During this Podcast, BNNano CEO Steve Wilcenski delves into the fascinating world of nanomaterials, sharing the challenges he faced during the company’s early stages and the strategic approach to expanding their customer base.

He sheds light on BNNano’s groundbreaking work in water purification, revealing how their nanomaterials can remove harmful substances from water sources thus addressing environmental concerns we now face.

BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, USA, May 23, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- BNNano, Inc. announces a new process to remove and destroy PFAS from drinking water. The process utilizes BNNano’s unique and patented materials technology combined with ultraviolet light and has been demonstrated to capture and destroy over 99.99% of PFAS contaminants in a simple and low-cost method that has no harmful byproducts nor additional volumes of waste that need to be disposed of.

BNNano is striving to make the world a better place through material science, and we believe there is no better application than using BNNano’s materials technology to provide safe and clean water.

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” are manmade chemicals used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1940s. They have been used to create nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain resistant fabrics and carpets, in some cosmetics and firefighting foams, and in products that resist grease, water, and oil.

PFAS do not break down, are nearly everywhere on the planet, and are found in our air, water, soil, and even our blood. PFAS have gone unregulated for almost three quarters of a century. They are only now being understood as a probable long-term danger to human life and health.

Definitive studies show that exposure to PFAS leads to “adverse health outcomes” including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, increased cancer risk, reduced immunology, inability to properly regulate hormones, increased levels of obesity, and more.

83% of American waterways sampled have PFAS. 133 million people are exposed to PFAS through their water supplies and over 57,000 PFAS contaminated sites exist in the United States alone (nearly 50,000 industrial facilities, 4,200 wastewater treatment plants, nearly 4,000 military sites, and over 500 airports).

Significant regulation is emerging. In March 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six types of PFAS, to create legally enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in drinking water. This will require public water systems to monitor and notify consumers of PFAS levels in their water, and, most importantly, require the reduction of PFAS levels in drinking water if more than the MCLs of 4 parts per trillion.

Current methods of PFAS removal from water are expensive, not effective enough, and require large volumes of hazardous waste incineration. What if we could remove PFAS compounds from water and destroy the PFAS using technologies that are efficient, without releasing the partially reacted and the byproducts of incineration to the air?

Jason Taylor, BNNano’s CTO states “BNNano’s Crystal Photo Catalytic Destruction (PCD) System uses our patented nano-crystalline materials technology to remove and destroy PFAS in a proven, economical, and efficient way. The Crystal PCD Process has been demonstrated to remove and destroy more than 99.99% of PFAS in place which means there is no need for filter media replacement and removal. This results in significantly smaller size systems with virtually no waste stream.”

“This is not a capability that is limited to our own laboratories and experiments. These results are confirmed by the US Navy and by laboratories at multiple US universities”, says BNNano’s CEO, Steve Wilcenski.

BNNano has a solution to the Forever Chemical Problem, not a band-aid that removes these harmful chemicals from water only to collect them in other materials that still need to be disposed of. The BNNano solution removes these chemicals from water, and then breaks them down into simple non-toxic and non-harmful components.

To learn more about the PFAS solution and how materials science will change the world, contact BNNano, Inc.

We are excited to announce that we have released a new polymer filament product for Additive Manufacturing that targets Commercial and Industrial applications.

This filament is an Engineering grade NanoBarb enhanced Polycarbonate-PBT Blend that is low cost and is priced equivalent to Carbon Fiber Re-enforced Nylon but has superior printability, durability, and interlayer strength.

This is our first AM filament that is for general use and will provide any Additive Manufacturer the ability to take advantage of NanoBarb enhanced materials for their 3-D Printing needs.

BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, USA, December 9, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BNNano, Inc. of Burlington, North Carolina and TruSpin Nanomaterial Innovation (“TruSpin”), of Birmingham, Alabama, today announced a strategic partnership in the pursuit of new materials and solutions for the purification of water, beginning with the capture and removal PFAS and FPOA, also known as “Forever Chemicals”.

PFAS and PFOA are associated with multiple cancer types, hormone disruption, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Their resistance to breaking down over time has resulted in their steady accumulation in air, water, and soil since their introduction to manufacturing processes in the 1940s. Contamination has proliferated to every corner of the planet, and emerging scientific research shows that no amount of exposure is safe.

Finding an effective and efficient way to remove these chemicals have proven to be elusive.

BNNano’s NanoBarb materials technologies have demonstrated the ability to remove PFAS from water samples and are currently undergoing rigorous peer review. The new material solution may have the ability to filter PFAS easily, quickly, and at costs that could make the insurmountable clean-up feasible. 57,412 PFAS sites have been identified in the United States alone, including 49,145 industrial facilities and 4,255 wastewater treatment plants.

TruSpin’s nanofiber production platform, the first of its kind to utilize alternating current to electrospin fibers, has unique capabilities that facilitate the incorporation of BNNano’s NanoBarb materials into water filtration membranes.

Steve Wilcenski, Co-Founder and CEO of BNNano states, “our company wants to change the world through material science and the commercialization of our NanoBarb technologies. Our partnership with TruSpin Nanomaterial Innovation will help us to improve the way we blend and compound our NanoBarbs into materials that are specifically designed to be used in water purification. Clean water is important for everyone across the globe and we are excited that our NanoBarb materials technologies will enable new ways to remove Forever Chemicals and other emerging contaminants from water supplies around the world.”

Robert Agnew, Co-Founder and CEO of TruSpin states, “Throughout history, advanced materials have always been the enabling factor for technologies just beyond our grasp. Our partnership with BNNano combines the power of two advanced materials to bridge a technology gap that could impact everyone on earth.”

https://www.einpresswire.com/article/605444026/bnnano-and-truspin-nanomaterial-innovation-announce-a-partnership-to-capture-and-remove-and-destroy-forever-chemicals

BNNano will be exhibiting and Speaking at The Advanced Materials Show / Nanotechnology Show in Pittsburgh, PA on October 11th and 12th.

Stop by our Booth (#1032) and introduce yourself.

If you are in the area let us know if you need a pass for the show!

We are pleased to announce that BNNano's Boron Nitride NanoBarb patent application submitted in the Country of Taiwan has been granted (R.O.C. Invention Patent No. I777050).

At BNNano, we greatly value the designs, innovations, and know-how of our team that brings nanotechnology to market, and we protect that intellectual property through a combination of patents and trade secrets.

https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2022/09/14/innosek.html?utm_campaign=manual&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=linkedin

https://vimeo.com/729615571

BNNano is proud to announce that our COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT (CRADA) with the U.S. NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL (NPS) has been extended to enable ongoing projects as well as newly outlined areas of research and development. We greatly value this relationship with the talented scientists and engineers at NPS.

We wanted to update the community that BNNano is now ITAR registered.

International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is the United States regulation that controls the manufacture, sale, and distribution of defense and space-related articles and services as defined in the United States Munitions List (USML).

With this complete, BNNano looks forward to increased markets and opportunities..

BNNano is proud to announce that our patent application for the Boron Nitride NanoBarb has been granted.

For background, the NanoBarb is a novel modification of a nanotube that has a surface design that is key to unlocking the transfer of its incredible strength, stiffness, and thermal conductivity to materials into which it is infused.

At BNNano, we greatly value the designs, innovations, and know-how of our team that brings nanotechnology to market, and we protect that intellectual property through a combination of patents and trade secrets.

Our talented team works relentlessly to bring forth the incredible potential from the nano realm to everyday life. More to come...

Follow us on

Twitter @BNNano2

YouTube https://lnkd.in/g8QrkWzn

We have shipped over 10,000,000,000,000,000 Boron Nitride NanoBarbs so far this year... That is 10 quadrillion.. and more to come!

Check out our investor update to see where we have been and where we are going.

https://lnkd.in/g4CA8Jwr

BNNano will be presenting at the next Planetmasters Conference. Please join us if you can. We will be discussing how we are growing our company and making the world a better place.

Burlington, NC - BNNano will join a diverse group of manufacturers, OEMs, innovators, suppliers, distributors, and educators at the 2021 Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) held in Dallas, TX from October 19-21st.

CAMX brings together all aspects of the world’s composites and advanced materials communities. From aerospace to automotive, construction to marine, industrial manufacturing to sporting goods, CAMX is where industry meets to get business done and aims to replace the materials of yesterday with more cost-efficient, high-performance composites to form a brighter future.

You will be able to find our BNNano teammate Booth Y55 in Exhibit Halls D-F. We look forward to seeing you there!

Burlington, NC - We are excited to be speaking and exhibiting at The Advanced Materials Show USA and The Nanotechnology Show to be held in Edison, New Jersey from October 13-14, 2021. Please come visit us during the shows at Booth 408!

The Nanotechnology Show is the first industry focused exhibition and conference covering the development and integration of nanotechnology within a range of applications including chemicals, life sciences, pharmaceutical, energy, electronics, automotive and aerospace.

The Advanced Materials Show USA showcases the very latest in high performance materials technology for applications to include aerospace, automotive, electronics, energy, and medical technology.

Burlington, NC - BNNano, the world’s leading manufacturer of Boron Nitride Nanotubes, announced the addition of Scott Kish as Head of External Programs.

Steve Wilcenski, CEO and Co-Founder of BNNano said, “Scott will be a key asset for BNNano as we grow our team and move into new areas. His exceptional experience and background will be integral for BNNano as we establish programs with the US Government and find partners in private industry allowing us to continue to innovate and develop new and exciting products utilizing our NanoBarbs™.

“The immense potential applications of NanoBarbs™ extend across governmental, military, and private sectors,” said Kish. “I am looking forward to helping BNNano engage in new and exciting ways with our current and future partners.”

Scott has over 30 years of experience working for the U.S. Government and the United States Marine Corps. He was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps upon his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1992. Scott finished his active-duty service developing and analyzing future expeditionary warfare requirements for the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon. He subsequently worked for the U.S. Congress House Appropriations Committee. Scott deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2006 where he was instrumental in establishing the first tribal Iraq Awakening and responsible for reconstruction projects in the central part of Ramadi. He has served overseas in Europe, Asia, and in South America, and was awarded a commendation for valor in Iraq. Scott earned a M.A. from the U.S. Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies and a M.S. in Systems Technology from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

BURLINGTON, NC, May 2021 — Steve Wilcenski, CEO of BNNano, Inc., has been named to the National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council. NSBA is the nation’s oldest small-business advocacy organization and operates on a staunchly nonpartisan basis. Wilcenski, a recognized leader in the small-business community, joins the NSBA Leadership Council alongside other small-business advocates from across the country as they promote the interests of small business to policymakers in Washington, D.C.

“As a small-business leader, I recognize the need to be involved and active when it comes to laws and regulation,” stated Wilcenski. “Joining NSBA’s Leadership Council will enable me to take our collective small-business message to the people that need to hear it most, Congress.”

For over 20 years, Wilcenski has developed technologies and products that impact industries. In 2016, Wilcenski and Jason Taylor founded BNNano, Inc., an advanced manufacturing company based in Burlington, NC. They created the unique NanoBarbTM, a Boron Nitride Nanotube, that enhances industrial materials and is changing industries. Wilcenski holds degrees in Materials Science and Engineering (B.S.), Chemistry (M.S.), and Business (MBA). Steve Wilcenski joined the NSBA Leadership Council as part of his efforts to tackle the many critical issues facing small business, including tax reform, regulatory restraint, health care costs and how the Affordable Care Act will impact small business. The NSBA Leadership Council is focused on providing valuable networking between small-business advocates from across the country while ensuring small business a seat at the table as Congress and regulators take up key small-business proposals.

“I am proud to have Steve Wilcenski as part of our Leadership Council,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “He came to us highly recommended, and I look forward our coordinated efforts for years to come.”

To learn more about BNNano, Inc. please visit www.bnnano.com.

For more on the NSBA Leadership Council, please visit www.nsba.biz.

BURLINGTON, NC, USA, April 22, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BNNano, Inc. and Eck Industries today announced the successful incorporation of Boron Nitride NanoBarbs™ into an advanced aluminum alloy casting, boosting the yield strength of the alloy by 70% at 0.4wt% NanoBarb™ loading.

Eck Industries provides high value cast products for the military, aviation, medical, high performance automotive, hybrid vehicles, space, and industrial markets. Eck casts a wide variety of aluminum alloys to optimize light-weighting, elevated temperature performance, and increased strength. Flagship castings have included the A206 final drive housing for Bradley Fighting Vehicles and 200 series air & liquid-cooled cylinder heads for small aircraft. Eck has a history of collaboration with leading researcher institutions such as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Ames Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and are leading the commercialization efforts of Al-Ce alloys developed with funding from the Department of Energy and the Critical Materials Institute.

BNNano is an advanced manufacturing company that pioneered the patent pending NanoBarb™, an enhanced Boron Nitride Nanotube that when added to commodity materials unlocks tremendous properties and creates revolutionary products. This unique engineering material is the foundation for their NanoBarb™ Aluminum Master Alloy that when added to molten aluminum (utilizing standard processes) imparts into the alloy it’s significant strength.

Jason Taylor, CTO and co-founder of BNNano noted, “Our NanoBarb™ Aluminum master alloy performed exactly as we designed it; the NanoBarbs™ distributed in the melt without agglomeration and bonded to the aluminum alloy, thereby delivering a significant performance enhancement.”

David Weiss, VP of R&D at Eck Industries said, “One of the biggest issues in the production of composite materials is agglomeration of the particles. The unique chemistry and aspect ratio of NanoBarbs™ makes agglomeration less likely and therefore more effective in strengthening the base alloy. We are excited to bring NanoBarb™ reinforced aluminum casting alloys to our customers.”

Steve Wilcenski, CEO and co-founder of BNNano stated, “We are excited at the progress we are seeing in our partnership with Eck Industries. We are fortunate to work with a company who not only recognize but can implement the cutting edge application of our material in their materials and forms. We believe great things are to come and look forward to what we will do in the future.”

Burlington, NC - Ruhl Strategic Partners recently highlighted BNNano noting the company’s acceleration in commercializing their Boron Nitride NanoBarb™ into new industrial markets. Specifically highlighted were BNNano’s recent industry recognition and new product development. Visit Ruhl’s website for more information.

Burlington, NC - BNNano CEO Steve Wilcenski will be featured during Netcapital’s Advanced Technologies Virtual Demo Day with the founders leading innovative companies. We invite you to join this live webcast on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at 07:00 PM EST. Wilcenski will present and answer questions. Use the link below to learn more about BNNano!

https://youtu.be/Xr47UnbZMmk

Monterey, CA - Coupling applied research with defense-focused education, the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with BNNano, an advanced manufacturing company known for producing revolutionary Boron Nitride Nanotubes, to test and evaluate Boron Nitride nanomaterials for potential defense applications.

Boron Nitride Nanotubes are a revolutionary nanomaterial that exhibits a desirable combination of exceptional physical and chemical properties to include high thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, superhydrophobicity and high thermal stability, strength and stiffness. Applications may include electric insulation, fire retardants, radiation shielding, metal lightening, and corrosion resistance.

The CRADA will allow faculty and students from NPS’ Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department to test BNNano’s proprietary NanobarbTM, a Boron Nitride Nanotube embedded with mechanical barbs designed to enhance reinforcing properties.

MAE faculty, Drs. Claudia Luhrs, Emre Gunduz, and Andy Nieto, are NPS’ key collaborators incorporating the NanobarbTM into their research, which tailors materials’ properties resulting in nanomaterials with a wide range of applications (i.e., supercapacitors, impact resistant structural components, microelectronics, high temperature systems and conductive aerospace composite structures). The researchers plan to look into enhancing the thermal conductivity of lightweight carbon composites used by the aerospace industry as well as phase change materials to optimize temperature regulation systems in living and storage spaces.

“The idea is to see how the properties of the material compares to the applications where we’re already using boron nitride,” said Luhrs. “Each of us has individual projects in which we are using boron nitride, and [BNNano’s] part of the collaboration is providing the materials while we evaluate it and share the data as how effective it might be for different applications.”

Nanomaterials are not necessarily an inexpensive resource, but due to the CRADA, the NPS students who come to NPS with operational experience to research warfighting solutions as they get their graduate education, now have more access to them for research.

“We’re basically augmenting existing projects with this, taking note of research results and the students’ experience,” said Gunduz. “I think that works for both sides. There are some theoretical potential gains in the performance by using even small amounts of these additives in the regular metal or other things.”

According to Nieto, student and faculty research at NPS has the ability to accelerate applied research solutions to key operational problems.

“There’s plenty of opportunities on these projects,” said Nieto. “For the most part, the research at NPS is focused on defense or Navy purposes. Ideally, these students will take what they learn and apply it to challenges directly forward [in the Fleet].”

In fact, the collaboration between NPS and BNNano is the direct result of an NPS alumnus applying his NPS experience while working to advance nanotechnology. While working with BNNano, NPS Systems Technology graduate and retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Scott Kish saw potential applications of their nanotechnology within DOD capabilities, and worked to connect the company with NPS to develop potential breakthroughs.

“The idea that BNNano should collaborate with NPS came from my military experience and military educational opportunities,” said Kish. “I was fortunate to receive all my education from U.S. Navy institutions starting with the Naval Academy, but it was at NPS where I was able to participate in a variety of study opportunities that provided us innovative and creative ways to develop solutions to Navy and Marine Corps challenges.”

While studying at NPS, Kish remembered how NPS was involved with private industry. He realized that using commercial platforms to help address military challenges can have a tremendous impact, so he discussed the opportunity with the leadership at BNNano who were quick to support the endeavor.

“We believe that our boron nitride nanobarbs may have a tremendous impact on a number of military capabilities. When we first started testing our nanomaterial, it was quickly apparent that the technology could help transform maritime capabilities due to its properties and we thought that NPS was the perfect partner to research opportunities to assist the US Navy and DoD,” said Steve Wilcenski, BNNano’s CEO and Co-Founder.

Teaming up with private technology companies through CRADAs not only benefits the university and the DOD, but the partnering company as well.

“NPS brings a number of research capabilities to the table that will benefit the DoD and BNNano. They have world-class research and laboratory facilities. The other element that BNNano is excited about is the opportunity for the NPS students to get experience in working with our nanomaterials,” said Jason Taylor, BNNano’s Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder.

See full press release at Naval Postgraduate School.

Burlington, NC - BNNano is excited to announce the next phase of our expansion. We are launching a Research & Development facility in the South Carolina Upstate at the Abbeville Incubator & Soft-Landing Facility. For more information see the press release from the Upstate South Carolina Alliance.

Burlington, NC – BNNano Co-Founder and CEO Steve Wilcenski was featured today in the newest episode of the Nano Entrepreneurship Network Podcast titled the Importance of Building Relationships: A Conversation with Steve Wilcenski. During this 20-minute conversation with National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) Director Lisa Friedersdorf, Wilcenski discusses his experiences launching BNNano, lessons learned, and provides advice for new entrepreneurs.

This podcast is part of a series hosted by the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a U.S. Government Research and Development initiative focused on nanotechnology (www.nano.gov). The NNCO provides technical and administrative support to the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council, which coordinates the NNI.

Burlington, NC – The Innovation Network for Advanced Materials (INAM) recently announced BNNano as their newest startup member.

INAM is a global network of companies and research institutes in the field of Advanced Materials. Their mission is to support innovative ideas, products and processes in the field of Advanced Materials with the aim to accelerate the global market entry of technology innovations by providing access to infrastructure and collaboration between corporates, startups and research institutions.

When asked about the newest addition to the network, Antonia Caraveteanu, Managing Director of INAM had this to say: “BNNano marks our third US based company in our network and we are thrilled. Not only do they contribute to our growing global network but they also bring with them new perspectives and innovations.”

Theodore Kalmbach, BNNano’s Chief Strategy Officer said, “We are honored to be part of the INAM community and share INAM's objective to help find solutions for the advanced material challenges of the future.” Kalmbach continued, “INAM's cadre of professionals have already enabled key introductions to potential partners of high strategic value, in addition to offering a variety of programs and networking opportunities with industry, research and start-up members. BNNano looks forward to playing an active role in INAM going forward.”

For more information visit: https://www.inam.berlin/

Burlington, NC – BNNano Inc., the leading global supplier of enhanced Boron Nitride Nanotubes (NanoBarbs™), has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the US Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) located in Monterey, CA. NPS provides defense-focused graduate education to advance the operational effectiveness, technological leadership, and warfighting advantage of the Naval service. Boron Nitride NanoBarbs™ are a revolutionary nanomaterial with exceptional physical and chemical properties like electrical resistivity, superhydrophobicity, thermal stability, thermal conductivity, strength, and stiffness.

NPS collaborators include Professors Dr. Claudia Luhrs, Dr. Emre Gunduz, and Dr. Andy Nieto whose research and development include cold spray, additive manufacturing, and polymeric composite systems. They recognize the utility of Boron Nitride NanoBarbs™ (BNNBs) as they exhibit exceptional physical and chemical properties including superior strength and stiffness, thermal conductivity and are electrically insulative, neutron absorbing among other characteristics.

Dr. Luhrs’ has more than 20 years’ experience developing nanostructured materials in academic and industrial environments. Her team’s targeted research tailors materials’ properties resulting in nanomaterials with a wide range of applications (i.e., catalysts, batteries, supercapacitors, impact resistant, structural components, microelectronics, high temperature systems and conductive aerospace composite structures). Dr. Luhrs plans to employ NanoBarbs™ to enhance the thermal conductivity of lightweight carbon composites used by the aerospace industry. She also plans to combine them with phase change materials to optimize temperature regulation systems in living and storage spaces.

Dr. Gunduz focuses on the bulk synthesis and applications of nanostructured aluminum-based energetic materials. Such multifunctional materials provide structural support as well as thermal output in welding and additive manufacturing. A patent holder, he is involved with start-ups focused on additive manufacturing within the defense domain. Dr. Gunduz commented, “The high-strength Boron Nitride NanoBarbs™ strengthened alloys have many potential uses in the aerospace industry where weight is at a premium. The lower cost of NanoBarbs™ along with potentially comparable mechanical properties to boron nitride nanotubes, could be a game changer for these applications.” He continued, “The suitability of these raw materials with additive manufacturing is especially attractive for high-performance parts fabrication with sophisticated geometries and microstructures that could be used for fuselage and engine components.”

During Dr. Nieto’s decade in nanotechnology, he pioneered the field of graphene reinforced ceramic matrix composites, which has grown and is implemented in numerous industries to include engine manufacturers. His research harnesses nanomaterials to develop improved materials through intelligent and systematic designs. Dr. Nieto intends to incorporate NanoBarbs™ into metallic coatings for metal part repair and thermal barrier coatings. While at the US Army Research Lab, he engineered sandphobicity into next generation thermal barrier coatings to protect gas turbine engines from damage induced by sand and fine particulate ingestion.

Jason Taylor, BNNano’s Chief Technology Officer, expressed excitement to partner with NPS and highlighted the numerous potential commercial and defense applications. He noted, “the potential of cold spraying of NanoBarb™ reinforced composites with increased strength and corrosion resistance could revolutionize material coating and prevent wear and corrosion.” Mr. Taylor also emphasized the potential applications in aerospace, thermal management, and battery materials and breakthroughs when NanoBarb™ are integrated into foam structures improving strength.

BNNano looks forward to its partnership with NPS and is eager to expand future engagement with NPS departments.

As a Platinum Award Winner of the 2020 Pepperdine Most Fundable Companies®, BNNano was featured in the December 2020 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. BNNano was identified as a company worthy of “serious investor consideration based on several company variables including financial projections, market opportunity, intellectual property, competitive advantage, and management-team expertise.”

AZoNano’s Laura Thomson conducted an interview with BNNano CEO and Co-Founder Steve Wilcenski as part of AZoNano’s Thought Leaders series. In a wide ranging interview (https://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5600) they discussed BNNano’s cutting-edge boron nitride nanotubes which are critical for the future of robust composite materials manufacturing.

AZoNano is the leading online publication for the nanotechnology community. They seek to educate and inform a worldwide audience of researchers, engineers and scientists with the latest industry news, information and insights from the Nanotechnology industry.

Business Rockstars and CoFoundersLab recently featured BNNano in a special edition of BizBytes. https://youtu.be/5EotclVgoE8

Business Rockstars is the Biggest Video platform for Entrepreneurs, on the planet! Business Rockstars brings together some of the world’s biggest and most accomplished CEO’s, billionaires, entrepreneurs, influencers, celebrities, small business owners, innovators, & disruptors.

We are proud to announce our selection as a 2020 TechConnect Defense Innovation Awardee. The annual TechConnect Defense Innovation Awards recognizes the top 15% of submitted challenge technologies as ranked by the Selection Committee https://events.techconnect.org/DTCFall/awards.html. Rankings are based on the potential positive impact the submitted technology will have for the warfighter and national security. To learn more about the Virtual Defense TechConnect Summit and Expo, one of the most well-attended defense events of the year, visit: https://events.techconnect.org/DTCFall/.

BNNano is thrilled to announce that it was awarded a Platinum designation on the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s third annual Most Fundable Companies® List. BNNano competed against over 4,500 early-stage U.S. startups spanning all 50 states, all with less than $10 million in annual revenue to be named among a list of twenty. The Most Fundable Companies initiative is designed to educate founders on the investor diligence process and recognize exceptional entrepreneurs who are solving today’s problems with inventive solutions and are also seeking investment capital to fuel their company's growth.

BNNano is leveraging innovations in cutting edge materials science to transform, revitalize, and revolutionize industrial commodities. An advanced manufacturing company, BNNano pioneered the patent pending NanoBarb™, a unique and enhanced Boron Nitride Nanotube. When added to common materials, the NanoBarb™ improves their natural properties, changing them into extraordinary materials.

Such transformational improvements mean aluminum can become as strong as steel or titanium. It means copper can provide advanced thermal management solutions. It means polyester can behave like Kevlar™. It means heat sinks can be made of plastic. In short, it means new capabilities in water purification, fire prevention and hypersonic travel.

BNNano is currently the only company in the world with a commercially viable manufacturing process for Boron Nitride Nanotubes. Their costs are orders of magnitude lower than any competitor, their quality is higher, and their IP portfolio protects the Boron Nitride NanoBarb™.

“Since starting BNNano in 2016, we’ve been focused on finding novel and innovative solutions to transform commodity materials and bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. The Most Fundable Companies initiative provided us with a data-driven analysis that has enhanced our company strategy and has already been incorporated into our fundraising activities,” said Steve Wilcenski, CEO and Co-Founder of BNNano. “It’s extremely validating that Pepperdine Graziadio Business School is recognizing entrepreneurs throughout the country and providing resources to assist startups in securing private capital to accelerate meaningful innovation across industries and communities.”

The Most Fundable Companies initiative involved a multi-phase assessment that evaluated several company variables including financial projections, market opportunity, intellectual property and the strength of the management team, all of which were used to produce a fundability score. The Pepperdine Most Fundable Companies were evaluated and selected based on their readiness for private investment. Most Fundable Companies is powered by The Venture Alliance.

As a winner on the Most Fundable Companies List, BNNano will be profiled on Entrepreneur.com and will be featured in the December print issue of the magazine. For a complete list of the winners, visit http://www.pepperdine.edu/mfc-list, where you can also vote for BNNano as the “crowd favorite” through November 1.

Visit www.bnnano.com to learn more.

Disclaimers: The Pepperdine Most Fundable Companies list does not represent an offer to sell securities. It does not constitute investment advice, nor is it an endorsement of any particular product or service. Pepperdine University is not a broker-dealer and does not perform services provided by a broker-dealer, including but not limited to any financial or investment advising.

BNNano, the world’s leading manufacturer of Boron Nitride Nanotubes, announced the addition of Theodore “Ted” Kalmbach as Chief Strategy Officer. Ted joins BNNano from the U.S. Department of State where he served as a diplomat in Afghanistan, the Philippines, and Vienna. Ted will oversee the company’s international expansion in addition to supporting BNNano’s future fundraising efforts. He will also align BNNano’s unique capabilities with U.S. national economic and security requirements – specifically in the areas of hypersonic and advanced metals/materials technology.

Steve Wilcenski, CEO and Co-Founder of BNNano said, “Ted comes to BNNano with a wealth of both field and analytical experience, which will help steer us during this important growth stage. We are confident his international corporate and government experience across EMEA and Asia will provide BNNano the perspective needed to thrive – especially during this time of global market and geopolitical instability.”

“BNNano is currently the only company in the world with a commercially viable manufacturing process for Boron Nitride Nanotubes. Its costs are the lowest in the industry and their quality is higher. Their signature technology – the Boron Nitride NanoBarb™ is protected by their IP portfolio, which is critical,” said Kalmbach. “I am also motivated by BNNano’s goal to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. and in support of our greater economic security.”

Prior to the State Department, Ted worked for the Institute for Defense Analyses. He made significant contributions to the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, VA, where he provided analysis for the Post-Major Combat Operations Report. His later work for the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy supported the Pentagon's counter-insurgency strategy and the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review. Ted began his career as a strategy consultant for Accenture in Munich and Berlin, focused on the automotive and energy sectors. Ted graduated from Boston College with a B.A. in International Affairs and completed a Fulbright Scholarship in Duesseldorf, where he analyzed the German and Chinese energy markets. Ted later earned an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University in National Security Strategy.

BNNano, Inc., the leading global supplier of enhanced Boron Nitride Nanotubes (NanoBarbs™) was recognized as one of the top innovators for 2020 by Global Smart Leaders Magazine ( https://globalsmartleaders.com/20-most-innovative-companies-2020/) .

In 2020, Burlington, NC based BNNano set new industry standards for Boron Nitride Nanotubes. From significant increases in their Nano-Factory capacity, BNNano was able to produce more Boron Nitride Nanotubes in 2020, than reported for the material’s history. This exponential increase in production resulted in significant cost reductions and unsurpassed product quality improvements.

BNNano recently released innovative NanoBarb™ Enhanced Metal Master Alloys that significantly improve properties of common materials like aluminum and copper. Their patent-pending Aluminum Master Alloy enables potential strengths approaching that of steel, while retaining the density and formability of aluminum. Their patent-pending Copper Master Alloy increases thermal conductivity, while retaining the mechanical properties and formability of copper.

Steve Wilcenski, CEO and Co-Founder of BNNano explained, “It is BNNano’s vision to leverage cutting edge innovation to transform and revitalize industrial commodities. We feel our company can help bring value back to commodity materials by expanding their utilization into 21st century applications like space travel, hypersonics, high-power electronics, and additive manufacturing. We remain committed to bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US.”

Jason Taylor, CTO and Co-Founder of BNNano noted, “It is our goal to continue to use Material Science to innovate and add new and enhanced materials to industries that demand new capabilities. We started with our NanoBarbs™, we evolved into Metal Master Alloys, and we are preparing to announce new enhanced material sets in the near future. We are excited to have so many opportunities to disrupt and improve legacy industries.”

Burlington, NC – June 30, 2020, BNNano, Inc., the global leading supplier of Boron Nitride Nanotubes, today announced the development of an Aluminum Master Alloy enhanced with BNNano’s NanoBarbs™, a proprietary morphology of Boron Nitride Nanotubes. The patent-pending Aluminum Master Alloy has strength approaching that of steel, while retaining the density and formability of aluminum. NanoBarbs™ strengthen aluminum by mechanisms that enhance and improve the mechanical properties, including the specific strength, elongation, compressive strength, modulus, and fracture toughness of pure aluminum and all aluminum alloys.

“Our Aluminum Master Alloy enhances the strength of Aluminum alloys such that Aluminum becomes a high-value material for industries such as Space, Aerospace, Automotive, Sporting Goods, and Ballistic protection. Aluminum and its alloys can then potentially replace hard to process titanium, brittle carbon composites, and even steel.”, said Jason Taylor, CTO and Co-Founder of BNNano.

BNNano’s Aluminum Master Alloy was developed to be easily incorporated and mixed into standard aluminum processes. This methodology will help enable the adoption of NanoBarb™ enhanced aluminum across many markets.

“History has shown that small incremental improvements to the mechanical properties of aluminum have enabled disruptive products. We are very excited that our patent-pending Master Alloys are about to demonstrate transformational improvements to the Aluminum Industry. Our Master Alloy will make 1000 series aluminum perform like advanced alloys and will enable significant improvements through the entire family of aluminum alloys”, said Steve Wilcenski, CEO and Co-Founder of BNNano.

CARY, NC – BNNano, a Boron Nitride Nanotube manufacturer of the NanoBarb™ has entered into an agreement with business development and advisory firm Ruhl Strategic Partners. Ruhl has become an investor in BNNano and will define, initiate, and execute key industry partnerships to accelerate market adoption of BNNano materials and achieve sustainable growth.

Boron Nitride Nanotubes are small hollow tubes with diameters of just 5 to 20 nm. They exhibit exceptional physical and chemical properties. Most noteworthy, they possess super-high strength and stiffness, ultra-high thermal conductivity and electrically insulative, neutron absorbing and other positive chemically stable characteristics. “For these reasons, there is significant application potential and interest across a variety of industries for our nano materials.”, stated Steve Wilcenski, Founder and CEO – BNNano.“Our NanoBarbs are easy to use, requiring no advanced chemistry or handling. Also, there is a consistent supply by virtue of our high-quality, high-purity production process. Finally, we have achieved a cost advantage through our production process, expanding the accessible applications for our materials.”, said Wilcenski.

“Boron Nitride nanotubes are mechanically similar to carbon nanotubes but with key favorable attributes, like electrically insulating and absorbing of radiation.”, stated Adam Harms, Managing Partner – Ruhl Strategic Partners. “We are excited to partner with and invest in BNNano to identify unmet market needs and leverage our ecosystem of industry partners to uncover opportunities to propose nano materials as a solution. This will be key to overcoming barriers to market entry, enabling and accelerating transformational growth.”

NanoBarbs are commercially available in powders, resins, plastics, and filaments. With so many promising applications, across various markets, the opportunities for growth are very attractive. “We look forward to working with Ruhl to exploit their strategic acumen to pursue the right market activities to advance the proliferation of this innovative material.”, said Wilcenski.

BNNano, the premier supplier of Boron Nitride Nano-Materials, is excited to announce that Boron Nitride Nanotube manufacturing in Burlington, North Carolina is growing consistently in 2019 with shipments of NanoBarbs™ (Enhanced Boron Nitride Nanotubes) delivered to customers around the world. “Our production is running well, and we are preparing to expand our capacity at our Burlington facility to be able to deliver 100 kg of NanoBarbs™ in the next twelve months”, states Mark Edmond, Director of Operations. The growth is the first phase for BNNano meeting the growing market demands. “Our customers are telling us that the quality and purity of our enhanced nanotubes is the best they have ever seen, and they are able to add our enhanced boron nitride nanotubes at significantly higher concentration levels higher than previously achieved. This feedback gives us confidence that we are on the cusp of explosive growth”, stated Steve Wilcenski, BNNano CEO. BNNano is a nanotech solutions provider that manufactures novel materials enabling the development of disruptive applications and products. The core product, the Boron Nitride NanoBarb™, delivers vast improvements over existing Boron Nitride Nanotube solutions. The engineered irregular surface is what sets NanoBarbs™ apart, providing more beneficial chemical and physical properties than similar products. The result is a cost effective nano-material for use across dozens of industries. For more information about the latest commercially available products please contact our sales team at sales@bnnano.com , or you can visit the BNNano team at CAMX, The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, in Anaheim, CA from September 24th – 26th at booth D33; SpaceCom 2019, in Houston, TX from November 20th – 21st at booth 457; or visit the webpage at www.bnnano.com.

May 10, 2019 – Burlington, North Carolina: BNNano, Inc. announces the availability of NanoBarb™ Epoxy Concentrate, a concentrated premix of Boron Nitride NanoBarbs™ in a general purpose unmodified liquid epoxy resin. “We continue to listen to what the market needs and work to provide nanotubes in flexible formats that can simply drop in to existing processes, thereby driving faster adoption of this super material,” said Jason Taylor, CTO of BNNano, Inc. BNNano has developed a process to manufacture this advanced material at industrial volumes, high purity, and low cost. Additionally, BNNano has created a unique, patent-pending, morphology of Boron-Nitride Nanotubes called a NanoBarb™. Boron-Nitride NanoBarbs™ deliver unprecedented benefits and characteristics for the users of high-performance materials and have enhanced mechanical, thermal and electrical properties that outperform single wall carbon nanotubes. NanoBarb™ Epoxy Concentrate enables the delivery of this super material in a versatile form. It can be used as a stand-alone epoxy or diluted into other epoxies and resins to deliver the NanoBarbs™ and the associated property enhancements they bring. Applications include coatings, adhesives, sealants, and carbon and glass fiber composites. BNNano is currently the only company in the world that can offer grams to kilograms of boron nitride Nanotubes and NanoBarbs™. About BNNano, Inc. BNNano, Inc. delivers boron-nitride nanotubes and NanoBarbs™ to a variety of markets seeking novel and innovative additive manufacturing capabilities to current and future products. The company has pioneered a patent pending manufacturing process that allows the company’s products to be delivered in low cost, at high volume and in a variety of forms: powder, pellets, filaments and resins. The nanotubes and NanoBarbs™ have exceptional characteristics in mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, hydrophobic properties and thermal conductivity. Started in 2016, the company was founded by senior scientists with a history in material science innovation. Manufacturing is located in Burlington, N.C. To learn more about BNNano, visit their website at www.bnnano.com, or call 1.844.926.NANO (926-6266), or via email at info@bnnano.com.

May 9, 2019 – Burlington, North Carolina: BNNano, Inc. announces a distribution agreement with New Metals and Chemicals Corporation, Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan. New Metals and Chemical Corporation is a market leader specializing in handling leading-edge materials, raw materials, and semiconductors. “New Metals is a key partner for BNNano, and they are helping to transform advanced manufacturing with the introduction of new materials like our Boron Nitride Nanotubes and NanoBarbs™. Japan is a key marketplace for nano-technology, and we are excited to have New Metals as our Japanese distributor,” said Steve Wilcenski, CEO of BNNano, Inc. BNNano is delivering this novel advanced material at high purity, excellent crystal quality, at a low cost and is ramping quickly to commercial volumes. BNNano’s unique and patent-pending morphologically enhanced product called NanoBarbs™ is providing significantly better dispersion, thermal enhancement, and mechanical properties in composites as compared to standard carbon or boron nitride nanotubes. “We are very pleased with initial customer feedback demonstrating the NanoBarbs™ ease of processing and superior property enhancements,” said Jason Taylor, CTO of BNNano, Inc. The Boron Nitride NanoBarbs™ are added to polymers, metals, ceramics, glass, and composites to enhance each material with one or more of the NanoBarbs™ super properties (Heat Resistance to 850C, Specific Strength 300X that of steel, Chemical Resistance to acids and bases, Thermal Conductivity > 10X that of aluminum while electrically insulating). BNNano is currently the only company in the world that can offer grams to kilograms of Boron Nitride Nanotubes and NanoBarbs™ at standard lead times. About New Metals & Chemicals Corporation, Ltd. New Metals & Chemicals Corporation, Ltd was established in 1957, and was the first ever to introduce germanium and high purity silicon into the Japan market. For many years, we have held the position as a trading company specializing in handling leading-edge materials, raw materials, semiconductors and so on. To learn more about New Metals & Chemicals Corporation, Ltd, visit their website at http://www.newmetals.co.jp. About BNNano, Inc. BNNano, Inc. delivers Boron-Nitride Nanotubes and NanoBarbs™ to a variety of markets seeking novel and innovative additive manufacturing capabilities to current and future products. The company has pioneered a patent pending manufacturing process that allows the company’s products to be delivered in low cost, at high volume and in a variety of forms: powder, pellets, filaments and resins. The nanotubes and Nanobarbs™ have exceptional characteristics in mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, hydrophobic properties and thermal conductivity. Started in 2016, the company was founded by senior scientists with a history in material science innovation. BNNano’s manufacturing is located in Burlington, N.C. To learn more about BNNano, visit their website at www.bnnano.com , or call 1.844.926.NANO (926-6266), or via email at info@bnnano.com.

We are excited to announce that we have manufactured PET yarn with our Boron Nitride NanoBarbs. We are on our way to making a low cost alternative to aramids. Please contact us for more information.

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2018/09/05/cary-firm-with-cree-roots-works-on-polyester-with.html

NC Business Article http://businessnc.com/bnnano-makes-material-with-superhero-strength/ Former Cree Inc. managers Jason Taylor, second from left, and Steve Wilcenski, second from right, are working on a material that could help make certain products 100 times stronger than steel. They’ve raised about $1.5 million and signed their first customers in November. Initial employees are Mark Edmond, left, and Bobby Salter, right. By Robert Koshinskie A clear glass vial sealed with a black plastic cap sits atop a plain office desk. Inside the vessel are the white flakes of a very rare material, high-purity boron nitride nanotubes, also known as BNNT. Only two U.S. firms are known to make this material, an ounce of which can sell for more than 60 times the price of gold because of its astonishing characteristics: It is 100 times stronger than steel and nontoxic. One is a Newport News, Va.-based spinoff from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. The other is Burlington-based BNNano Inc. Founders Steve Wilcenski, 47, and Jason Taylor, 44, met in 2000 while working at Durham-based Cree Inc. The materials-science experts regularly discussed ideas to solve tough problems with game-changing solutions. Along the way, they noticed that research papers often cited a lack of high-purity BNNT sources. The nature of BNNT is hidden from the naked eye. Imagine infinitesimally small chicken wire rolled into millions and millions of individual cylinders, each one 10,000 times narrower than a single human hair. Initially synthesized in a lab in 1995, the material for nanotubes frustrated potential users because there was too little high-purity product available. Seeing an opportunity, the two men founded the business in March 2016, moved to Burlington in January 2017, set up manufacturing the following month and signed their first customers in November. About two dozen angel investors, friends and family members have provided about $1.5 million in backing for the four-employee business. BNNano creates its material from nitrogen, the main gas in the air we breathe; boron, a material used in health supplements; and very high heat, generated in ovens. This formula produces a substance that is much stronger than steel, lacks toxicity and blocks radiation. It strengthens other materials the same way that metal rebar reinforces concrete roads and bridges. BNNano’s material provides cost and strength advantages over nanotubes made from carbon that are used in golf clubs, aircraft and other goods. Annual revenue from those products is expected to more than double to $8 billion over the next five years. BNNano also says its product, which is not toxic to living cells, could be used to strengthen artificial hips and knees and target and destroy cancerous tumors during radiation treatment. Its initial customers include companies involved in ceramics, textiles, 3D printing and other industries. Given its potential, why aren’t larger companies focused on high-purity boron? The answer is that many have shifted away from basic scientific research. “The big guys now let the little guys do the R&D and then gain access to the technologies through acquisitions or license agreements,” Wilcenski says. “BNNano’s next challenge may be less technical and more classic business as it competes with other firms trying to duplicate the manufacturing process,” says James Ryan, founding dean of a nanoscience program co-sponsored by North Carolina A&T State University and UNC Greensboro. BNNano’s founders have applied for a patent to protect their process. “We’ve proven that we can make high-purity BNNT, and as we increase our production capacity, we’re also making our product even better,” Wilcenski says. BNNano Inc., BNNT, Boron, Boron Nitride Nanotubes, Burlington, James Ryan, Jason Taylor, Nanoscience, Nanotubes, Nitrogen, North Carolina A&T State University, Steve Wilcenski, UNC Greensboro

https://www.wraltechwire.com/2018/03/13/cary-nanotech-firm-bnnano-raises-240000-from-16-investors/