Boy, doesn't that sound fun? I bet you were just sitting there thinking "Boy, I'd like to read up on an interesting topic, so why not carbon nanotubes". So, I think you should be aware of this topic that many say will be commercially available within 5 years, and at the cost of regular house paint. Now that's the solar collection we've been looking for. Please read the following article which I hope brings this topic into focus for you.
Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and their compounds exhibit extraordinary electrical properties for organic materials, and have a huge potential in electrical and electronic applications such as photovoltaics, sensors, semiconductor devices, displays, conductors, smart textiles and energy conversion devices (e.g., fuel cells, harvesters and batteries). This updated report brings all of this together, covering the latest work from 100 organizations around the world to details of the latest progress applying the technologies. New developments, challenges and opportunities regarding material production and applications are given.
Applications of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene for electronics applications
Depending on their chemical structure, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used as an alternative to organic or inorganic semiconductors as well as conductors, but the cost is currently the greatest restraint. However, that has the ability to rapidly fall as new, cheaper mass production processes are established, which we cover in this report. In electronics, other than electromagnetic shielding, one of the first large applications for CNTs will be conductors. In addition to their high conductance, they can be transparent, flexible and even stretchable. Here, applications are for displays, replacing ITO; touch screens, photovoltaics and display bus bars and beyond.
In addition, interest is high as CNTs have demonstrated mobilities which are magnitudes higher than silicon, meaning that fast switching transistors can be fabricated. In addition, CNTs can be solution processed, i.e. printed. In other words, CNTs will be able to provide high performing devices which can ultimately be made in low cost manufacturing processes such as printing, over large areas. They have application to supercapacitors, which bridge the gap between batteries and capacitors, leveraging the energy density of batteries with the power density of capacitors and transistors.
Challenges are material purity, device fabrication, and the need for other device materials such as suitable dielectrics. However, the opportunity is large, given the high performance, flexibility, transparency and printability. Companies that IDTechEx surveyed report growth rates as high as 300% over the next five years. New developments regarding the production of pure CNTs and the separation of conducting and semiconducting carbon nanotubes are given in this updated report.
Graphene, a cheap organic material, is being enhanced by companies that are increasing its conductivity, to be used in some applications as a significantly cheaper printed conductor compared to silver ink. Graphene and its compounds are increasingly used to make transistors that show extremely good performance - a progress that comes with new cheaper production processes for the raw material.
Courtesy: ID TechEx
Carbon nanotubes may be used in medical applications, roofing, computers, improving materials, etc. The uses seem limited only by the human imagination, and I truly believe this is the future of solar collection.
You may wish to stop for a moment and think about the hundreds of millions who do not have access to energy for even the most basic of needs. This is the way that will allow them the bare necessities we so casually take for granted each day.
Thank you so much to my visitors from around the globe. Here we discuss roofing topics, sciences associated with it, and make an attempt to show the importance of honor, integrity, and self respect in all phases of this life. I am humbled you care what I have to say here.
I will encourage you to reject negativity in all forms, and always remember to keep looking "UP".
Respect,
Robert R. "Ron" Solomon
CCC1325620
