Little Falls, N.J.-based mPhase Technologies Inc. said last week that it had been granted access to the technical facilities at the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne, Ill.). The lab has accepted mPhase’s technical proposal, submitted for user-initiated nanoscience and nanotechnology research.

mPhase said it plans to use the opportunity to conduct technical analysis and refinement of smart surfaces technology, which it had already developed. Access to Argonne will allow the firm to use sophisticated laboratory tools not readily available to a small business like mPhase, the company said in a release.

Specifically, mPhase plans to continue to explore approaches to optimizing the design of the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) Smart silicon membrane, a component of the mPhase Smart NanoBattery and other smart surfaces applications the company is working on. The NanoBattery design uses electrowetting and microfluidic techniques to selectively activate and control the power generated by the cells in the reserve battery, the company said.

Also last week, the acquisition of Teaneck-based IT services provider Ness Technologies Inc. was completed. Ness, valued at $307 million, was taken over by Citi Venture Capital International, the private equity investment fund that continues to operate global software consulting services.

According to the company, Ness will remain headquartered in Tel Aviv and Teaneck, and Ness’s CEO and CFO will continue in their current roles. The firm has between 59 and 99 employees in N.J., according to Manta.com.