Nanotube
Technology
Properties
of FIBRIL Nanotubes
Commercially
manufactured FIBRIL nanotubes are produced from high purity, low molecular
weight hydrocarbons
in a proprietary, continuous, gas phase, catalyzed reaction. They are parallel,
multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The outside diameter of the tube is approximately
10 nanometers and the length is over 10 microns. As produced, FIBRIL nanotubes
are intertwined together in agglomerates. However, Hyperion
has developed proprietary techniques to disperse nanotubes.
Advantages
of FIBRIL Nanotubes as a Conductive Additive
The
unique morphology of FIBRIL nanotubes allows them to be used commercially
to make high performance conductive plastics. Nanotubes have a very high aspect
ratio (length divided by diameter) of 1000. This means that a very low loading
is needed to form a percolating (conductive) mixture with a polymer compared
to additives with lower aspect ratios.
The advantages of a low loading of a very small conductive additive will be discussed in the applications sections.
Related
Article
Designing
for ESD Protection Using FIBRIL Nanotubes (95KB PDF)
