Carbon nanotubes so far have been in the early stages of industrial development. While they are still expensive compared to a fully commoditised product, such as carbon black, the price will fall as the demand increases. However, current production methods create a mixture of nanotubes with both semiconducting and metallic properties that makes them expensive and difficult to use. Semiconducting carbon nanotubes can be doped like silicon, and are one of the best candidate materials for replacing current semiconductors. A simple method for producing clean, well-dispersed, high purity semiconducting carbon nanotubes would have significant commercial benefits. Despite the problems associated with analysis and downstream processing (namely dispersion) the basic properties of the raw material offer a wide range of exciting applications that are beginning to be realised. As the research into these applications moves out of the lab and into industry it is important that the supply of carbon nanotubes is consistent, of high quality and performed under the appropriate regulatory and health and safety protocols. Applications of carbon nanotubes in products such as conductive fuel lines in the automotive industry have already made a successful appearance in the market. In addition, recent advances in the manufacture of carbon nanotubes on an industrial scale will open the way to a wide range of fully industrialised applications, but consistent supply of high-purity material that is also scaleable is a major stepping stone for the developing carbon nanotubes market.Combination of SEM, TEM, RAMAN and Thermal Gravimetry Analysis (TGA) techniques, along with inspection by an experienced technical person can only ensure purity.
A scalable CVD method to produce high purity single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) with various diameters and narrow diameter distribution are now available but it will be some time before a standard industry protocol for purity measurement is identified and accepted.In the present market carbon nanotube price has been slashed by 50% and more.