Flying microspheres

Edinburgh-based Microsphere Technology has signed an intellectual property licence deal worth in excess of $1m with Trelleborg Engineered Systems, part of Sweden’s Trelleborg Group.

Microsphere Technology, which specialises in the coating of hollow glass microspheres will collaborate with Trelleborg on the development of new paint additives for the civil aerospace market.

Tom Johnston, Microsphere technology’s operations director, said that the deal, signed with the help of Glasgow based IP specialists Metis Partners, provided yet another opportunity to push the company’s research towards full commercialisation.

The technology firm, based at the Pentlands Science Park outside Edinburgh, is currently pursuing other opportunities in the areas of water treatment, cosmetics and fluid dynamics. 'Our coated microspheres offer innovative solutions across many sectors and we have been very encouraged by the level of interest we have received to date,' said Johnston.

Microsphere Technology uses hollow glass microspheres as a platform on which to layer other materials such as metals and pigments for specific applications.