Longer Length Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) for Electric Power Applications

Nanocomp has demonstrated a continuous fabrication process for SWCNT wires and a batch process for very long SWCNT tapes. Modifications to the conductivity, proposed here, may improve the EM absorption characteristics of these sheets. In this proposal we posit that a CNT wire may be used as a current conductor for both dc and ac frequencies under a wide variety of conditions. Some preliminary data on the electrical characteristics of the wire are presented. We note that at ambient temperature the electrical resistivity is about 1 x 10-4 ohm-cm (1x106 S.m-1) at a wire density of about 0.2 g/cc which on weight basis is close to that of industrial copper (58.6 x 106 S.m-1) whose density of 8.96 g/cc. At high frequencies (>2 GHz) the nanotube wire becomes very much more effective than copper thereby saving considerable weight. At frequencies less than 50 MHz, a power savings for the same capacity can be achieved only if the nanotube conductivity is increased[1]. Widespread commercial applications of CNT wires requires improved conductivity. Means of accomplishing this include doping during or after synthesis, and a novel means of Chirality control implemented during synthesis.