Facial masks made of nanofibres, anti-dust-mite bedding covers and a revolutionary water-purification technology using carbon nanoparticles – Czech nanotechnologists scored with all of these in early February in Tokyo at the prestigious international nanotechnology exhibition NANO TECH 2023. After a three-year break caused by the Japanese government’s strict Covid restrictions, foreign nanotechnology companies were once again able to take part in person. The Czechs thus finally had the chance to confirm their world-leading role in the development and production of nanofibres.
The Japanese were captivated by anti-dust-mite bedding and nanofibre facial masks
“There was lively interest in Czech nanotechnologies throughout. We brought along samples of various products that use a nanofibre membrane. The biggest interest was in the dry facial masks nanoBeauty and Nanomedical, as well as the anti-dust-mite nanoSPACE bedding. Dust mites are a strong topic in Japan, because the Japanese are very concerned about the quality of their sleep and their health. We presented the Czech Republic as one of the world’s largest producers of nanofibre and a pioneer in the industrial applications of nanotechnology,” says Jiří Kůs, Chairman of the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association, recounting his experiences from NANO TECH 2023 in Tokyo.
According to Kůs, Czech nanotechnologies attracted interest from people at universities and from large Japanese and Korean companies. Besides Czech nanofibres, another standout was the revolutionary water-purification technology using carbon nanoparticles developed by H20 nanotec.
“We confirmed that for Czech products, particularly in the fields of cosmetics and health protection, the Japanese market is very attractive, even though it is a longer-term endeavour. We discussed further possible steps on the spot with Jakub Hájek, the new CzechInvest representative in Japan, and Ondřej Svoboda, deputy head of the political and commercial section of our embassy in Japan,” says Jan Buk, member of the executive board of the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association.
Nanomaterials are suitable for generating energy from renewable sources
The main theme of this year’s event, held from 1 to 3 February, was societal transformation through nanotechnology. The exhibits of companies and universities were dominated by nanomaterials suited to generating energy from renewable sources and to storing it.
A great deal of attention also went to biodegradable nanomaterials, technologies for carbon-neutral nanomaterials such as nanocellulose, quantum technologies, and nanocomposite materials using, for example, graphene or carbon nanotubes. According to Kůs, these materials are also being developed in the Czech Republic, which is therefore an enormous opportunity for Czech companies and universities. The Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, for instance, has long been engaged in spintronics.
Excellent organisation also lies behind the success of NANO TECH
“We were pleasantly surprised by the flawless organisation of the joint exhibition, including two interpreters who were available to us the entire time. We personally met the director of the EU-Japan Centre, Mr Manuel Hubert, and agreed on future cooperation,” says Jiří Kůs, Chairman of the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association.
The Czech Republic was represented by the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association at the stand of the EU Japan Centre. Its aim is to support all forms of industrial, commercial and investment cooperation between the EU and Japan and to improve the competitiveness and cooperation of EU and Japanese companies by facilitating exchanges of experience and know-how between them. Sharing the stand with the Czechs were also representatives of eight companies from France, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden, namely:
Photo: Archive of Jiří Kůs
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