"I want to say one word to you. Just one word....Plastics"

The sage advice given to young Benjamin almost 4 decades ago in the film version of the Graduate -

Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

- may be apropos again as the benefits of nanotechnology start to come online.

DuPont's Got One Word for You: Nanocomposites:

...Well, it now appears that another plastics giant, DuPont (NYSE: DD), is jumping on to the nanotech bandwagon. Last week, the chemical giant announced that it had created a new nanocomposite thermoplastic, dubbed DNM, which would lead to major improvements in mechanical properties, high-temperature performance, barrier performance, and processing characteristics of a number of its products.

What this means in more practical terms is that DuPont can now make plastics lighter without compromising the strength of a material, as well as manufacture plastic components that can withstand higher temperatures. Both applications are likely to lead to a host of new applications -- and thus new revenues -- for DuPont.

DuPont is also reported to have licensed a new nano-coating technology from Ecology Coatings, a private nanotech company located in Ohio, that dramatically enhances the abrasion-resistance and scratch-resistance of its products by improving surface hardness. Moreover, the coatings, which can be applied with existing equipment, have the added advantage of being able to be cured by ultraviolet light in less than ten seconds...

Update: Coming Soon from DuPont: Advanced Nanocomposites for Enhanced Polymer Properties