1. Hello From Alvin

Dear Reader, 

Welcome to the latest edition of Nanotube News!

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been central to some exciting breakthroughs this month. From their rising potential for use in next-gen energy storage to an innovative headlight design using a layer of CNTs that can heat up and de-ice the headlights. We have also considered how essential CNT dispersion is to each of these applications and how careful consideration should be given to which dispersion techniques to choose, depending on the specific application.

Looking back to the 1980s and the introduction of the atomic force microscope, which created images of samples at atomic resolutions, we are excited by how far we’ve come in the last 40 years and by how far we will get in the next 40 years!

As always, thank you for being part of this community. I can’t wait to see what the next month brings.

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 with you all!

- Will Mercer attended the Plastimagen 2025 conference in Mexico, the biggest international exhibition for the plastics processing industry in Mexico and Latin America. This enabled him to network with a wide range of industry experts and share what TrimTabs is achieving.

- Alvin was a panelist on a webinar by the Advanced Carbons Council (ACC) titled ‘State of the Carbon Nanotube Sector: Production and Applications,’ where he shared the most recent commercial trends in CNT production and application.

3. Research and Market News

This month, we’ve been excited to see CNTs at the forefront of exciting research, such as their use in next-gen chip manufacturing and cooling technologies, and industry breakthroughs, including next-gen energy storage and the suggested use in heated car headlights. CNTs increasingly demonstrate their potential to bring revolutionary solutions to many real-world problems. For the full stories, click the links to visit the news section of our website!

Advances in CNT-Based Solid-State Batteries for Next-Gen Energy Storage

Tiannai Technology has successfully supplied its single-walled CNT products to leading solid-state battery manufacturers, marking a major step forward in energy storage innovation. By enhancing conductivity, mechanical strength, and energy density, CNTs improve battery performance, longevity, and safety. Early tests show that CNT-enhanced solid-state batteries retain over 90% capacity after 500 charge cycles, highlighting their significant real-world potential.

Are Carbon Nanotubes the Solution to Next-Gen Chip Manufacturing?

CNTs are emerging as a critical solution in semiconductor manufacturing, offering a durable and efficient alternative to traditional extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicles. These ultra-thin membranes protect photomasks from contamination during EUV lithography, ensuring higher precision. Unlike conventional materials, CNT pellicles provide exceptional thermal stability, high transmittance, and low flare, making them ideal for next-generation EUV scanners. With the semiconductor industry moving towards greater miniaturisation and efficiency, CNT technology is set to play a key role in shaping the future of chip production.

Nanotube-Based Cooling Device Could Transform Cooling Technology

UCLA researchers have developed a compact, nanotube-based cooling device that could be used in wearable and portable cooling technology. Using an electrocaloric mechanism, the device continuously pumps heat away, lowering temperatures without the need for traditional refrigerants or high energy consumption. Unlike conventional cooling methods, this flexible system operates purely on electricity and can be powered by renewable energy sources, making it a sustainable and efficient alternative. 

Carbon Nanotube Heated Headlights Could Make Winter Driving Safer

Unlike traditional halogen bulbs, which generate heat, LEDs remain too cool to melt ice, reducing visibility in extreme weather. Rivian’s innovation applies a transparent, conductive carbon nanotube layer to the headlamp lens, which heats up automatically to clear ice without obstructing light. This could have broader implications, with potential applications in side mirrors, windshields, and vehicle sensors – helping to keep driver-assistance systems functional in cold climates. 

4. March Food for Thought: CNT Dispersion

CNTs are prone to agglomeration due to strong van der Waals forces between the CNTs. Agglomeration reduces the effectiveness of the CNTs, making CNT dispersion and uniform distribution in a medium crucial. Choosing the optimal method of dispersion requires consideration of potential CNT damage, long-term stability, and effective integration within the medium.

CNT Dispersion Using Mechanical Methods

Mechanical dispersion methods – ball milling, ultrasonication, and high-shear mixing – are cost-effective and simple. Ball milling breaks CNT agglomerates in solid mediums using impact forces. Ultrasonication disperses CNTs in liquids through the collapse of microscopic bubble collapse. High shear mixing generates turbulence and pressure to distribute CNTs in polymers, resins, and solvents. 

CNT Dispersion Using Chemical Methods

Chemical methods, including functionalisation and surfactant/polymer treatments, prevent CNT reagglomeration. Functionalisation modifies CNT surfaces using strong acids, often combined with ultrasonication. Surfactants coat CNTs using hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions, while polymers provide steric or electrostatic repulsion for stable dispersion.

Users of CNT Dispersion

Industries use CNT dispersion for various applications, where the dispersion technique chosen depends on the medium and desired end-use. Institutions use surfactant/polymer-based dispersion to develop polymer-CNT composites, ultrasonication enables CNT dispersion for conductive inks, ball milling improves battery performance by dispersing CNTs within the electrode materials, and high-shear mixing strengthens aerospace materials using CNTs. As CNT applications grow, refining dispersion techniques will drive the next generation of advanced materials.

To learn more, check out the link below:

Carbon Nanotube Dispersion

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

This month, we’ve had the exciting opportunity to interview Dr Myrsini Maglogianni, an Assistant Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Wayne State University. Myrsini specialises in conductive concrete, an engineered concrete with highly conductive materials dispersed throughout the medium, conveying electrical and thermal properties. 

Currently, the common materials used to enhance the properties of conductive concrete include carbon or steel fibres. Myrsini’s research focuses on using nanoscale instead of macroscale materials, with CNTs as the highly conductive material being mixed into the conductive concrete. CNTs have many advantages over macroscale materials, including enabling increased conductivity, with the potential for exciting applications in de-icing pavements.

We are so thrilled to be collaborating with Myrsini by providing her with samples of our CNTs for incorporation into her research, and cannot wait to see what results our collaboration will bring!

We will be posting more from our interview with Myrsini on our website, LinkedIn, and X accounts over the next month, so keep a close eye out!

6. This Month in Science: March Nanotechnology Milestones

Each month, we recognise a significant historical milestone, special event, or breakthrough discovery in the world of nanotechnology. This month, we’re looking at the introduction of the atomic force microscope (AFM) in the 1980s.

In March 1986, Gerd Binnig, Calvin Quate, and Christoph Gerber first published their paper introducing the AFM. These microscopes use a sharp tip to scan the surface of a sample to create a 3D image of the sample surface with atomic resolution. Unlike its precursors, the AFM can be used on various materials and in various environments – including in liquid and air – enabling a wide range of applications. The AFM has evolved since its introduction, with the development of high-speed AFM and multifrequency imaging, advancing the range of applications.

The invention of the AFM has enabled sub-nanometer imaging, allowing researchers to visualise nanoparticle structures with high resolution and accuracy. AFM continues to be developed to improve scan speed, sensitivity, and resolution, ultimately resulting in its continued use in characterising nanoparticles, manipulating materials, measuring mechanical properties at nanoscale, and studying biomolecules and cells.

7. CNT Comedy: Science Humour for the Month

Two atoms were walking along. One of them says: “Oh no, I think I’ve lost an electron”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m positive!”

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 to hello@trimtabs.co, 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 reply to this email to get in touch. 

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