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UK nanotechnology firm wins 'significant' investment.

A company that has developed a method to manufacture platinum nano-electrodes on a commercial scale has won a significant investment from The North West Fund for Venture Capital.

Nanoflex, which was set up by Dr Neville Freeman and Dr Amy Farrington, won a portion of funding from the 185 million fund, which is managed by EV and financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the European Investment Bank.

It is thought their breakthrough could have a major impact in fields ranging from medical diagnostics and environmental testing to energy storage.

Nanoflex makes the Caviar 303DPt 50nm Platinum Electrode, which delivers current densities that are typically three orders of magnitude greater than those observed for conventional electrodes.

The pair, both experts in electrochemistry, set up their company at Daresbury Science and Innovation Park in 2008. They have since been working with Edinburgh University to develop their ideas using their own funds.

The new investment will help them to explore different uses and acceleratethe global sales process.

"Nano-electrodes have been manufactured within laboratories for some time and people are excited about the benefits they can offer. However until now no one has found a way to reproduce them on a commercial scale," said Dr Freeman.

"Electrodes are the basis for many of the technologies we use in everyday life. For example, in the medical field, they are used in sensors for diabetic tests and other diagnostics which millions of patients use to monitor their own conditions. Nano-electrodes offer greater sensitivity and could therefore result in better tests and the creation of new ones that have not been possible so far."

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UK nanotechnology firm wins 'significant' investment 21st June 2012