SouthWest NanoTechnologies Inc. (SWeNT), a leading manufacturer of single-wall and specialty multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNT), has fulfilled a grant to develop highly conductive and transparent specialty multi-wall (SMW) carbon nanotubes that was awarded by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST).

The OARS (Oklahoma Applied Research Support) grant was focused on optimizing reactor conditions controlling specialty multi-wall selectivity, growth and yield as well as to scale up catalyst and process conditions for commercial production.

The SWeNT researchers also succeeded in fine tuning existing SWeNT purification efficiency to produce ultra high-purity SMWs for advanced electrodes formulation in lithium ion batteries and to qualify the performance in electrical conductivity and mechanical properties for reinforced polymer composites and LED lighting.

“The OARS grant helped us get to a point where we can produce sufficient quantities of our SMW tubes which can be used cost effectively in any number of applications pioneering applications including photovoltaics, lighting super-capacitors, batteries and displays,” says Dave Arthur, CEO of SWeNT. “We appreciate the confidence and support from OARS and look forward to continuing our efforts together.”

As a follow-up to this just completed research grant, SWeNT recently received an additional $500,000 from ONAP to continue advanced material development of its SMW carbon nanotubes to be used in automotive and energy storage lithium ion batteries.