碳纳米管的宏量制备及产业化

Review on mass production and industrialization of carbon nanotubes

作为纳米材料的代表之一,碳纳米管因其独特的一维结构具备了优异的力学、电学、热学、光学和反应性能,使其在能源存储与转化、复合材料、多相催化、环境保护及生物医药等领域具有大量的应用潜力.本文总结了多种类型碳纳米管宏量制备的化学及工程原理,并对多壁碳纳米管、单壁碳纳米管、双壁碳纳米管、定向碳纳米管、超顺排碳纳米管、水平超长碳纳米管、掺杂碳纳米管、螺旋碳纳米管、碳纳米管结及碳纳米管/石墨烯杂化物的宏量制备方法进行了评述.同时,对碳纳米管产业化中新的工程问题,如工业标准、环境评估以及产业化进展进行了分析.目前,碳纳米管已经具有成千吨的产能,并广泛应用于锂离子电池电极、导电复合材料、汽车配件和体育用品等领域.尽管如此,高性能的碳纳米管的宏量制备及其配套产业化技术仍有待深入开发,产品需要进一步丰富、市场需要进一步拓展,以望形成大规模纳米产业,促进社会的可持续发展.

As one of the nanomaterial representatives, one-dimensional carbon nanotubes （CNTs） possess extraordinary mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical properties, as well as controllable reactivity. This renders their broad applications in the fields of energy storage and transition, composites, heterogeneous catalysis, environmental protection, and drug delivery. This review presents the chemical and engineering principles of CNTs mass production. The detailed strategies for mass production of multi-walled CNTs, single-walled CNTs, double-walled CNTs, CNT arrays, super-aligned CNTs, super-long CNTs, doped CNTs, coiled CNTs, CNT junctions, as well as CNT/graphene hybrids were all presented. Meanwhile, the key engineering considerations in standardization, environment, health, and safety were analyzed, and their commercialization process was evaluated. The production capacity has been over 10000 tons per year, and bulk applications for Li-ion battery, conductive nanocomposites, automotive, sporting goods have been achieved. However, more efforts should be devoted on the chemical route for mass production and engineering route for commercialization of high performance CNTs, in order for versatile properties and applications. The basic research for CNTs production and application will flourish the nanotechnology industry for sustainable society.