these materials include thermally stable solid oxide fuel cell membranes and lithium polymer storage batteries. The shares of companies involved in alternative energy and fuel cell technologies have held up well in this market, a fact which could benefit Altair`s stock price.

[appendix75]

Wären ja bisher gut gelaufen - werde mir auf alle Fälle noch ein paar ins Depot legen