GoNano Technologies, a nanotechnology company based in Moscow, Idaho, says it's received a $149,000 NSF SBIR phase one grant to develop a nano-particle catalytic converter for diesel engines.

Like other nano-based tech firms, GoNano is committed to a business plan in which smaller is better.

Nanospring materials are the company's trademarked term for specialized chemical microparticles that can collect and retain carbon emissions and then later be treated to remove usable byproducts.

The company (website is http://gonano-technologies.com) also received an SBIR grant in July 2010 to work on a carbon dioxide recycling system using the same Nanospring technology.

A press release sent out Wednesday (Jan. 12) said: "The objective is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of a novel four-way catalytic converter for diesel emissions. While there is ongoing research to combine multiple functions into a single catalytic converter, GoNano is applying its proprietary Nanospring technology to improve on current concepts."

“Pending changes in the regulatory environment have given way to opportunity in diesel emission catalytic converters and particulate mitigation.” said Tim Kinkeade, CEO of GoNano Technologies. “GoNano’s ability to coat a wide variety of substrates, coupled with the capacity to coat silica Nanosprings with a full spectrum of active catalysts, provides an ideal technology fit for integration into the catalytic converter market.”

In 2013, stricter EPA requirements for diesel emissions standards will come into effect, per Environmental Protection Agency 40 CFR Part 63: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines .

These new regulations will affect carbon emissions standards for allowable particle size and number of particles.

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