title: Advances in Production and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes.
abstract: Recent decades have witnessed many breakthroughs in research on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), particularly regarding controllable synthesis, production scale-up, and application advances for this material. This sp2-bonded nanocarbon uniquely combines extreme mechanical strength, exceptionally high electrical conductivity, as well as many other superior properties, making it highly attractive for fundamental research and industrial applications. Synthesis and mass production form the solid basis for high-volume applications of CNTs. During recent decades, CNT production capacity has reached more than thousands of tons per year, greatly decreasing the price of CNTs. Although the unique physiochemical properties of an individual CNT are stated repeatedly, manifestation of such unique properties in a macroscopic material, e.g., realization of high-strength CNT fibers, remains a great challenge. If such challenges are solved, many critical applications will be enabled. Herein we review the critical progress in the development of synthesis and scaled-up production methods for CNTs, and discuss advances in their applications. Scientific problems and technological challenges are discussed together.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xilai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, People's Republic of China. wf-dce@tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon
keywords: Application advances; Carbon nanotube; Mass production