Carbon nanotube wiring gets closer to competing with copper
7 hours ago
- #material-science
- #carbon-nanotubes
- #conductivity
- Carbon nanotubes initially showed great promise with metallic and semiconducting forms, being lightweight and strong.
- Practical challenges arose, including difficulty in isolating pure forms, short and tangled nanotubes, and limited electron flow despite low resistance.
- Researchers persist in improving nanotubes, with a recent study using a chemical dopant to boost current-carrying capacity closer to copper's level.
- Nanotubes come in single-walled and multi-walled varieties, formed by rolling graphene sheets, with metallic types having few free electrons for current.
- Dopants are being developed to donate electrons, increasing the available charge carriers and enhancing conductivity in carbon nanotubes.