"Nano-," once a seldom-used prefix found in the back of scientific textbooks, has moved into the industrial mainstream, specifically the advanced materials community and high-technology business sector.

According to a soon-to-be-released study from Business Communications Company, Inc., RGB-201C Opportunities in Nanostructured Materials: Energy, Catalytic and Structural Applications, the world market for nanoparticulate materials in energy, catalytic, and structural applications reached $62.5 million in 2000, spurred on in large part by global efforts to clean up the environment. This figure represents the value of inorganic nanoparticles used as, or to produce, automotive catalyst supports, ceramic membranes, fuel cells, photocatalysts, propellants and explosives, scratch-resistant coatings, structural ceramics, and thermal spray coatings .The market segments analyzed in this report combine new nanoparticle applications with one established usage: automotive catalysts.

During the 1990s, companies had mixed success in using nanoparticles to fabricate dense ceramic components; however, two particular structural ceramic products have made headway into the marketplace. Also, the promising photocatalyst market for nanocrystals is beginning to generate revenues. The U.S. Navy has boosted interest in thermal spray applications for nanoparticulate feedstock, and progress has been made in ceramic membrane, fuel cell, propellant, and scratch-resistant coating applications.

BCC projects that the global market for nanoparticulate materials in energy, catalytic and structural applications will reach $87.8 million by 2005, corresponding to an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 7.0% during the forecast period.

While the study, RGB-201C, specifically covers energy, catalytic and structural applications for nanoparticles, two additional volumes have been published by BCC that cover electronic, magnetic and optoelectronic (RGB-201A) and biomedical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic (RGB-201B) applications.