Carbon Nanotube Coaxial Transmission Lines

Long CNT arrays are important to develop high performance material for coaxial cable. Long nanotubes reduce the number of junctions and twist angle in CNT yarn, resulting in increased mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. General Nano, LLC (GN), the lead applicant and University of Cincinnati (UC) spin off company, owns the exclusive license for the catalyst that has grown the longest CNTs (22mm) ever recorded. GN's long CNT arrays can be spun into CNT yarns and ribbons for applications such as coaxial transmission lines. GN and UC partnered with General Cable (GC) to accelerate commercialization. GC has supplied coaxial cable to the commercial and military markets for more than 20 years. GN and GC forged a relationship in 2009 and identified CNT coaxial cable as its top priority application prior to the Navy"s SBIR solicitation. In May 2010, GN applied CNT yarns and ribbon to GC coax for initial testing. Results are forthcoming. In the SBIR Ph I, the team will demonstrate the benefits of long CNTs spun into yarns and/or braided materials compared to conventional coax. GN will manufacture and characterize the CNT materials, UC will provide quality control, and GC will perform the comparative analysis.