Big nanomaterials you can see and feel. Mike Gurau from Nanocomp Technologies, Inc. looks at the latest developments in the carbon nanotubes industry.
Nano means very small—there are 1,000,000,000 nanometers in one meter (about a yard). For more than two decades, researchers have been working and playing with nano-scale products that—as an additive to some other mix or sub-system–can make a difference to industry, health and society. One of the superstars in this fast growing, young industry are molecular sized, rolled up tubes of pure carbon– carbon nanotubes (CNTs)—and their unrolled “graphene” identity—both are the strongest, lightest and most conductive fibers known to man. These tiny tubes have the highest performance-per-weight of any known material: 200X the strength and 5X the elasticity of steel; 5X the electrical conductivity, 15X the thermal conductivity and 1,000X the current capacity of copper; and half the density of aluminum. The material is also environmentally tough—i.e. non-corrosive, radiation proof, etc.
To unlock their value, public and private sector funders have invested considerable funds to identity and develop applications that make a difference.
It’s difficult to both research the small and to create commercially useful products that increase performance while reducing weight. CNT providers of the past two decades have produced tubes sized in nanometers—essentially a very small powdery material sold in small jars. Still powerful in powder form, these short CNTs offer a noticeable improvement in strength and conductivity sufficient for use in coatings, sensors, conducting composites, adhesives, microelectronics, biotech and other applications.
With length, comes properties
While these small powder applications are compelling, the markets they can address are limited to properties which are comparably weaker vs. longer fibers. Longer fiber CNTs have better properties—stronger and more conductive–than their nanometer-length, powdery cousins. Sort of like the difference between particle board and oak—longer fibers translate to increased strength. Wires comprised of long fibers are more conductive since the current gets more travel time inside the tube; conductive energy moves at “ballistic” speed inside these structures.
Many of the heralded broad market applications—wires, armor, thermovoltaics—have been out of the reach of short tube makers to date given the constraints of their particle size. Startups, large corporations and research institutions have worked for more than two decades seeking to exploit outstanding strength and conductivity properties for the benefit of human health,
2004: The first to market with CNT sheets, tapes and wires
In 2004, a scientist, a business man and an inventor collaborated to form Nanocomp Technology. CEO Peter Antoinette—a 15 year veteran of science products company Millipore—joined co-founder and Chief Technology Officer David Lashmore to commercialize the CTO’s insight into long fiber CNT production. Lashmore developed a method for high rate production of millimeter-length fibrous–not powdery–carbon nanotubes—almost a million-fold improvement in length over CNT powder-makers. His innovation coupled with Antoinette’s experience in developing and growing science-based businesses launched the company. Today, the Company holds a growing number of world firsts:
Production
First to produce consistently long (>1mm) CNT fibers and first to demonstrate a scalable, capital-efficient process; the Company believes it can be a lowest cost producer given cheap raw materials, limited capital equipment and a labor efficient manufacturing process.
Product
First to produce “macro” CNT based products in a format that 1) is not contained in a jar 2) are in industrially useful forms (roll stock of sheets, spools of wire); first macro-level CNT product to be space qualified; first to produce mostly or all carbon nanotube based products in forms that can be safely handled by users.
Safety
First to produce a mostly or wholly CNT based product that has been designated by both OSHA and EPA as “articles,” not particles; the Company’s CNT-based products are the safest CNTs on earth; Unlike short CNTs producers, the Company’s long fibers—in their initial and processed forms–are not at risk of being inhaled or absorbed through skin.
Environment:
By contrast to metals, polymers, composites, carbon fiber, glass and other structural and/or electronic materials, the Company’s one-step manufacturing process transforms inexpensive and readily available gasses and catalysts to replacement and/or enhancement for all metals, polymers, composites, etc.—its process is the most environmentally benign for an advanced material. Unlike metals, there is no extraction process for raw materials; unlike polymer and carbon fiber composites processes.
Today, Nanocomp would appear to be the only CNT market with the following combination of capabilities:
– Making 15+ kilometers/week of pure CNT conductive wire/yarn
– Shipping 400+ ft * 52” rolls CNT-based sheets with 50+ CNT-to-resin ratio
– Best performance-per-weight CNT in the following applications:
o EMI shielding: vs copper mesh, conductive paints
o Armor enhancement: vs Kevlar, ceramics
o Heaters: vs copper
o Antenna: vs copper and aluminum
– Space qualification
o EMI, EMP
– Industrial qualification and delivery of
o Pre-preg, roll stock
o Tapes
o Spools
– Essential to the national defense
o The highest of a handful of materials players essential
– In the Top three defense technology priorities in 2011-12
– In the top three nanotech companies featured in the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) report to President Obama in 2010.
Context: Carbon
Carbon is the fifteen most abundant in the earth’s crust and the fourth most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen, helium and oxygen. In the late 1950s, carbon fiber (CF) emerged as the active ingredient in a composite material; initial use was led by DoD, aerospace and sporting goods industries for its high strength and light weight.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) combine lightweight strength as well as superior electrical and thermal conductivity. These tiny tubes have the highest performance-per-weight materials known: 200X the strength and 5X the elasticity of steel; 5X the electrical conductivity, 15X the thermal conductivity and 1,000X the current capacity of copper.
See it, touch it
Until 2004, the universe of CNTs would be found as powdery embedded particles inside some larger sub-system–chances are good you’ve not in your life seen or touched a carbon nanotube in any direct form. You might have held or seen a jar full of black powder but probably weren’t allowed to open the jar or touch the tubes. Toxicity and so safety are uncertain in the world of short tubes
Nanocomp’s products are the first primarily or exclusively CNTs and are viewable and safely handlable as sheets, wires and tapes
The potential for these tiny tubes and sheets to change our world for the better is enormous and is at the very beginning of its growth curve. The Company’s large nano structures have applications today in armor, wire and cabling (especially in space and aviation for weight reduction), energy storage (battery electrode current collectors, and composite structures.
About the author
Mike Gurau is Director of and lead Corporate Marketing for Nanocomp Technologies, a CNT producer that is the only market player (globally) that has produced at scale high performance, industrial sheets, tapes and wires made nearly wholly of pure CNTs. In March 2010, the Company was featured as one of only three companies in the National Nanotechnology Initiative report to President Obama–see http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-nano-report.pdf page 34; the Company’s CEO was also an advisor to the President’s Council on Advanced Science and Technology (PCAST) responsible for that report. In December 2010, Nanocomp was designated by the US Department of Defense as “essential to the national defense” for its broad array of structural and conductive applications throughout the military; related to this designation, the Company received a significant, multi-million dollar cash match from the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III program (see http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111116005292/en/United-States-Department-Defense-Taps-Nanocomp-Technologies ).
