DJ Altair Nanotechnologies Awarded European Patent >ALTI
RENO, Nev. (Dow Jones)--The European Patent Office granted Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (ALTI) a patent covering a process for making lithium titanate.
The patent application detailed the process for producing lithium titanate spinel materials of controlled particle size over a range of five to 2,000 nanometers.
In a press release Thursday, Altair said the processes protected by the patent will be used in conjunction with a National Science Foundation small business innnovation research grant announced in June. The SBIR grant provided funding for a joint program for Altair, Hosokawa Micron Corp. (6277.TO) and Rutgers University to use their combined technologies to develop and commercialize high-power, long-life, fast-charge lithium-ion batteries.
"We believe nanomaterials, in the near future, can significantly improve lithium ion battery and super capacitor performance, making it possible to use these systems in applications where immediate high power delivery is necessary," Altair Chief Executive Alan J. Gotcher said. Such applications include automobile batteries, electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as military applications and specialized uses such as notebook computers, mobile phones, and a variety of portable devices."
Altair currently owns four issued U.S. Patents, 12 issued foreign patents and 45 pending U.S. and foreign patent applications.
Shares of the company were trading up 7 cents, or 3.9%, at $1.88, in composite activity Thursday afternoon.
Company Web site:
http://www.altairnano.com.
-Geoffrey Rogow; Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5400;
AskNewswires@dowjones.com