The Czech Nano Day in London presented revolutionary products of twelve Czech companies who are active in the field of nanotechnologies. Czech nanofilters produced drinking water from the turbid water of the Thames river and a nanobattery demonstrated the potential for expansion of renewable sources. A part of the event was also a wall coated by the photocatalytic coating which cleans the air and remains permanently white. Personal attendance and public appearance of Greg Clark who is the MP for Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, confirmed the fact that Czech nanotechnologies have a great name in the world and a door open for partnerships.

Cheers to the Czech nanotechnologies and cooperation with the Great Britain. In the middle is the Czech ambassador in the UK Libor Sečka, on the right is the British MP for Energy and Industrial strategy Greg Clark. (Photo: Jolly Thompson)

The embassy of the Czech Republic in London hosted the Day of Czech nanotechnologies on the 23^rd October 2018. The event was commenced by the Czech ambassador in the UK Libor Sečka, who pointed out that the goal of the ongoing Czech week in London is not only to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the foundation of Czechoslovakia and modern Czech statehood but also to present the best and the most progressive from the present Czech Republic.

Even a member of Her Majesty’s government paid a visit to see the Czech nanotechnologies

Greg Clark, a member of Her Majesty’s government who is responsible for the field of business, energy and industrial strategy, was an exceptional guest. During his public appearance, Clark reminded that the new British industrial strategy puts emphasis on innovation and excellence when dealing with key challenges of the future such as population ageing, clean mobility or artificial intelligence. Clark expressed his conviction that nanotechnologies are one of the great examples of cooperation between Czech and British scientists and he appealed to their further development as the complexity of present science-related problems requires focused international collaboration. 

Ambassador Libor Sečka greets the MP for Energy and Industry Greg Clark. (Photo: Jolly Thompson)

Czechs are top world leaders in applications of nanotechnologies 

At the end of the introductory appearances, the chairman of Nanotechnology industries association of the Czech Republic Jiří Kůs explained the symbolical meaning of the “Czech is nano” slogan. The Czech Republic is a small country, literally nano but at the same time, we are the world leaders in terms of applications of nanotechnologies.  The Nanoday in London presents the newest nanotechnological products of Czech companies. 

In the following three thematic panels twelve Czech companies presented results of their development and innovation activities to the British listeners from technological, medical, trade and construction companies as well as from research institutions, universities and media.

Captain of Czech nanotechnological companies Jiří Kůs explains why Czech is nano.

The panel titled „Industry with a high added value“ presented a cluster-based organization Nanoprogress which unites 48 companies, excellent “Key Enabling Technologies” centers, universities and other participants from the nanotechnological and complementary fields. It also presented inorganic nanofibrous materials of the PARDAM company, groundbreaking energy storage Magna Energy Storage based on revolutionary nanobatteries of HE3DA and proven and constantly improved electron microscopes of the TESCAN company.

Panel discussion with Czech nanosupermen

Nanofibers rid you of allergies and foul odours

The panel „Healthcare and healthy lifestyle” presented innovative medical antibacterial preparations using nanofibrous layer with silver ions of the ING MEDICAL company, innovative nanofibrous biomaterials for surgery, oncology, and cosmetics of CONTIPRO, anti-allergic nanobeddings of NANOSPACE and modern clothes based on functional, self-cleaning nanomaterials NanoAg of the Lada Vyvialova company.

Anti-allergic bedding from nanotextile presented by the nanoSPACE company

The panel „Clean water air“ presented nano water cleaners ACO MARINE, photocatalytic self-cleaning coatings ADVANCED MATERIALS JTJ, nano air cleaners RETAP and filters for wine, beer, pharmaceutics, biotechnology and vegetable oils of FILTREX.

Water from the Thames was also tried

During the following commentated live demonstration, the team of experts from NANOPROGRESS presented a new method of nanofiber production on a world-unique patented device which had been developed by the Technical University of Liberec under a several-year support of the cluster. 

With the help of nanofiltration we transformed water from Thames into drinking water

The ACO MARINE company offered visitors a drink of crystal clear water produced by multiple-level filtration of turbid water collected from the Thames river in London to demostrate the potential of the closed filtration cycle with use of a nanomembrane which Is suitable for ships, oil rigs and also space stations.

White wall was the largest display

This white wall may look ordinary but it doesn’t get dirty and it purifies the air.

The largest display was presented by the ADVANCED MATERIALS JTJ company, who treated the wall along the embassy by a photocatalytic nanocoating. Thanks to the coating the wall will not only stay bright white for many years on, but in the polluted environment of central London, with use of solar UV radiation it can also compensate negative impact of nitrogen oxide and emissions from activity of ten cars with diesel engine (according to calculation of ADVANCED MATERIALS JTJ for 25 000 km/year/car complying with the Euro VI norm).

The event was arranged by the embassy of the Czech Republic in London in collaboration with the CzechInvest office in London, Nanotechnology industries association of the Czech Republic and the cluster organization Nanoprogress.

The nanofiber was also being made in London

Britain knows well the Czechs are good at nanotechnology

The Czech Nanoday showed that the Czech expertise in the field of nanotechnologies is in many cases already well known, for example, British universities already use Czech-made electron microscopes or technologies for the production of nanofibers. At the same time, the status of the British economy and the progress of development provide an opportunity for Czech companies to increase market share and for universities to develop cooperation in research and development.