National Nano Engineering Conference Preview

Monday, October 01 2007 Novel Method for Creating Carbon Nanotubes

Dr. Jeanette Benavides, a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, has developed a simpler, safer, and much less costly process to make single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) without a metal catalyst. For her discovery, Dr. Benavides is a Nano 50 winner in the Technology category.

Nanotubes can be either semiconductors or conductors, depending on how they are made. The key to Dr. Benavides’ process was understanding how to produce bundles of nanotubes without using metal, which reduced the costs tremendously and made a better-quality product.

The improved production process could increase the prevalence of carbon nanotube technology in many areas, including medical applications such as portable/field equipment, implantable biosensors, artificial limbs and organs, and drug delivery; miniature and consumer electronics; research instruments (e.g., microscopy); fuel cells; radiation shielding; and innovative polymers for a wide range of applications.

Earlier this year, NASA Goddard licensed the patented technique for manufacturing the SWCNTs to Idaho Space Materials (ISM) in Boise. Now the carbon nanotubes based on this creation process are being used by researchers and companies working on new materials with ceramics and polymers.

The steps toward the discovery of this process will be discussed along with a description of the process and properties of the single-walled carbon nanotubes produced. These properties include solubility in acetone and alcohol and assembly into three-dimensional structures. Potential applications will also be discussed.

Learn more about Dr. Benavides’ process for making SWCNTs in the Nanomaterial Fabrication/Manufacturing Session at 11:15 am on Wednesday, November 14.