NanoPore Inc was founded to address commercialization of high porosity/high surface area materials for a wide range of applications including adsorbtion, gas separation, advanced thermal insulation, low-K dielectrics, and optics. With a strong focus on the chemical processing of novel porous materials, an understanding of the relationships between the structure and properties of these types of materials, and from direct involvement with many customers on what real needs are for advanced materials-based products, partnering with the University of New Mexico and Sandia National Laboratories, in 1996 Nonapore received "R&D 100 Award" or work on ambient pressure aerogel process technology. The firm has developed several product lines including the Nanoglass family of porous silica interlevel and intermetal dielectrics thin films to be used in advanced semiconductors, and NanoPore superinsulation vacuum insulation panels and inserts. NanoPore also develops and markets high performance porous adsorbents for specialty applications that tailor the properties of both silica and carbon-based adsorbents to achieve superior adsorption performance in applications such as gas masks, ammonia/amine removal in IC Fabs, and high temperature acid gas cleanup. Improvements to these adsorbents include an increase in total uptake, an increase in uptake/retention at very low concentrations, and lowering poisoning by adsorption of secondary adsorbates.
