STTR Phase I: Cost- and energy-efficient synthesis of long carbon nanotubes from waste plastics

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop a two-stage process consisting of pyrolysis of thermoplastic waste, and combustion in the presence of a catalyst, to manufacture long-length carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with reproducible quality. The concept of using polymer waste, which normally ends up in landfills, is novel and revolutionary, especially in the field of manufacture of CNTs. Not only does this research, if successful, will have a significant impact on the environment and land pollution, but will dramatically reduce the cost of manufacture of CNTs. The cost of CNTs has always been very high, mainly because of low process yields, and stringent quality requirements, especially when long length CNTs are manufactured. The proposed research has the promise to manufacture an important new engineering material from solid polymer waste product, and still controlling and maintaining the high quality needed and expected. The initial target application identified by the research team is for replacement of indium tin oxide (ITO) films used as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) coatings for flat panel displays, liquid crystal displays (LCD) and solar cells, all of which are currently being developed to meet the needs of medical, electronics and alternative energy markets. The broader impacts of this research, if successfully completed and implemented on a commercial scale, will be in the polymer waste reduction and conversion into a very high value-added product which is technologically and commercially extremely important in developing advanced technologies that impact a large number of industries, from microelectronics, advanced composites, medical devices, aerospace and automotive materials, high strength structural engineering materials, novel micro-and nano-scale devices, sensors, biomedical diagnostic tools, information storage, retrieval and analysis tools, machine tools and machines capable of developing high-quality nano-manufacturing processes. The worldwide competition for these new technology developments are aggressively funded by many nations around the globe, including the so-called developing countries, providing a significant challenge to the U.S. innovators a worthy goal of remaining ahead of the pack by taking the lead on new, innovative ideas that can be turned into highly successful commercial products.