Dendritech, Inc. awarded SBIR phase I grant

April 3, 2002

Can dendritic polymer-based nanotechnology lead to new synthetic materials with dielectric properties approaching that of air? That is the focus of a Small Businesss innovation Research (SBIR) grant recently awarded to Dendritech, Inc., of Midland, Mich.

The SBIR Phase I grant of $65,000 was provided by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization’s SBIR/STTR Program. Dr. David Hedstrand of Dendritech is the principal investigator.

Conventional insulating materials for integrated circuits typically have a dielectric constant of 2.5 to 3.5. A low number is good. Air has the lowest rating of 1 and Dr. Hedstrand and fellow researchers at Dendritech believe that dendrimer nanotechnology can achieve an insulating material with a dielectric constant of less than about 2. This would offer circuit designers more opportunity to space wires closer and thus, shrink the size of integrated circuits in a variety of consumer, industrial and military electronic devices. The devices could then be smaller as well.

Dendritech’s research efforts on the grant focus on developing a dendrimer with a thermally degradable interior and an outer surface that is compatible with the existing dielectric material. Curing of the matrix would leave the outer shell of the dendrimer intact, creating controlled hollowness of the countless sphere. The result: Superior insulating properties.

Established in 1992, Dendritech, Inc., is a privately held company with employees owing majority share. It operates a multi-million dollar manufacturing plant on a 10-acre site in Midland. The 6,400-square foot building houses a state-of-the-art research laboratory and complete facilities for the development and manufacturing of PAMAM and other dendrimers. The company introduced 17 new products in 2001 and anticipates introducing even more in 2002.