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Nanomaterials
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New Trends in the Synthesis and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes
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New Trends in the Synthesis and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "2D and Carbon Nanomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 June 2026 | Viewed by 2871

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Liu Qian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
Interests: carbon nanomaterials; carbon nanotubes; CVD synthesis; carbon-based electronics; AI for materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since their discovery in 1991, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have revolutionized nanotechnology due to their exceptional mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. Over the past three decades, advancements in synthesis techniques, such as chemical vapor deposition and arc discharge, have enabled scalable production, while their applications have expanded into electronics, energy storage, composites, and biomedicine. Despite progress, challenges persist in controlling structure–property relationships, achieving defect-free synthesis, and integrating CNTs into commercial systems.

This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge innovations in CNT synthesis, functionalization, and application-driven research. We seek to bridge fundamental discoveries with real-world solutions, emphasizing sustainability, scalability, and interdisciplinary approaches. The scope of this Special Issue includes novel synthesis methods (e.g., bio-inspired or AI-guided techniques), advanced characterization tools, and emerging applications in quantum computing, flexible electronics, environmental remediation, and nanomedicine.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing the following:

  • Breakthroughs in controlled growth, chiral selectivity, or AI-driven synthesis;
  • Applications of CNTs for energy storage (e.g., batteries and supercapacitors), high-strength composites, or biomedical innovations;
  • Advanced characterization techniques for CNTs;
  • Scalable manufacturing and life-cycle analysis for sustainable adoption.

Dr. Liu Qian
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon nanotube synthesis
  • carbon nanotube applications
  • structure–property relationships
  • sustainable nanotechnology
  • advanced manufacturing

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 5969 KB  
Article
Study on a High-Current CNT Cathode X-Ray Tube
by Huaping Tang, Jinmei Chen, Guoyu Li, Sheng Lai, Wu He and Zhiqiang Chen
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(9), 560; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16090560 - 2 May 2026
Viewed by 1346
Abstract
This work aims to achieve both high current emission density and high emission current of carbon nanotube (CNT) cathodes for high-power X-ray generation applications. High-purity small-diameter CNT materials were obtained, and a novel “five-state” electrophoretic deposition method was proposed to fabricate CNT cathodes. [...] Read more.
This work aims to achieve both high current emission density and high emission current of carbon nanotube (CNT) cathodes for high-power X-ray generation applications. High-purity small-diameter CNT materials were obtained, and a novel “five-state” electrophoretic deposition method was proposed to fabricate CNT cathodes. For an emission area of 10 mm × 0.45 mm, a high and stable cathode emission current of 350 mA was achieved, corresponding to an emission current density of 7.8 A/cm2. An X-ray dose rate of 39.49 mGy/s@50 cm was measured under a tube potential of 120 kV, cathode current of 100 mA, and pulse width of 10 ms. The focal spot size of the X-ray source, measured using a slit camera, was 0.98 mm (width) × 1.05 mm (length) at 15% max intensity, and the pulse width range was 100 µs–100 ms. Through continuous testing at 200 mA emission current, 100 µs pulse width, and 0.3% duty cycle for 400 h, the CNT cathode is estimated to exhibit a lifetime of approximately 5085 h, demonstrating stable and reliable durability. This study, for the first time, simultaneously realizes multi-A/cm2-level emission current density, hundreds-of-milliampere emission current, and hundreds-of-millisecond operating pulse width for CNT cathodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in the Synthesis and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes)
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13 pages, 11282 KB  
Article
Rapid Far-Infrared Radiation and Physiotherapeutic Effects of Carbon Nanotube Flexible Thin-Film Heaters
by Shi-Yao Wang, Yue-Xin Wang, Wen-Zheng Li, Meng-Yao Li, Jia-Yi Gao, Pu Liu, Jing Zhou, Xuguo Huai and Hong-Zhang Geng
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(9), 539; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16090539 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 537
Abstract
Carbon nanotube (CNT) materials exhibit ultrahigh electrical and thermal conductivity. Upon electrical excitation, CNT-based transparent conductive films (TCFs) can emit far-infrared radiation (FIR) and provide certain physiotherapeutic efficacy, making them ideal candidates for thermotherapy applications. This work systematically tests and analyzes the fundamental [...] Read more.
Carbon nanotube (CNT) materials exhibit ultrahigh electrical and thermal conductivity. Upon electrical excitation, CNT-based transparent conductive films (TCFs) can emit far-infrared radiation (FIR) and provide certain physiotherapeutic efficacy, making them ideal candidates for thermotherapy applications. This work systematically tests and analyzes the fundamental physical properties and physiotherapeutic performance of CNT flexible thin-film heaters (TFHs) for potential use in health physiotherapy. Two types of TFHs with different electrode connection modes were fabricated via the prepared TCFs. Experimental characterizations were conducted on their response time, electrothermal performance, and heat transfer characteristics. The results showed that the temperature rise per unit input power for TFH1 was 16.71 °C/W, while that of TFH2 was 4.29 °C/W at the same voltage of 10 V. In addition, the variation trends of maximum temperature with power density were highly consistent for the two films. This demonstrates that TFHs fabricated using the same TCFs exhibit excellent and high electrothermal conversion efficiency as well as outstanding comprehensive electrothermal performance. In addition, smaller L/W ratio leads to lower resistance of TFHs, resulting in a stronger thermal effect under identical applied voltage. After the temperature stabilized, the surface temperature of the TFHs decreased by approximately 5 °C when attached to the human arm, confirming that the heat generated by the TFHs under electrical excitation could be effectively absorbed by the human body. The TFHs emitted rapid FIR upon electrification, and the peak wavelength ranged from 8 to 12 µm, which fell within the range of 6–14 µm that was easily absorbable by the human body. The heat can be rapidly absorbed by the skin and distributed throughout the body via blood circulation, yielding favorable physiotherapeutic efficacy. This study provides key physical parameters for the application of TFHs in wearable medical devices and physiotherapy equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in the Synthesis and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes)
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17 pages, 5677 KB  
Article
Graphene Coatings for Durable and Robust Resistance to Caustic Corrosion of Nickel
by Tanuj Joshi, R. K. Singh Raman, Yiannis Ventikos, Saad Al-Saadi and Anthony De Girolamo
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(4), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16040265 - 18 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 564
Abstract
Nickel is widely deployed in caustic service, yet its native Ni(OH)2/NiOOH passive film raises concerns for long service life. Graphene has emerged as a promising corrosion barrier; however, its long-term durability in strongly alkaline media remains largely unexplored. The extended exposure [...] Read more.
Nickel is widely deployed in caustic service, yet its native Ni(OH)2/NiOOH passive film raises concerns for long service life. Graphene has emerged as a promising corrosion barrier; however, its long-term durability in strongly alkaline media remains largely unexplored. The extended exposure period in a highly caustic solution is a novel aspect of the present work, distinguishing it from previous studies that predominantly examined short-term exposures or focused on neutral and acidic environments. Here, we present the systematic assessment of low-pressure CVD-grown multilayer graphene (MLG) coatings on Ni in highly caustic (0.5 M NaOH) for up to 80 days. Two architectures, a conformal, robust MLG coating (Gr_Ni) and a less robust film (Gr_Ni_DF), were benchmarked against bare Ni. PDP and EIS reveal that Gr_Ni initially delivers nearly 2 orders of magnitude enhancement, as evidenced by the low frequency impedance, accompanied by a broad, high-fidelity capacitive plateau; the impedance still maintains 1.3–1.5 orders of magnitude superior after prolonged exposure. In contrast, Gr_Ni_DF undergoes progressive degradation, affording a modest 2-fold benefit over time, consistent with defect-mediated electrolyte ingress. SEM morphologies further corroborate these trends, confirming the superior structural stability of Gr_Ni under extended alkaline immersion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in the Synthesis and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes)
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