Daily News Briefs

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc., a Reno, Nev.-based developer of advanced ceramic nanomaterials, announced today it was awarded an Australian patent that describes the fundamental technology for a hydrometallurgical process for producing pigment-grade titanium dioxide (Ti02)-containing solutions. The process includes hydrolyzing the solution via complete evaporation in controlled conditions of temperature to form titania oxide of defined characteristics. After hydrolyzing, the titanium oxide is calcined to form either anatase or rutile pigment of the desired particle size. It is then milled for final processing. The new patent follows the award of two other patents covering an "environmentally friendly" process for TiO2 pigment production. . . . OFS, a Norcross, Ga.-based maker of fiber optic products, announced it has licensed its air-clad microstructured fiber patents and its family of fundamental optical fiber grating manufacturing patents to NKT subsidiary Koheras A/S, of Denmark. Microstructured fibers are being used to develop high-power cladding pumped optical fiber amplifiers and lasers for telecommunications, industrial and medical applications. Optical fiber gratings and microstructured fibers are also being used to develop optical technology-based sensor systems for industrial, civil engineering, biomedical and security applications. OFS is owned by Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.