2010 R&D 100 Winner
In theory, adding carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to wires and cables can push conductivity and tensile strength to impressive levels. In practice, such a conductor must fulfill four main criteria. The material must have high percentages of metallic CNTs and be relatively long and continuous. It must also provide a route for electrons to leave and enter a nanotube’s path; and it must be able to propagate electrical conduction from nanotube to nanotube.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M., says it has solved this difficult engineering problem with Ultraconductus, a process that involves laser-induced chemical reactions and selective chemistry to grow long-length metallic nanotubes while simultaneously cladding them within a metal matrix, increasing the net electrical conductivity of the metal matrix by at least 100 times. Because CNTs are not immune to defects that can hurt conductivity, Los Alamos dopes the nanotubes and coats them in proprietary metals before the cladding process occurs.
In addition to the functional advantages, which include energy transmission and use in motors and generators, the Ultraconductus process has a projected normalized cost far less than both high-temperature superconducting wires and copper alloy.
Technology
Carbon-nanotube electrical conductors
Developer
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Development Team
|
| (l-r): Amanda Duque, Doug Bradshaw, Craig Chavez, Miguel Espinoza, James Maxwell, Stephen Sintay, Nicholas Webb |
The Ultraconductus: The World’s Ultimate Electrical Conductor Development Team from Los Alamos National Laboratory:
Douglas H. Bradshaw
Craig A. Chavez
Amanda L. Duque
Marc H. Eberle
Miguel Espinoza
David C. Jones
Luca A. Maciucescu
James Maxwell
Fred M. Mueller
Chris R. Rose
Steve Sintay
Nick Webb
