Instrumentation and Control of Carbon Nanotube Fibre Manufacture

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Over the past 7 years at Cambridge, a team led by Prof Windle has developed a process capable of making continuous carbon fibres in a single operation that are composed of entangled multi and single wall carbon nanotunes. The potential of this ground-breaking process for making high performance fibres has led to the opportunity of it being applied in a broad range of industrial sectors. It offers a disruptive technology that, if successfully developed through greater manufacturing innovations, is poised to replace traditional materials in a host of mechanical and electrical applications. Moreover, the current research position established by the Cambridge team offers a significant opportunity for the UK to take the lead in the development of a new materials supply chain, new manufacturing process technologies, and product innovations that are a step change from their conventional counterparts. Prof Windle's work to date has established the basic manufacturing process through a series of many process innovations. Numerous advances in reactor design, catalyst materials, and operating conditions have been explored in order to establish the manufacturing foundations. Many kilometres of fibre can now be produced in a continuous operation. However, limitations of the current laboratory production system include: variation in material characteristics such as fibre width; CNT crystal structure; mechanical strength; thermal and electrical conductivity. These issues have become a significant barrier to the consistent high volumetric production of materials with known characteristics. This project will develop advanced on-line instrumentation and manufacturing technology solutions that will enable the tightly controlled production of CNT fibre with sufficient quality and and in sufficient quantity that will allow industrial users to begin testing the materials in their new products. The new CNT fibres could find widespread applications in all sectors including power generation, aerospace, automotive, defence and consumer goods.