(732) 469-6670
gnpatel@jplabs.com
Nanostructures have many unique properties and a large number of products are based on them. However, very little attention has been
paid to understand and develop products based on destruction, conversion, modification etc of nanostructures (referred here as nano-conversion).
JP Laboratories, Middlesex, NJ envisioned and developed (USP Application # 20090301382 and others pending) more than twenty different
classes of novel, unique, accurate, affordable and self-reading (in any language & color) indicators (Nano-IndisTM) which are
based on destruction of nanostructures (~10 nm aluminum layer and its naturally formed oxide layer of a metallized plastic film),
www.nanoconvertology.com . A message of warning/assurance appears only at an appropriate time. Nano-IndisTM (for examples, see Figure
1) have a rare combination of the most desired properties.
Figure 1
Nano-Indicators: By applying a proper layer of an etchant or its precursor onto the metal layer and a message under
it, we have developed a number of Nano-IndisTM for monitoring a variety of materials and processes. They include, time (#11, self-expiring
visitor/employee badges and tickets), temperature (doneness of microwave foods), time-temperature (#1 & 5, monitoring shelf life
of perishables), freeze (fresh blood, produce, some vaccines), thaw/defrost (#6, frozen foods), humidity (#3, moisture sensitive products),
sterilization (#2, monitoring sterilization of medical supplies with steam, ethylene oxide, plasma and dry heat), toxic chemicals
(#10, chlorine and ethylene oxide), X-ray/ionizing radiation (#4, UV light) and electronic devices (# 7 & 9), such as RFIDs (Radio
Frequency Identification Devices, e.g., “EASY PASS”) and EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance). Most of these devices are also in
moving boundary format for continuous monitoring (#12) and/or RFID format (#7 & 9) for remote monitoring of quality and inventory
simultaneously. The accuracy and sensitivity of many Nano-IndisTM far exceed the requirements, e.g., the change in electrical resistance
is from Ohms to mega-Ohms.
The dominant and rare features of Nano-IndisTM are rapid and extreme limits of changes (often more
than six orders of magnitude) in certain properties which is only possible due to the destruction of the smallest (1-2 nm) nanostructures.
Figure
2 Figure
3
How it works: Indicating devices (as shown schematically in Figure 2) are made by printing a message, such as “FRESH” for monitoring
thermal degradation of perishables or “VALID” for visitors badges is printed onto the metal layer (~10 nm) of a metallized plastic
film and “NOT” under it. An adhesive tape containing an etchant (referred here as activator), e.g., phosphoric acid is applied on
the top of the metal layer. When about 80% of the metal layer is etched/destroyed, “NOT” begins to appear and then becomes completely
visible as a self reading message, “NOT FRESH” or “NOT VALID”. A plot of transparency Vs time for a time-temperature indicating device
is shown in Figure 2. For monitoring toxic chemicals and X-ray, which don’t react with the metal layer, the layer is coated with a
precursor, such as sodium thiocyanate and a halocompound, respectively. Sodium thiocyanate which when reacted with ethylene oxide,
produces an activator, NaOH and halocompounds which when interacted with X-ray, produces an activator, HCl. The activators, NaOH and
HCl thus produced etch the metal layer. Humidity indicators are developed by coating the metal layer with humidity sensitive salts
such as baking soda. Exposures to toxic chemicals, radiation and other processes can be monitored visually as well as by measuring
changes in certain properties, such as electrical resistance which is over a million times (Ohms to mega Ohms). Thus, very low exposure
can be monitored very accurately.
The chemical indicators available today have different designs and colors, require color
reference charts and explanations, change colors gradually, are subject to interpretation by users and/or lack many basic properties,
such as self-reading. Nano-IndisTM are fundamentally and functionally vastly different from those available today, see Figure 3. Self-readingNano-IndisTM are capable of making the present color-changing indicators obsolete as well as universalizing and modernizing the indicator
technology. Chemical indicators are a huge industry and with Nano-IndisTM have the potential of growing into a multi-billion dollar
industry.
More detailed information (with videos and animations) is provided on our website www.nanoconvertology.com
Vastness
of nano-conversion technology: We mainly explored the effects of certain chemicals on two 2D-nanolayers of a metallized plastic film
and developed products based on them. We believe that (1) nano-conversion technology/science is barely explored and is potentially
a vast field of nano-science, (2) vast number of products can be developed using other nano-indicators, activators, precursors, processes
and analytical techniques/instruments from the remaining 2D and other nanostructures [3D, 1D and 0D (quantum dots)] and using organic,
inorganic, organometallic & biological materials and associated processes, (3) the potential market for products that can be developed
based on conversion of nanostructures is huge, (4) some of the highly sensitive and accurate products, such as dosimeters for chemicals,
radiation and indicators can only be developed by nano-conversion, (5) we have just scratched the surface and cracked open the doors
to this ignored field of nano-science and (6) the field of nano-conversion technology/science will grow.
Contact:
Gordhan Patel,
Ph.D., President
JP Laboratories, Inc
120 Wood Avenue
Middlesex, NJ 08846
(732) 469 6670
gnpatel@jplabs.com
