NanoAl LLC, Skokie, Ill., has been awarded a Phase II SBIR grant of more than $1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a low cost, improved conductor alloy for overhead power wires. In Phase I, NanoAl developed a new class of low-cost, lightweight, and scalable AA6000-series aluminum wire conductors that has simultaneously high electrical conductivity, high fracture strength, and high thermal stability. Moving forward, NanoAl will scale the technology and leverage the capabilities of its commercial partner to produce overhead conductors for real-world test and evaluation. Other applications for this technology are in transportation, developing lightweight conductive wire and strip to replace heavy and expensive copper; and in thermal management, developing high-strength thermally conductive heat sinks.
Energy loss due to the resistance of electrical conductors in transmission and distribution systems currently costs U.S. economy around $20 billion annually. This amount of energy can power 24 million homes per year, and it provides considerable motivation to improve the transmission and distribution system efficiency. The development of advanced and high performance electrical conductors is critical to improve efficiency, to lower system costs, and to improve robustness of the U.S. electrical grid.
NanoAl LLC is a materials research and technology company dedicated to design, develop, and commercialize high-performance aluminum alloys based on scientifically designed nanostructures. The impetus to start the company was the development of high performance alloys without the use of expensive elements. Together, Dr. Nhon Vo, Prof. David Dunand and Prof. David Seidman, who are Northwestern University’s professors, incorporated NanoAl LLC in 2013.
www.nanoal.com
