IEEE STARTS STANDARD TO DEFINE
PROPERTIES OF CARBON NANOTUBES USED IN BULK MATERIALS
Contact:
Krishna Kalyanasundaram: Chair of the Carbon Nanotube
Characterization Working Group
+1 847-576-9596; krishnak@motorola.com
or
Karen McCabe, IEEE Senior Marketing Manager
+1 732-562-3824; k.mccabe@ieee.org
PISCATAWAY, N.J., USA, 29 November 2005 Carbon
nanotubes are finding broad use as additives that
improve the physical and electrical properties of
plastics and other materials. Unfortunately, different
suppliers measure and report the properties of carbon
nanotubes in different ways, so manufacturers have
trouble comparing nanotubes to find the one that best
meets their needs.
To resolve this situation, the IEEE has begun work
on IEEE P1690(TM), “Standard Methods for the
Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes Used as Additives
in Bulk Materials”. When completed, it will be
the first standard to define methods for testing these
additives and how to report the resulting performance
data.
“This standard should aid the acceptance and
diffusion of carbon nanotube technology,” says
Krishna Kalyanasundaram, Chair of the Carbon Nanotube
Characterization Working Group. “It will help
nanotube producers characterize purity, dispersion
and other properties and also give end users confidence
in evaluating carbon nanotubes from different sources.
IEEE P1690 will apply to nanotubes independent of
how they were fabricated.”
The standard will recommend instruments and procedures
for validating nanotube purity, concentration, dispersion
rate, agglomeration and other properties. In the area
of purity, for instance, it will address the presence
of non-carbon substances, such as metal catalysts
and carbon-like molecules. It will give material suppliers
a structure for providing data and offer guidance
on proper levels for dispersion and agglomeration,
which affect nanotube dispersion shelf life.
"The P1690 Working Group has undertaken the
task of developing a standard that will serve as the
model for future nanoscale materials-related standards,”
says Dan Gamota, Chair of the IEEE Nanotechnology
Council Standards Committee. “Krishna has the
strong support of the IEEE Nanotechnology Council
Standards Committee to lead this working group as
it drafts one of the most critical standards along
the nanotechnology value chain."
Anyone interested in joining the IEEE P1690 Working
Group should contact Krishna Kalyanasundaram (krishnak@motorola.com;
847-576-9596) or Daniel Gamota (gamota@motorola.com;
847-576-5084). The working group especially needs
those with expertise in carbon nanotube metrology,
manufacturing and characterization, high-volume manufacturing,
and in-line testing. Information on the working group
is available at: http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1690/.
IEEE P1690 is sponsored by the IEEE Nanotechnology
Council Standards Committee.
About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized
standards-setting body, develops consensus standards
through an open process that brings diverse parts
of an industry together. These standards set specifications
and procedures based on current scientific consensus.
The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of more than 870 completed
standards and more than 400 standards in development.
For information on IEEE-SA see: http://standards.ieee.org/.
About the IEEE
The IEEE has more than 375,000 members in approximately
150 countries. Through its members, the organization
is a leading authority on areas ranging from aerospace,
computers and telecommunications to biomedicine, electric
power and consumer electronics. The IEEE produces
nearly 30 percent of the world's literature in the
electrical and electronics engineering, computing
and control technology fields. This nonprofit organization
also sponsors or cosponsors more than 300 technical
conferences each year. Additional information about
the IEEE can be found at http://www.ieee.org.
