Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene exhibit extraordinary electrical properties
for organic materials, and have a huge potential in electrical and electronic
applications such as sensors, semiconductor devices, displays, conductors and
energy conversion devices (e.g., fuel cells, harvesters and batteries). This
report brings all of this together, covering the latest work from 78 organizations
around the World to details of the latest progress applying the technologies.
Challenges and opportunities with material production and application are given.
Applications of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene for electronics applications
Depending on their chemical structure, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used as
an alternative to organic or inorganic semiconductors as well as conductors,
but the cost is currently the greatest restraint. However, that has the ability
to rapidly fall as new, cheaper mass production processes are established, which
is covered in this report. In electronics, other than electromagnetic shielding,
one of the first large applications for CNTs will be conductors. In addition
to their high conductance, they can be transparent, flexible and even stretchable.
Here, applications are for displays, replacing ITO; touch screens, photovoltaics
and display bus bars and beyond.
In addition, interest is high as CNTs have demonstrated mobilities which are
magnitudes higher than silicon, meaning that fast switching transistors can
be fabricated. In addition, CNTs can be solution processed, i.e. printed. In
other words, CNTs will be able to provide high performing devices which can
ultimately be made in low cost manufacturing processes such as printing, over
large areas. They have application to supercapacitors, which bridge the gap
between batteries and capacitors, leveraging the energy density of batteries
with the power density of capacitors and transistors. Challenges are material
purity, device fabrication, and the need for other device materials such as
suitable dielectrics. However, the opportunity is large, given the high performance,
flexibility, transparency and printability. Companies that IDTechEx surveyed
report growth rates as high as 300% over the next five years.
Graphene, a cheap organic material, is being enhanced by companies that are
increasing its conductivity, to be used in some applications as a significantly
cheaper printed conductor compared to silver ink. All this work is covered in
this new report.
Activity from 78 organizations profiled The publisher has researched 78 companies
and academic institutions working on carbon nanotubes and graphene, all profiled
in the report. While manufacturers in North America focus more on single wall
CNTs (SWCNTs); Asia and Europe, with Japan on top and China second, are leading
the production of multi wall CNTS (MWCNTs) with Showa Denko, Mitsui and Hodogaya
Chemical being among the largest suppliers.
Opportunities for Carbon Nanotube material supply A number of companies are
already selling CNTs with metallic and semiconducting properties grown by several
techniques in a commercial scale but mostly as raw material and in limited quantities.
However, the selective and uniform production of CNTs with specific diameter,
length and electrical properties is yet to be achieved in commercial scale.
A significant limitation for the use of CNTs in electronic applications is the
coexistence of semiconducting and metallic CNTs after synthesis in the same
batch. Several separation methods have been discovered over the last few years
which are covered in the report, as is the need for purification.
Opportunities for Carbon Nanotube device manufacture There are still some hurdles
to overcome when using printing for the fabrication of thin carbon nanotube
films. There is relatively poor quality of the nanotube starting material, which
mostly shows a low crystallinity, low purity and high bundling. Subsequently,
purifying the raw material without significantly degrading the quality is difficult.
Furthermore there is also the issue to achieve good dispersions in solution
and to remove the deployed surfactants from the deposited films. The latest
work by company is featured in the report.
Key benefits of purchasing this report
This concise and unique report from IDTechEx gives an in-depth review to the
applications, technologies, emerging solutions and players. It addresses specific
topics such as:
- Activities of 78 global organizations which are active in the development
of materials or devices using carbon nanotubes or graphene.
- Application to conductors, displays, transistors, super capacitors, photovoltaics
and much more
- Types of carbon nanotubes and graphene and their properties and impact
on electronics
- Current challenges in production and use and opportunities
- Forecasts for the entire printed electronics market which carbon nanotubes
and printed electronics could impact
For those involved in making or using carbon nanotubes, or those developing
displays, photovoltaics, transistors, energy storage devices and conductors
and want to learn about how they can benefit from this technology, this is a
must-read report.