Altairnano Appoints John Midgley, Ph.D. to Scientific Advisory Board; Seasoned Materials Scientist and Entrepreneur Brings Substantial Commercialization Experience.

RENO, Nev. -- Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI) today announced that John Midgley, Ph.D., has joined the company's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Midgley, CEO of Ultradots, has had a distinguished career in the advanced materials industry both as technologist and CEO of leading companies.

"I am very pleased to be joining Altairnano's Scientific Advisory Board," commented Dr. Midgley. "I am convinced that the new chemical characteristics of nanomaterials over traditional materials will bring a profound change to the chemicals industry. Altairnano's ceramics are novel and I believe my experience can help them achieve further commercial success."

Altairnano's Performance Materials group develops, manufactures and markets ceramic nanomaterials for use in a variety of applications including zirconia and titania for the thermal spray industrial coatings market, phosphate binders for water mitigation and photocatalytic titania for air and surface cleaning applications.

"Dr. Midgley's appointment to our Scientific Advisory board brings a new, valued perspective to our nanomaterials business," said Altairnano President and CEO, Alan J. Gotcher, Ph.D. "His wealth of experience building new technology businesses will greatly assist the Altairnano Performance Materials and Advanced Materials and Power Systems business units."

About John Midgley, Ph.D.

Dr. John Midgley is the CEO of Ultradots a company specializing in the use of nanophotoluminescent materials for security and brand protection applications. Prior to Ultradots John Midgley was the CEO of Lightwave Microsystems, a startup and technical leader in optical waveguide technology, where he raised $150mm and merged the company with NeoPhotonics. Before joining Lightwave, John was VP and Director of Corporate Technology at Raychem, a $1.8bn advanced materials company, where he initiated and led the incubation of ventures based on proprietary internal and acquired technology. John, who holds 11 patents, has a BA from Oxford University, a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Cambridge University, and an MBA from Stanford and is a Barr - at - Law at Grays Inn, London.

About Altair Nanotechnologies Inc.

Altairnano is an innovator and supplier of advanced ceramic nanomaterials. With a skilled team of scientists in its 100,000 square foot facility who, coupled in collaborative ventures with industry partners and leading academic centers, have developed a unique portfolio of intellectual property and novel products. These researchers are complemented by a seasoned management team with substantial experience in commercializing innovative, disruptive technologies.

Altairnano focuses on nanotechnology applications to enable new potentially high-growth markets. In alternative energy, Altairnano is pioneering new battery materials and systems. The company is applying nanotechnology to the development of drug candidates for humans and companion animals, coatings materials for implants, and materials for dental applications. Its high performance nanomaterials have applications in paints, coatings, and the treatment of water and air. The Altairnano Hydrochloride Pigment process, the first new patented pigment process in 50 years, is an environmentally friendly method for manufacturing white pigment used in paints, paper and plastic. For additional information, visit http://www.altairnano.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements as well as historical information. Forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the company's actual results and performance in future periods to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this release. These risks include the risk that the company's performance materials products and technologies may receive limited market acceptance for reasons related to poor performance of the company's products and technologies, superior performance of existing or future competing products and technologies, the failure of the company to adequately market its products and technologies and a contraction in industries that use or might use the company's performance materials products and technologies. In addition, other risks are identified in the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements found herein to reflect any changes in company expectations or results or any change in events.