Technology:
Zeon will start
mass production of single-walled carbon nanotubes in January 2013 for the first
time in the world. Single-walled carbon nanotube was developed by Sumio Iijima
of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
early 1990. It is excellent in heat and electric conductivity besides being
high in intensity. It is a rather promising material for electric vehicle motors
and electronic circuits. Because it stores energy effectively inside the hollow
in the tubular carbon atom, it can be used for a material of the electrode of lithium-ion
battery.
The production cost
of single-walled carbon nanotube used to be too high to translate it into
practical use. Actually, it cost several tens of thousands to produce one gram
of single-walled carbon nanotube. Zeon and AIST succeeded in reducing the mass production
cost considerably. They produced a single-walled carbon nanotube by applying hydrogen
to the stainless substrate coated with elementary particles of iron with the
help of a catalyst. Because adding a small amount of water can increase the
purity of carbon easily, the production cost will be around several hundreds
yen per gram.
Zeon plans to mass
produce single-walled carbon nanotubes starting next January. In the initial
stage, the company will produce 600 grams per day and ship finished products to
chemical companies that will develop applications to make the best use of the
product characteristics. Zeon will gradually increase the volume of mass
production to reduce the production cost to several tens of yen, and construct
a plant toward 2015.
Because a
single-walled carbon nanotube has a high degree of elasticity and strength, it
can be used for electronic paper, super-thin touch panel, and artificial skin.
In addition, because it can absorb broadband light, research is under way to
apply it to infrared sensor and absorber of electromagnetic wave. A
single-walled carbon nanotube has 20 times higher tension strength than
high-strength steel, 1,000 times higher density tolerance for high current and
10 times higher heat conductivity than copper, and has a half mass of aluminum.
Single-walled carbon
nanotube
single walled carbon nanotubes are Cylindrical In Shape. Both ends of this tube is capped.made from graphite.
ReplyDeleteSingle Walled called as SWNT. we can twisted, flatten and bend it.