Conano Corp has patented technology that improves the UV resistance, weatherability, and color-fastness of powder coating materials. The market size for this product is $3.5 billion worldwide and North American annual market growth rate exceeds 10%. The start-up team is lead by Rob Modisette , who owns and manages a powder coating business, and includes three other professionals who have a history of successful business startups. Conano seeks alliances to develop additional technologies and file patents, license its technologies, and manufacturer and distribute its products.

Technology: Conano sources POSS® from Hybrid Plastics, Inc., the patent holder of POSS®, to formulate and process it under Conano's patents. Hybrid Plastics Inc. and Conano Corp have formed an alliance, the seven plus year relationship has yielded very positive results. POSS® combines inorganic (silicon based) and organic (carbon based) materials at the nanometer scale. POSS® blended with traditional plastics results in polymeric nano-composition that increases heat and scratch resistance, durability as well decreasing flammability. It also reduces the need for thicker materials on metals, which reduces the cost per application. 

Products and Markets:  Conano's products and processes will improve the performance of the protective coating on all metal parts. Currently, target markets are broadly applied to metal surfaces that can benefit from superior corrosion protective coatings.

Success Story: One successful application of POSS® is in the windscreen of a supersonic aircraft. At high speeds, heat causes the windscreen to soften. When POSS® was added to the windscreen, it was able to sustain an additional 70 degrees Fahrenheit before it started to soften as it reached the GTT (Glass Transition Temperature). POSS® was able to raise the GTT while maintaining and enhancing the standard required features of the part.

Pipelines above and below ground transporting oil, water and gas has expensive corrosion problems. POSS® chemicals will create coatings with better corrosion resistance and UV stability and with a higher operating temperature. Hot oil is much easier to move; it also breaks down conventional coatings and accelerates corrosion. 

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration released a breakthrough study in 2007 on the direct costs associated with corrosion in nearly every U.S. industry sector, from infrastructure and transportation to production and manufacturing. The results of the study show that the total annual estimated direct cost of corrosion in the U.S. is 3% of the GDP.