Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the controversial engineered materials family member and well-known to be the strongest and stiffest material yet discovered with the highest tensile strength and elastic modulus (up to 100 times higher than steel strength at 1/6 of its weight) has been mostly synthesized through uneconomical costly methods limiting more CNTs functional usage.
To overcome this restriction, a new and cost-effective electrochemical procedure has been recently designed and examined by Vanderbilt University researchers, in collaboration with SkyNano LLC, to be energy-saving and additionally a utilizer for environmental CO2, as a direct input, that can be permanently transformed it into the valuable solid form of carbon or mentioned carbon nanotube structures.
Such a novel patent-pending technology employs ambient CO2 captured in molten lithiated carbonates leading to the production of carbon nanotubes at high yield through electrolysis using inexpensive steel electrodes. These low-cost CO2-derived CNTs are demonstrated as high-performance energy storage materials in both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries.
Recently, SkyNano LLC was honored with the “Crowd Favorite” award at a pitch competition held at the fifth annual “Startup Day” at the Bijou Theatre in Downtown Knoxville, and their breakthrough was listed in the 2020’s R&D 100 Awards respective category.
Given description clarifies an advanced nano-based CNTs preparation method and its attractive features for better decision-making in StatNano’s recent discussing survey on the most effective nanotechnology event in quality life in the following link: