State funds sci-fi project

May 30, 2006

By DARRELL L. BREESE

Frontiersman

WASILLA - Nanotechnology sounds like something straight out of Star Trek. But the best things are supposed to come in small packages, and thanks to nanotechnology - the manipulation of tiny elements - we enjoy a host of new developments, including razor-thin cell phones, pocket-size music players and smaller computers.

All that high-tech and sci-fi stuff might be coming to the Mat-Su Valley, thanks to a $100,000 grant from the state capital budget. Wasilla Rep. Vic Kohring added the funds to the budget for the study and development of microscopic technology.

The funds are directed to the city of Wasilla in the form of a pass-through grant, and will be used by Houston businessman Robert Hall for the development of the microscopic industry.

Wasilla Deputy Administrator Sandra Garley said she was surprised to have the money coming to the city, but saw some potential benefits.

&#8220It's an exciting opportunity to bring a little bit of modern technology development to the Valley,” Garley said of the funding. &#8220It could be an economic boost to the community, so it merits the research to determine if it's possible.”

What exactly is nanotechnology?

By definition, it is the design and control of things at a nanoscale (100 nanometres and below). To put this into some sort of perspective, 100nm is one-thousandth of the width of a human hair, and roughly 500 times the size of an atom.

&#8220We're hoping to bring a nanotech firm to the area,” Hall said. &#8220We've had some preliminary discussion with one company, and they are interested in relocating. I thought, ‘Why not Alaska? Better yet, why not the Mat-Su Valley?'”

Hall spoke with both the cities of Houston and Wasilla about bringing the company into the area, and both wanted to see environmental and feasibility studies before committing.

The funds from the state will be used to complete those studies and apply for additional grants to cover the cost of developing the technology.

&#8220This is an economic development grant to help attract a new nanotechnology industry to the Mat-Su Valley,” Hall said. &#8220The company interested in moving into the area develops a patented nanocrystalline-based tungsten carbon alloy. The alloy is manufactured using chemical-vapor deposition techniques. Tungsten and tungsten carbide are heated to a gaseous state, and then deposited in microscopic layers. This process produces an alloy with extraordinary properties of strength, hardness, toughness and wear resistance.”

Hall added that testing has shown the allow to have a wear rate of less than 3 percent of the best commercial grade of tungsten carbide.

The new alloy has several potential uses, including military applications, oil industry uses and other extended wear parts.

Even though Hall has worked to develop the relationship with the company and to secure the state funding, the grant is not a pass- through economic grant to any particular business or individual.

&#8220A plan will be developed and it will be put out for bid,” Hall explained. &#8220Any individual or group with a plan to develop nanotechnology in the area would be eligible to bid. A condition for winning the bid will be that each dollar spent would be approved and accounted for.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@frontiersman.com.