During the last decade, 3D-printing has become available to consumers. This technique, also called additive manufacturing, has already been used for many decades in various industries to produce complex products or product parts that cannot be manufactured in any other way.
Consumer-level 3D printers only use plastics, but industrial 3D printers are capable of using other materials, including metals and materials such as ceramics that are stronger than steel. Some of these printers use laser-based systems to produce materials with very fine details.
The ceramic materials research group, lead by Professor Erkki Levänen at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, is taking these 3D-printed materials to the next level by incorporating active compounds that can perform chemistry in air and liquids. Applications include high efficiency catalytic convertors in buildings or on top of chimneys to reduce pollutants.
During the Tampere Sustainability Startup weekend organised by the American TechStars seed accelerator, UrbanZee’s CEO Aschwin van der Woude participated as a mentor, and met Setareh Zakari, one of Professor Levänen’s doctoral students. “When I talked with Setareh about her research, the huge potential of active 3D nanomaterials on air quality were immediate clear”, explained van der Woude, “as her research showed that active materials can be incorporated, such as those reducing Nitrogen dioxide, I understood 3D-printed materials can potentially improve efficiency by several magnitudes”.
After the event discussions continued, and professor Levänen concluded: “as our research is at an exciting cross-roads of ceramic nanomaterials, chemistry and environmental engineering, and we always look for commercial partners, it became clear the approach taken by UrbanZee is a good fit with our focus”.
UrbanZee and Professor Levänen’s research group started a preliminary study on the viability of some initial product ideas that could become part of UrbanZee’s offering in the future. As the research continues, the business potential will become more clear, which might include adding additional business partners to the project.