DoD Awards NDC $2.5 Million for Nanotech Fuel Cells

Business Wire, August 24, 2004

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Defense Appropriations Bill Awards $2.5 Million to Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation to Produce a New Class of Fuel Cells Using Nanotechnology

Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation (NDC) announced today that it will receive $2.5 million from the Department of Defense in FY2005. NDC is working with the Army Material Command at Picatinny Arsenal to use nanotechnology to produce a new class of fuel cells powered by high energy materials such as propellants and explosives.

The nanotechnologies developed by NDC under this program will be used to produce portable power devices for soldiers and enable development of miniature power supplies for fusing and arming munitions. Also envisioned, are "self-sterilizing" smart land mines that render themselves harmless after a certain period of time. The nanotechnologies developed under the program could be used to enable the reuse of obsolete ammunition by converting its explosive components into electrical power.

"Nanotechnology is playing an increasingly important role in supporting the needs of the defense community and in driving economic growth, both nationally and regionally," stated Dr. Don Montgomery, President and CEO of NDC, "the Department of Defense is one of the largest customers for energy storage and delivery devices and we are delighted that Congress has elected to support this important and innovative project. NDC and our partners at Picatinny Arsenal are uniquely positioned to leverage this new class of nanotechnology-based fuel cells to support the needs of the DoD and to add to the high technology commercial base in the region. The entire Wyoming delegation has been visionary in their support of nanotechnology in the state. We would like to thank Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi for taking a lead role in procuring this appropriation."

The Defense Appropriations Bill for FY2005, which provides the funding was signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 5, 2004.

About Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation

Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation (NDC) was founded in 2003 to commercialize mature technologies and intellectual property developed by the Blue Sky Group Inc. of Laramie, Wyoming. NDC's patented high throughput screening technology and its highly parallel NanoAccess system produces and tests thousands of new nanomaterials every week. NDC uses state-of-the-art software to manage and to analyze the flood of information produced by the NanoAccess system.

NDC's nanotechnology development efforts are focused on fuel cell technologies, rechargeable battery technologies, OLED and flat panel display technologies and carbon nanotube composite materials. More information is available on the web at www.nanomaterialsdiscovery.com