Integrative Nanotech – innovative nanotechnology detects leaks in hydrogen systems

Making hydrogen safer and more efficient to use is Dr. Hunter King’s vision. His spin-off, Integrative Nanotech, is harnessing innovative nanotechnology to facilitate detection of leaks in hydrogen systems.

The story of Integrative Nanotech starts with a chance discovery. Dr. Hunter King, a Canadian scientist, was conducting research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST in Braunschweig on materials for micro-electromechanical systems, or MEMS, for use as sensors. “We tried out a lot of different methods, played around with the parameters, and moved beyond known production methods,” King explains. In the process, he and his team discovered a novel method of producing nanostructured silicon materials on a large scale. But King was in the middle of writing his dissertation at Fraunhofer IST and working on several other projects at the same time. That meant he didn’t fully realize the potential of his discovery until a year later.

After completing his dissertation, King dug into the data and findings from the project and realized that he had developed an innovative nanomaterial with some very special properties. “The new material has an extremely large surface area, so it achieves better performance in gas and liquid sensor applications,” he explains. King identified detecting leaks in hydrogen systems as the application with the biggest market potential. His start-up, Integrative Nanotech, focuses on this segment. The long-term objective is to move the hydrogen transportation sector forward into a safer, more efficient future.

Revolutionizing the sensor industry

Hydrogen is viewed as a clean, sustainable and versatile source of energy. But because it is also highly explosive, it is difficult to handle and transport. To target this issue, Integrative Nanotech and Fraunhofer IST plan to work together to develop leak detection solutions with the goal of improving standards and making equipment more reliable. The move should also help to make operational procedures safer. “We want to bring nanomaterials out of the lab and onto the global market, revolutionizing the sensor industry,” King says. Building on the nanotechnology, the researchers plan to develop the next generation of gas sensors for large-scale industrial use. The benefits include high performance, larger production volumes, and lower costs compared to conventional methods of producing nanomaterials. The company’s proprietary technology also offers faster ways to unlock the functional capabilities of nanomaterials in detecting many different gases. The sensors can be used to locate leaks of hydrogen and gases containing nitrogen and in applications such as environmental monitoring (CH4, etc.). This opens up a wide range of potential applications, such as in fuel cell vehicles or at hydrogen filling stations.

Advancing product development with Fraunhofer expertise

King was supported in starting his business by Dr. Volker Sittinger, Daniel Stoll and Tino Harig from Fraunhofer IST. They helped during the early phase of technological development, for example. “I might have had the idea and the passion for the subject, but the discovery wouldn’t exist if not for Fraunhofer – there wouldn’t have even been an opportunity to make it in the first place,” King points out. Fraunhofer IST and Integrative Nanotech signed an exclusive license agreement in May of this year. The agreement gives the spin-off, which is based in Canada, access to the Fraunhofer institute’s infrastructure and expertise in thin film processes and production systems and in process scale-up. “In terms of our growth and exploring new markets, we think Fraunhofer IST is in a key position. Thanks to its comprehensive expertise and its technologies, we are able to accelerate product development,” King says. Fraunhofer has set a high benchmark in King’s view: “Whenever I talked to friends or family in Canada, I told them all about the incredible people I was lucky enough to work with every day,” he explains. “At Fraunhofer, I got to know some of the smartest, most passionate, and most caring people I’ve ever had the chance to work with, and I loved my time there. I’m incredible grateful that I can continue my relationship with them.”