SouthWest NanoTechnologies Inc. (SWeNT), a leading manufacturer of single-wall and specialty multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNT), has introduced CNT Inks based on V2V™ Ink Technology developed by alliance partner, Chasm Technologies, Inc. For the first time, carbon nanotubes can now be printed using commercial, high-volume printing methods and equipment, including flexographic, gravure and screen printing.
This breakthrough ink technology combined with SWeNT’s unique ability to tailor the synthesis of CNT materials for applications (using its patented CoMoCAT® process) will enable customers to print large area, low-cost devices for a wide range of applications including energy-efficient lighting, affordable photovoltaics, improved energy storage and printed electronics.
“Now, we can tailor the CNT properties for specific applications as well as the CNT Ink properties for a customer’s preferred printing method in a simple, total solution,” explains David Arthur, SWeNT CEO.
When these inks are dried, all but the CNT itself vanishes, leaving behind no residual materials from dispersing aids or viscosity modifiers that can compromise printed CNT performance.
According to Chasm Co-Founder, Bob Praino, “The combination of CNTs tailored for performance with our V2V™ ink vehicle tailored for the desired printing method is a very exciting innovation that makes it easier and less costly to incorporate CNTs into a number of printed electronics applications.”
SWeNT can incorporate all of its CNT products, conductive, single or multi-wall into the inks.
The CNT Ink viscosity has been adjusted from 50 to 5,000 centipoise at CNT concentrations of 1 gram per liter. This means that these inks are compatible with a variety of printing processes and that the desired quantity of CNTs can typically be applied in a single pass. Also, since drying is done at 100°C or less, a wide variety of temperature sensitive substrates can be used
For more information or to order SWeNT® ink evaluation kits, contact SWeNT VP of sales, Rick Jansen at rjansen@swentnano.com or 860.428.9482.
Chasm Technologies, Inc. was established in March 2005 to commercialize new products using novel nanomaterials and to develop manufacturing processes for micro- and nano-patterned thin films using scalable coating technologies. For more information, or to arrange a meeting at Chasm’s applications development center in Canton, Massachusetts, please visit www.chasmtek.com
SouthWest NanoTechnologies (SWeNT) is a privately-held specialty chemical company that manufactures high quality single-wall and specialty multi-wall carbon nanotubes for a range of products and applications. SWeNT was created in 2001 to spin off nanotube research developed at the University of Oklahoma. For more information, please visit www.swentnano.com.
