Nanotechnology Research around the world. This week: Turkey
This week we feature the Nanobiotechnology Research Group at Yeditepe University (Turkey)
The Nanobiotechnology Group at Yeditepe University was established towards the end of 2004 by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Culha. When Dr. Culha was offered a faculty position at the Genetics and Bioengineering Department, he had the opportunity to implement the idea of interfacing the living and non-living worlds and to investigate their interactions using spectroscopic and imaging techniques. Since he had previous experience with several surface phenomena such as separations and sensing, he started to gather the necessary tools together to form the basis of the group. Now, the group is consistently growing with an average number of graduate students of 12 now.
The group’s research interest spans from detection and identification of microorganisms and biologically relevant molecules such as proteins using plasmonic techniques, more specifically Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), to the synthesis of novel nanoparticles and their assembly at interfaces. Since the goal of synthesis of novel nanoparticles is to explore their medical and sensing applications, the investigation of their toxicity also falls into the research interest of the group.
The Rule-Of-Three. Entekno (Turkey)
The “Rule-of-Three”
Through this section, Nanobugle tests the 3 main key success factors for the development of new nanotechnology/nanoscience companies in emerging countries.
This Week: Turkey
1) Company Concept
ENTEKNO Industrial Technological and Nanomaterials Inc. is a dynamic spin-off company founded in February 2008 at the Eskisehir Technological Development Region (Anatolia University) to perform high quality research and develop and commercialize novel environmentally friendly advanced materials -including nanomaterials- and materials systems for sustainable growth.
Entekno’s mission is to advance the scientific understanding of advanced ceramic materials as they apply to industrial technological needs and developments and commericalize these advancements.
Entekno is able to synthesize nano-sized oxide powders including tin dioxide, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and more with controlled chemistry and morphology (if possible) based on the customer needs, as well as to tailor surface charges of particles (including nano-sized particles) to achieve stable suspensions,
Main R&D lines include:
1. Lead free piezoelectric ceramic systems
2. Safe nano powder synthesis
3. Fabrication of advanced ceramics with tailored microstructures
2) Added Value
There is a strong urge in today’s community to decrease the usage of potentially hazardous substances in our daily life. Entekno’s researchers have targeted one of these substances: Lead. Their goal is to replace lead-based piezoelectric ceramic materials with lead free materials and maintain the same functionality. The potential markets for these products include the automobile and defense industries. “Why the customers must choose us is quite obvious, because we take care of their health!” Says Oktay Uysal, one of the founders of the company.
3) Business Strategy
The main market for Entekno is automobile industry. Their potential customers collaborate with them to convert their material into final products applied across multiple industries.
About the sales strategy, professor Uysal says that they prefer direct sales at the moment because there is still more research which needs to be finished to have a product which can be produced in commercial quantities.
Source:
Oktay UYSAL
ENTEKNO COO
http://www.enteknomaterials.com
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