Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes

Following decades of hype and false dawns, nanocarbons are now beginning to see substantial market adoption and growth. This article delves into the continued growth of the carbon nanotube market, which is set to exceed $1.25 billion by 20235. IDTechEx assesses the key applications driving the growth, and the leading players poised to take a significant market share.

Advanced carbon materials can be described as a family, made up of a diverse array of 3D, 2D, 1D, and 0D materials, each with its own properties and best-suited applications. IDTechEx's research provides in-depth analysis of the market impact of each material type, and their individual use cases from high-end sporting goods to R&D materials that are beginning to mature.

Achieving the strongest, thinnest, and most conductive graphene would require manufacturers to grow a perfect single layer, which can be tricky. Carbon nanotubes are another type of carbon allotrope with the same chemical formula as graphene but a different visible structure. IDTechEx explores multiple applications for graphene within the wider market, alongside other carbon allotropes that have their own unique qualities.

Silver-flake-based inks currently dominate the conductive inks market, but the outlook for non-silver inks is set to change dramatically over the coming decade, with a CAGR of 24%. Stretchable/thermoformable inks and copper inks will seize the largest market share, driven by applications such as in-mold electronics, wearable electrodes, and RFID & smart packaging.

Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are composed of thermal fillers and matrix materials. Thermal fillers are highly thermally conductive substances, while matrix materials are typically used to enhance mechanical properties.

Wednesday 3 July 2024 - Introduction to the broad family of conductive inks; Status and outlook for the dominant conductive ink type, silver flake-based ink, including an assessment of current demand and a ten-year forecast; Overview of emerging applications; Critical assessment of the outlook for non-silver inks such as stretchable/thermoformable inks and copper inks.

2024 has marked the 20th anniversary of the original isolation of graphene, first achieved at the University of Manchester in 2004, prior to the award of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. In the two decades since its isolation, graphene has been the subject of immense hype, labeled as a wonder material with superlative properties capable of enabling society-shifting technologies.

Graphene has long been touted as a wonder material, capable of enabling countless next-generation technologies. The market is beginning to mature, and successful application areas are starting to emerge. These applications range from energy storage to thermal management and composites.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are gaining significant traction as a conductive additive at the cathode of lithium-ion batteries (LiB), a market driven in turn by the electrification of vehicles. This success has seen an explosion in the global production capacity of CNTs, with players racing to establish themselves as a leading supplier to the energy sector. However, the potential application areas for CNTs extend far beyond batteries. In this article, IDTechEx assesses the effects of increasing capacity and how this surge in supply will open opportunities for CNTs beyond the LiB market.

As reported by Nvidia's Q2 financial statement, its second-quarter data center's revenue was a record US$10.32 billion, up 141% from the previous quarter and up 171% from a year ago. With the increasing demand for high-performance servers in data centers, IDTechEx has seen challenges in data center thermal management and tremendous opportunities in this industry.