Smaller carbon fibres aid conductivity: News from SDK

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VGCF-S is a new grade of carbon nanofibre suitable for addition to resins in which electrical conductivity is required. SDK has already commercialised vapour-grown carbon fibre (VGCF) with a diameter of 150nm for use in lithium ion batteries. With the development of VGCF-S, the company will accelerate the development of new applications for multi-walled carbon nanofibre.

Carbon nanofibre tends to exhibit more useful characteristics as its diameter becomes smaller, but this also means that its handling - dispersion and blending - becomes more difficult.

However, when added to resins, the newly developed VGCF-S provides electrical conductivity equal to that of carbon nanotube (with a diameter of approximately 20nm) and, at the same time, enables high dispersion and blending into base material.

The new material uses vapour-grown carbon-fibre technology developed jointly with Prof Morinobu Endo of Shinshu University.

SDK is the sole commercial producer in the world of VGCF, producing 40 tonnes a year.

SDK has developed VGCF-S by optimising the diameter and length of VGCF to achieve high electrical conductivity and good handling properties.

VGCF-S can be added to resins to produce highly antistatic trays and jigs for clean rooms.

The resultant trays and jigs can protect fine circuits of electronic devices by preventing discharge of static electricity.

Some customers have already started using VGCF-S for this application and have expressed a great deal of satisfaction.

Furthermore, VGCF-S can also impart to base material heat conductivity, electromagnetic shielding and sliding properties.

SDK will develop new applications for this material by fully exploiting the combination of these useful properties.

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News Release from: SDK Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 28 September 2004

Smaller carbon fibres aid conductivity

VGCF-S is a new grade of carbon nanofibre suitable for addition to resins in which electrical conductivity is required.

Note: Readers of the Editor’s free email newsletter will have read this news when it was announced. . It’s free!

News Release from: SDK
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 28 September 2004