Apr 22, 2011 (LBO) - A Sri Lankan private-public sector partnership has been able to acquire five international patents in nanotechnology in its first year of operations in a drive to commercially exploit the technology. Similarly, the export of nano carbon tubes and nano titanium dioxide in place of the raw minerals that are exported currently has potential to increase export earnings. International patents acquired in 2010 by the Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTec) include carbon nanotubes, nano fertiliser and nano rubber, according to the central bank.
This compares with Sri Lanka’s past record rate of 1-1.5 international patents a year.
The government is trying to improve research and development and allocated funds and gave tax breaks in its last budget.
"Field testing has already commenced as the first step to commercialising some of these products," the bank has revealed in its annual report.
Research and development in nanotechnology is being done in the sectors of textile and apparel products, the island's main industrial export, as well as it rubber-based products, fertilisers and mineral products like graphite and ilmenite.
The textile and wearing apparel sector promise "imm
