NanoCarbon Annual Conference 2018

Industrialisation and commercialisation of nanocarbon materials

About 100 participants from 15 countries joined the discussion during the NanoCarbon Annual Conference 2018 in Würzburg

During the international NanoCarbon Annual Conference, which took place for the fourth time this year on February 27th and 28th, 2018, around 100 participants from 15 countries exchanged ideas about the current status in the field of nanocarbons. Since 2015, this event has been organised by the Cluster Nanotechnology and the Network NanoCarbon annually in Würzburg at the end of February.

The NanoCarbon Annual Conference offers the international nanocarbon community an ideal opportunity for exchanging ideas about the latest developments and applications of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphenes. The main goal of the conference is to support intensive networking between innovative medium-sized enterprises and representatives from the fields of research and development.

The specialist audience was able to gain both an overview of these future technologies' potentials as well as the opportunity of working together with new contacts towards the joint development of novel, nanocarbon-based applications. This year, the necessary conditions for a successful market introduction of highly innovative products, have been discussed during the focus session industrialisation and commercialisation.

Further focus topics of the two-day event were new uses for nanocarbons in the fields of energy storage and automotive as well as process technologies and upscaling. One session was exclusively dedicated to graphene-based applications. In addition to that, questions relevant to security have been discussed.

For the second time, the event took place in the Audimax at the University of Würzburg. The accompanying exhibition, where international producers of nanocarbon materials and devices demonstrated their products to the interested specialist audience, was accommodated in the generously designed atrium in front of the auditorium.

For the first time, in this year the concept of short pitches was offered in addition to plenary sessions. In a short pitch, the presenters only have exactly 5 minutes of time to gain the interest of the audience with their ideas, projects, services or products - while the clock is ticking. These incentive presentations marked the beginning of lively discussions that were often continued in the poster or demonstrator exhibition.

In contrast to that, the poster exhibition, where (young) researchers put their results up for discussion, is already part of the event's tradition. This year, the award for the best poster was given to the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal.

The evening event on the first conference day is also considered a highlight among the participants. During a boat ride on the river Main with champagne reception and conference dinner, numerous new contacts were made or deepened and new project ideas discussed.

After the outstanding feedback from the participants, the next NanoCarbon Annual Conference will take place on 26th and 27th of February, 2019 according to the motto "NanoCarbon goes industry". Save the date!

  • "Perfect organisation, interesting and up-to-date talks, warm and network-friendly atmosphere" - Continental AG, Germany
  • "Very good format to get an overview of what people do and to interact." - Instituto de Carboquímica (CSIC), Spain
  • "It was very positive to be able to make so many new contacts. It is rare that in the course of one event, I was approached by so many people." - Infineon, Germany
  • "Well organized - good program." - Thinky Corporation, Japan
  • "The event was valuable for researchers and for industry delegates. It was possible to get in touch with professionals in the field of nanomaterials." - Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Deutschland

Poster Award:
Congratulations to the winners of the Poster Award!
Place 1: M. Morais, I. Mikonsaari, C. Hübner, Fraunhofer-Institut für Chemische Technologie ICT, Manipulation of carbon nanoparticles in composites with electric fields

Place 2: K. Kunz, B. Krause, B. Kretzschmar, P. Pötschke, Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V. (IPF), Electrical conductivity of PVDF composites melt mixed with MWCNTs having different morphologies

Place 3: V. Hinterberger, C. Damm, W. Peukert, Lehrstuhl für Feststoff- und Grenzflächenverfahrenstechnik, N,S-doped carbon nanodots with high fluorescence quantum yield and stability properties

Further information:
The conference documents, including the abstract book as well as released presentations are available to the interested community via download against a small handling fee (Contact: Sonja Pfeuffer, sonja.pfeuffer@nanoinitiative-bayern.de, Phone: +49 931 31 - 89372).

The Network NanoCarbon which is managed by the Cluster Nanotechnology is an open network for the development of marketable nanocarbon products. The network partners are experts in the field of production, processing, application and disposal of these materials, i.e. for the entire life cycle of these products. In the focus of the network activities are small and medium-sized enterprises aiming to accelerate the technology transfer.
For further information about the Network NanoCarbon please refer to www.nanocarbon.net (Contact:
Dr. Stefanie Bertsch, stefanie.bertsch@nanoinitiative-bayern.de, +49 931 31 -89376).

Annual Conference 2018