September 14, 2011 – PRWEB — Using a microreactor and control software, Quantum Materials Corporation (QMC) and the Access2Flow Consortium of the Netherlands achieved a continuous flow process to mass produce quantum dots.
With mass production, Quantum Materials Tetrapod Quantum Dots will be available in materials quantities needed for high-volume electronics products, such as solid-state lighting, quantum-dot light emitting diode (QLED) displays, nano-bio apps, etc. This process will also be used for QMC’s subsidiary, Solterra Renewable Technologies, for quantum dot solar cells and solar panels.
The continuous flow process claims yield and conversion improvements over batch quantum dot synthesis. QMC’s goal is 100kg/day production “with a 95% or greater yield,” explained Stephen Squires, founder and CEO of Quantum Materials Corporation. The inherent design of the microreactor allows for commercial-scale parallel modules to achieve large production rates at low cost in a regulated, optimized system. Materials choice for QD production is flexible, enabling work on heavy-metal (cadmium) free quantum dots and other biologically inert materials. Adaptability to other inorganic metals and elements is as important as the scaleability achieved in the process flow, said QMC CTO Dr. Bob Glass.
Also read: E beam litho, etch make identical quantum dots
While quantum dots offer performance improvements for products from LED displays to energy storage systems, lacking high-volume manufacturing methods have limited quantum dot integration into commercial products, say the Quantum Materials representatives. The continuous flow manufacturing process is meant to eliminate the difficulty in manufacturing quantum dots, the lack of quality and uniformity of quantum dots, and the corresponding high cost (average $2500-$6000/gram).
Quantum Materials Corporation uses volume manufacturing methods to establish a growing line of quantum dots. Learn more at http://www.qdotss.com.
Solterra Renewable Technologies Inc develops sustainable and cost-effective solar technology by replacing silicon wafer-based solar cells with Quantum Dot-based solar cells. Solterra is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quantum Materials, Inc. Go to http://www.solterrasolarcells.com.
Access2Flow is a consortium of FutureChemistry, Flowid and Micronit Microfluidics based in the Netherlands. Access2Flow produces technology for converting small laboratory processes or “beaker batches” to full scale optimized "continuous flow chemistry."