Basic research for practical applications

One particular strength of Inno.CNT is its link between fundamental research and the practical aspects of industry. The initiative thus puts in place the necessary framework to ensure the rapid economic exploitation of the still young CNT technology.

A cornerstone of the Innovation Alliance CNT is that of crossover technologies, which are being dealt with in three interlinked projects: CarboScale, CarboFunk and CarboDis. Their key task is to create the technological basis for all application developments and to make carbon nanotubes available in adequate quantities, suitably modified and in the required quality. They focus on three areas: Catalyst and production technology (CarboScale), modification and functionalization (CarboFunk) and dispersion/semi-finished products (CarboDis). Apart from the three crossover technologies, the Innovation Alliance CNT comprises 14 other projects. The solutions generated here have outstanding market potential and will offer opportunities to penetrate numerous other areas of industry.

The projects in the field of energy & environment are concentrated on specific applications of energy conversion, energy storage and energy saving. They include, for example, innovations in the fields of fuel cell and battery technology, membranes for energy-saving ocean water desalination and gas separation, and CNT-based inks for the development of new solar cells.

In the mobility segment, the emphasis is on new composite materials for vehicles and air and space travel. Here, carbon nanotubes can lead to new material properties that result in significant advances in energy efficiency, environmental compatibility and climate friendliness in the transport segment. Inno.CNT is particularly involved with extremely lightweight, high-strength materials of the sort used, for example, to make aircraft fuselages and satellites, which are subjected to extreme mechanical stresses. Carbon nanotubes will also open the door to a wide variety of innovative new designs in automotive bodywork and finishes.

Carbon nanotubes also have enormous innovation potential in lightweight construction. For example, high-strength CNT-based particle foams can be incorporated into safety elements in vehicles and protective suits to enable them to withstand even higher loads. Another example of how CNTs can be used in this field is a special concrete with vastly improved stability and elasticity which opens up additional possibilities for design in the construction industry, for example for very tall, slender buildings with very high earthquake resistance.

The initiative's practical approach is supported by another project covering health, safety and quality. To be able to guarantee the safety of CNTs and products based on them, all potential risks must be evaluated and suitably communicated. A prerequisite for this is a sound knowledge of possible exposure routes and the action of CNTs in contact with biological systems. Developing suitable test methods for determining exposure and analyzing carbon nanotubes is another important module. The Innovation Alliance CNT will tackle these challenges in a crossover project called CarboSafe.