Carbon Nanotube

Hollow cylindrical tubes similar to graphite found in pencils that, while thinner than a strand of human hair, could be significantly stronger than steel. The material has a great ability to conduct electricity and heat over a vast surface area, which can create new methods of improving lithium batteries. A hybrid combination of carbon and graphene nanotubes together would maximize the capacity of the available battery volume.

Carbon nanotubes have also been used as composite fibers in polymers to improve the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of bulk products such as bicycle components, maritime vessels, and carbon nanoepoxy resins used for wind turbines, marine paints and sports gear like skis. By extracting the carbon nanotubes and hydrogen from waste plastics, these elements could be converted and incorporated into touchscreen devices (tablets and phones, for instance), high-strength materials like bulletproof vests and hydrogen fuel cells that would power cars and solar panels. They could also be used to manufacture brake discs, advanced aerospace composites, co-axial cables, conductive fuel lines, electromagnetic interference shielding in electronic devices, 3D memory chips, coatings, conductive tires, and inks.

Carbon nanotubes are also an innovative and powerful tool for water desalination. As they carry a negative charge, they repel negatively charged ions in salt when separating individual water molecules. This process efficiently repels salt and separates water molecules—the basis of desalination processes—and can be used to provide higher quality water for general purposes, and could also be applied in agriculture water irrigation pipes.

Future Perspectives

The industrial production of nanotubes can lead to a wider application due to the rapid growth in the market for nanoparticles in drugs, cosmetics, fabrics, water filters, and military weapons. With thousands of tons annually produced to fight waste production, carbon nanotubes are expected to be purified and applied in agriculture.

The separation of carbon nanotubes happens when they are filtered from other entities, such as carbon nanoparticles, amorphous carbon, residual catalysts, and other unwanted species. Experts have tested several techniques, from centrifugal separation to chemical separation to remove impurities. As a result, it would be beneficial for the early growth of wheatgrass in a hydroponic garden to test the potential of nanoparticles on the plant. The next step is to look at hydrophobic substrates that mimic the positive effects observed in nanotubes that could be used for high-efficiency channeling of water to seeds. Also, we may see other biomedical applications using these materials to produce hybrid biosensors, drug delivery systems, and high-performance composites for implants.

Image generated by Envisioning using Midjourney