Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Carbon nanomaterial commercialization: Lessons for graphene from carbon nanotubes

  • Functionalities
  • Published:
MRS Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Whereas efforts toward graphene commercialization are still in their early stages, lessons from the commercialization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) might be applicable, given the similarities between the two materials (specifically, a single-walled CNT can be thought of as a monolayer of graphene wrapped into a cylinder). This article reviews the commercialization of CNT materials (with a special emphasis on single-walled CNTs) in selected electronics applications, including specific examples of successes, failures, and promising opportunities. Two application areas are reviewed: (1) alternatives to silicon for fabricating transistors used in display backplanes, radio-frequency identification, and smart cards, for example, and (2) alternatives to indium tin oxide for transparent conductive films used in displays, electronic paper for e-readers, touch sensors, light-emitting diode lighting, photovoltaics, and electrochromic windows. Some important lessons learned from these commercialization experiences can potentially help accelerate the commercialization of other exciting nanomaterials such as graphene.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Table II

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. N. Boren, V. Chan, C. Musso, McKinsey Chem. Rep. Spring, 12 (2012).

  2. R. Jansen, P. Wallis, Mater. Matters 4 (1), 23 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  3. L. Chamness, “Semiconductor Materials Market to Surpass $50 Billion in 2013, ” (SEMI, San Jose, CA, 2012); available at www.semi.org/en/node/43361 (accessed October 2012).

  4. D.S. Bethune, C.H. Kiang, M. De Vries, G. Gorman, R. Savoy, J. Vazquez, R. Beyers, Nature 363, 605 (1993).

  5. A. Thess, R. Lee, P. Nikolaev, H.J. Dai, P. Petit, J. Robert, C.H. Xu, Y.H. Lee, S.G. Kim, A.G. Rinzler, D.T. Colbert, G.E. Scuseria, D. Tomanek, J.E. Fischer, R.E. Smalley, Science 273, 483 (1996).

  6. H. Hu, A. Yu, E. Kim, B. Zhao, M.E. Itkis, E. Bekyarova, R.C. Haddon, J. Phys. Chem. B 109, 11520 (2005).

  7. CNTRENE® Carbon Nanotube Solution, www.brewerscience.com/carbon-nanotube (accessed October 2012).

  8. P. Nikolaev, M.J. Bronikowski, R.K. Bradley, F. Rohmund, D.T. Colbert, K.A. Smith, R.E. Smalley, Chem. Phys. Lett. 313, 91 (1999).

  9. B. Kitiyanan, W.E. Alvarez, J.H. Harwell, D.E. Resasco, Chem. Phys. Lett. 317, 497 (2000).

  10. M.J. Bronikowski, P.A. Willis, D.T. Colbert, K.A. Smith, R.E. Smalley, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 19, 1800 (2001).

  11. A. Moisala, A.G. Nasibulin, E.I. Kauppinen, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 15, S3011 (2003).

  12. S.M. Bachilo, M.S. Strano, C. Kittrell, R.H. Hauge, R.E. Smalley, R.B. Weisman, Science 298, 2361 (2002).

  13. S.M. Bachilo, L. Balzano, J.E. Herrera, F. Pompeo, D.E. Resasco, R.B. Weisman, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 11186 (2003).

  14. A.V. Naumov, O.A. Kuznetsov, A.R. Harutyunyan, A.A. Green, M.C. Hersam, D.E. Resasco, P.N. Nikolaev, R.B. Weisman, Nano Lett. 9, 3203 (2009).

  15. P. Blake, P.D. Brimicombe, R.R. Nair, T.J. Booth, D. Jiang, F. Schedin, L.A. Ponomarenko, S.V. Morozov, H.F. Gleeson, E.W. Hill, A.K. Geim, K.S. Novoselov, Nano Lett. 8 (6), 1704 (2008).

  16. X. Li, W. Cai, J. An, S. Kim, J. Nah, D. Yang, Science, 324 (1), 1 (2009).

  17. M.J. Allen, V.C. Tung, R.B. Kaner, Chem. Rev. 110 (1), 132 (2010).

  18. Printed, Organic & Flexible Electronics Forecasts, Players & Opportunities 2012–2022, (IDTechEx, Cambridge, MA, 2012).

  19. OLED Technology Report (NPD DisplaySearch, Santa Clara, CA, 2012).

  20. N. Rouhi, D. Jain, P.J. Burke, ACS Nano 5 (11), 8471 (2011).

  21. Y. Miyata, K. Shiozawa, Y. Asada, Y. Ohno, R. Kitaura, T. Mizutani, H. Shinohara, Nano Res. 4 (10), 963 (2011).

  22. Q. Cao, J.A. Rogers, Adv. Mater. 21 (1), 29 (2009).

  23. Y. Asada, F. Nihey, S. Ohmori, Adv. Mater. 23, 1 (2011).

  24. P. Avouris, Phys. Today 62 (1), 34 (2009).

  25. R.F. Smith, T. Rueckes, S. Konsek, J.W. Ward, D.K. Brock, B.M. Segal, “Carbon nanotube based memory development and testing,” paper presented at the 2007 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, 3–10 March 2007.

  26. W. Choi, I. Lahiri, R. Seelaboyina, Y.S. Kang, Crit. Rev. Solid State Mater. Sci. 35 (1), 52 (2010).

  27. D.S. Hecht, D. Thomas, L. Hu, C. Ladous, T. Lam, Y. Park, G. Irvin, P. Drzaic, Carbon 17, 941 (2009).

  28. C. Feng, K. Liu, J.-S. Wu, L. Liu, J.-S. Cheng, Y.Y. Zhang, Y.H. Sun, Q.Q. Li, S.S. Fan, K.L. Jiang, Adv. Funct. Mater. 20 (6), 885 (2010).

  29. M.-H. Jeong, K.W. Choi, C. Lim, S.-B. Lee, paper presented at the Third International Nanoelectronics Conference (INEC), Hong Kong, China, 3–8 January 2010.

  30. Transparent Conductive Films, www.unidym.com/products/transparent.html (accessed October 2012).

  31. Z. Wu, Z. Chen, X. Du, J.M. Logan, J. Sippel, M. Nikolou, K. Kamaras, J.R. Reynolds, D.B. Tanner, A.F. Hebard, A.G. Rinzler, Science 305 (5688), 1273 (2004).

  32. C.M. Trottier, P. Glatkowski, P. Wallis, J. Luo, J. Soc. Inf. Disp. 13, 759 (2005).

  33. Y.-B. Park, L. Hu, G. Gruner, G. Irvin, P. Drzaic, Dig. Tech. Pap.—Soc. Inf. Disp. Int. Symp. 537 (2008).

  34. H.-Z. Geng, K.K. Kim, K.P. So, Y.S. Lee, Y. Chang, Y.H. Lee, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 7758 (2007).

  35. D.J. Arthur, W. Hurley, “ New Applications for Conductive Carbon Nanotube Inks Now Possible ” PCI Mag. Digital Ed. (January 2011).

  36. SWeNT® V Series1 Conductive Inks Datasheet, www.swentnano.com/tech/docs/VC100_Data_Sheet.pdf (accessed October 2012).

  37. J.K. Wassei, R.B. Kaner, Mater. Today 13 (3), 52 (2010).

  38. L. Jiao, L. Zhang, X. Wang, G. Diankov, H. Dai, Nature 458 (7240), 877 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. SouthWest NanoTechnologies, Inc, United States

    David Arthur, Ricardo Prada Silvy, Philip Wallis, Yongqiang Tan & Daniel Resasco

  2. School of Chemistry & Materials Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, United States

    John David R. Rocha

  3. School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, University of Oklahoma, USA

    Daniel Resasco

  4. CHASM Technologies Inc, United States

    Robert Praino & William Hurley

Authors
  1. David Arthur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ricardo Prada Silvy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Philip Wallis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yongqiang Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. John David R. Rocha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Daniel Resasco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Robert Praino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. William Hurley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Arthur.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Arthur, D., Silvy, R.P., Wallis, P. et al. Carbon nanomaterial commercialization: Lessons for graphene from carbon nanotubes. MRS Bulletin 37, 1297–1306 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2012.276

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2012.276

Search

Navigation