Nanotek Instruments is a pioneer in the world of nano-graphene platelets, a material that conducts electricity at 100 times the speed of silicon and has properties that could replace nanotubes in many applications. The Dayton-based company, whose researchers patented the material in 2002, says NGPs show special promise in such applications as batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, composites -- even as a shield against lightning strikes. The company's production subsidiary, Angstron Materials, is considered the largest producer of NGPs in the world, mass-producing NGPs for a variety of customers. The company sees some of the highest potential in applications for lithium ion batteries and other energy storage applications. Nanotek moved to the Dayton area in 2005 from North Dakota with two employees. In early 2010, the company had 16.