Overview
The project involving Carbon Nanotubes whilst still in its infancy is very much in development, currently I am exploring alternatives to carbon nanotubes to find out why CNTS are such a good long term investment and could be the solution to materialistic science and aerospace technology
Carbon atoms form covalent bonds, if the orbitals combine with other orbitals to create squared hybrid orbitals, at a very very specific angle of 120 they manage to form a perfect carbon alignment which then creates
First off we will delve into the world of material science which will give a grasp to the uneducated, material science is the study and application of various materials such as polymers metals ceramics and plenty of other composites, it involves understanding how different materials interact with the environment around it including temperature pressure light and other external factors which can influence the behaviour of the target material.
To understand the starting blocks of material science we must understand the 3 different building blocks of material science, atoms molecules and crystals, atoms being the smallest consisting of protons neutrons and electrons, molecules are groups of atoms bonded together and crystals are repeating patterns of atoms around a specific structure
Crystals being the most complicated have multiple diff=erent structures and properties, the arrangement of atoms which form in a crystal lattice which is a regular arrangement of atoms in a 3d space, this determines its properties which include things like mechanical strength thermal and electrical conductivity aswell as optical properties.
Materials can be classified into 4 different categories, metals ceramics polymers and composites, each of these have base rules which they must follow to fit into those categories, metals which are good conductors of electricity and heat are often used in electrical wiring and electronics Ceramics are resistant to high temperatures these are often used in cookware and pottery and industrial application Polymers are organic materials made from long chains of molecules these are often used in textiles plastics and adhesives Composites, these are materials composed of multiple components such as fibre, these can be tailored to specific properties
single walled carbon nanotubes
There are two different types of carbon nanotubes single wall carbon nanotubes “SWCNTs” these are extremely thin incredibly strong cables made from just one layer of carbon atoms which are then rolled up to form a tube shape, it can then conduct electricity if arranged in a certain way, they are commonly 0.5-1.5 nanometers in diameter.
multi walled carbon nanotubes
Multi walled carbon nanotubes MWCNT’s these are stacked layers of graphene where each layer is another carbon nanotube making them longer with slightly different properties from SWCNTs this is due to having more layers and can then conduct electricity they are typically greater than 100 nanometers in diameter these can therefore extend to lengths of several micrometers and even millimetres.
BOTH
Both types of CNTS vary widely depending on their specific structure, whether they are single-walled, how chiral they are in terms of atom arrangement around the circumference.
Carbon nanotubes are amazing candidates for applications in nano electromechanical systems NEMS aswell as electronics, because they allow electricity to flow with less resistance than copper which is most commonly used in electronics, hence an example would be a computer that starts quicker and gets less hot, this aswell as energy storage has huge potential for long term benefits
Most of this article is focused on mwcnts, their application in reinforcing polymers and plastics for strength can therefore have a huge impact on a wide variety of markets such as sports equipment, automotive parts aswell as aerospace panels which is one of the main topics of which this will go into more detail about
This project is currently in development. The research focuses on two primary questions around carbon nanotube applications in medicine, with supporting sub-questions. Work in progress.
Question 1 — Production at Scale
What are the main challenges in scaling up production of Carbon Nanotubes for medical applications?
In development.
Question 2 — CNTs vs Nanoparticles in Medicine
What are the advantages and limitations of using Carbon Nanotubes versus nanoparticles in medical applications?
In development.
Question 3 — CNTS self healing in automitve engineering
Sub-question — Gene Delivery
Carbon Nanotubes can be used to deliver genetic material into cells, potentially leading to new treatments for genetic disorders.
How do different types of Carbon Nanotubes (e.g. SWCNT, MWCNT) affect the efficiency and specificity of gene delivery, and what are the implications for therapeutic applications?
In development.
Last updated: 19th July 2026