1. Hello From Alvin

Dear Reader, 

Welcome to the December edition of Nanotube News! As the festive season approaches, it’s a great time to reflect on the year’s achievements. Here at TrimTabs, we’re incredibly grateful for the growing community of innovators, researchers, and enthusiasts who share our passion for carbon nanotubes (CNTs).

This month, CNTs have been central to some truly remarkable breakthroughs. From supporting the clean energy transition to revolutionising everyday items like heated blankets, these tiny tubes continue to make a big impact. It’s clear that the future is brighter – and greener – because of the advancements CNTs are driving.

In the spirit of the season, this edition is packed with inspiring stories of CNT innovation and a sprinkle of holiday cheer. I hope it fuels your excitement for the year ahead.Thank you for sharing this journey with us. On behalf of everyone at TrimTabs, we wish you a wonderful festive season and a new year filled with discovery!

Warmly, 

Alvin

‍Dr. Alvin Orbaek White, Founder and CEO of TrimTabs‍

2. Company Updates

This month at TrimTabs, we have some exciting news to share!

- On 17th December at 18:30 GMT, TrimTabs will be featured on BBC Radio Wales’s Science Café for an episode spotlighting the issue of Christmas waste. To stream this episode and hear what we have to say, click the link below.

‍Link to stream‍

- CNTs can be used to create self-heating concrete that prevents ice formation with just 2 volts of power, extending durability and transforming infrastructure like buildings and roads. Last month, TrimTabs signed a material transfer agreement with Assistant Professor Myrsini Maglogianni (Wayne State College of Engineering). Her team will use our nanotubes to develop CNT-based concrete, bringing us one step closer to safer, longer-lasting structures. 

- This week, Dave McCurdy, advisor at TrimTabs, has been at the 24th Annual Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (AABC) in Las Vegas. Dave’s been involved in some fascinating sessions with industry leaders in the fields of battery raw materials, manufacturing, and applications, and we can’t wait to hear all about it. 

3. Research and Market News

This month, we’ve been thrilled to see CNTs taking centre stage in some groundbreaking research and industry advancements. From revolutionising quantum computing to transforming medical imaging solutions, CNTs are driving innovation across diverse fields. Explore the full stories by clicking the links below!

‍Building the Quantum Computing Revolution with CNTs

‍Current quantum computers face increasing errors with each additional qubit, hindering large-scale development. CNTs, with their unique properties, can protect qubits from interference and reduce errors, potentially enabling scalable quantum systems. Sustainable production methods for CNTs align with the promise of quantum computing to reduce the carbon footprint of advanced fields like AI.

‍Driving the Clean Energy Transition: Insights and Innovations for a Sustainable Future

‍Most fossil fuel energy is wasted before it reaches end users, with nearly two-thirds lost in intermediate processes like conversion and distribution. Electrification and decarbonisation could cut these inefficiencies, delivering the same energy services while using far less primary energy. CNTs could play a pivotal role in this transition – enhancing battery density, extending lifespan, and improving grid efficiency by reducing transmission losses. Sustainable CNT production could be key to supporting an efficient, electrified future that reduces our carbon footprint across industries.

‍From Lab to Living Room: CNT Technology in Heated Blankets

‍Electric blankets are a popular way to stay warm, but traditional designs come with drawbacks, such as high energy consumption. However, CNTs offer a revolutionary solution, combining efficiency, safety, and sustainability. The world’s first CNT-based heated blanket, recently launched by Jartoo, heats up in just one minute, provides uniform warmth, and operates on a low-voltage 24V system. Using nanotubes reduces energy use by 60% compared to traditional electric blankets, while their lightweight, durable properties make the blanket machine-washable and long-lasting too.

‍The Future of X-Ray Technology: How CNTs Are Transforming Medical Imaging

‍X-ray technology has long relied on filament-based tubes, but these have drawbacks like high energy consumption and limited durability. CNT X-ray sources are now emerging as an alternative. A recent study from Harvard Medical School revealed that CNT X-ray tubes consume 17% less energy and produce 44% less radiation than conventional filament tubes while maintaining equal image quality. This, along with lower carbon emissions from production, makes them a more sustainable and safer choice.

4. December Food for Thought: CNT Wires

At TrimTabs, we're always looking ahead, and this month, we've been exploring how CNT wires could transform power transmission. Here’s the story so far…

‍The Energy Grid’s Inefficiency Crisis

‍Today’s grid loses over 60% of energy, primarily through heat loss, with copper and aluminium wires representing the main culprits. With electricity demand surging due to population growth and rising living standards, these inefficiencies are becoming unsustainable. Not only that, but they are also hindering the adoption of clean energy sources, threatening progress towards carbon neutrality.

‍A Material RevolutionThe key to solving this issue lies in rethinking the materials powering the grid. Unlike traditional wires, CNT wires are incredibly lightweight, resistant to sagging, and capable of near-zero energy loss thanks to ballistic electron transport. They represent a fundamental shift in how electricity could be transmitted – efficiently, sustainably, and reliably.

‍The Advantages of CNT Wires

‍CNT wires offer unmatched benefits:

- Lightweight: Just 1/6th the weight of copper, reducing strain on infrastructure.

- Low energy loss: Minimal power dissipation over vast distances.

- Durability: Resistance to thermal stress eliminates issues like sagging.

- Scalable throughput: Their lighter weight offers increased capacity without the need for grid overhauls.

‍Scaling the Solution

‍Despite the considerable benefits, a challenge remains – producing high-quality CNT wires at scale. At TrimTabs, we’ve developed a patented modular production process to manufacture ultralong CNTs with the precision required for grid applications. This innovation ensures that CNT wires can be both affordable and scalable, ready for integration into existing infrastructure.

‍Powering the Future

‍This month, a patent filed by Dublin-based technology company SuperNode was published that describes a superconducting cable system incorporating advanced materials like CNTs and other nanoscale fillers, including boron nitride and graphene nanoparticles. This patent reinforces the role of CNTs in next-gen superconducting cable systems and energy innovation.  

CNT wires are more than a material innovation – they are a stepping stone to a carbon-neutral energy future. By addressing inefficiencies and enabling the seamless transmission of renewable energy, they promise to reshape global power infrastructure, ensuring we can meet future energy demands without costing the Earth.

5. TrimTabs Recommends: Our Guide to Events, Books, Films, and Podcasts

This month, we have been revisiting the history of carbon nanotechnology. From their birthplace at Rice University, where 30 years ago, the Buckminsterfullerene molecule was created. The whole story spans the galaxy to the nano and entails curious minds and relentless, even dogged personalities. The entire story starts in space where a carbon signal was left unidentified for many years; Prof Kroto wanted to create a carbon molecule on earth that could recreate that signal so he could know what the universe is made from; this brought him to Rice University. At Rice, Prof Curl and Prof Smalley were working on cluster science, and Smalley had just created a device that could mimic the conditions in space that Prof Kroto was investigating. 

‍Watch here!‍

6. This Month in Science: December Nanotechnology Milestones

Each month, we recognise a significant milestone, special event, or breakthrough discovery in the world of nanotechnology. On December 3, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act.

This legislation significantly increased funding for nanotechnology research and development in the U.S., marking a historic milestone in the field's advancement and governmental support.While not a scientific breakthrough per se, this act represented a crucial political and financial commitment to nanotechnology, paving the way for future innovations and discoveries in the field.

For example, it led to the creation of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a U.S. government research and development initiative that coordinates efforts to advance nanotechnology by advancing R&D, coordinating collaborative efforts, and supporting training and education efforts.

‍Learn more about the NNI!‍

7. CNT Comedy: Science Humour for the Month

What’s Santa’s favourite subject?

‍Chemis-tree‍

8. Stories From Our Community

We love hearing from our community! Whether you're working on groundbreaking CNT research, developing new applications, or have exciting updates from the field, we want to know! Send your stories, updates, or news, and we'll feature them in an upcoming newsletter. Let’s build the CNT community together! 

‍That’s all for this month. Is there anything we missed? Anything you would like to see included or share with our community? We value your input and look forward to hearing your thoughts. Simply send us an email to get in touch. 
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