Downstream applications of NMP → CNT is expected to become a new growth point in the BDO industry! | ZOLSEM

Last time, we showed some market research on NMP solvent (N-methylpyrrolidone), the future growth point of BDO, in the form of PPT and video. In fact, as the third largest downstream of BDO, GBL→NMP solvent→PBAT→Carbon nanotube conductive paste (CNT), etc., are considered to be the growth points of BDO’s future market.

As we all know, NMP solvent often appears together with the binder PVDF; NMP solvent is to dissolve the binder PVDF. But when the editor followed the Zesheng team to inspect the lithium-ion battery factory, another conductive paste that appeared was carbon nanotubes (CNT). And CNT is also an emerging, widely optimistic, downstream application of NMP solvent; it may become a new growth point of BDO in the future.

【What is CNT? 】

Carbon nanotubes, also known as bucky tubes, were discovered by Japanese scientists in 1991. CNT is a tubular nanoscale graphite crystal, which is a seamless nanoscale tubular structure formed by a single or multi-layer graphene layer curled around the central axis at a certain helix angle. It is divided into single-walled carbon nanotubes and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Compared with other nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes have a more unique structure and excellent properties, so they are called “the king of nanomaterials”.

• In the field of lithium batteries, domestic carbon nanotube conductive agents have gradually replaced imported traditional conductive agents, changing the situation that the original conductive agent materials depended on imports.

• In the field of conductive plastics, my country’s carbon nanotube conductive masterbatch has achieved mass production, and it is expected to be widely used in the field of conductive plastics in the future.

• In the field of chip manufacturing, carbon nanotubes can be put into production as new materials, and the future market space is huge.

【What is a carbon nanotube conductive agent? 】

Conductive agent is a key auxiliary material of lithium battery. It is coated on positive and negative electrode materials to increase the conductivity of electrons and lithium ions. Adding a conductive agent to the electrode material of a lithium ion battery can effectively improve the rate of electron migration, thereby improving the charge and discharge rate of the electrode and ensuring good charge and discharge performance of the battery.

Conductive additives can be divided into traditional granular and new fibrous two.

1. Traditional conductive agents include carbon black (KB), acetylene black (AB), and graphite (KS);
2. High-end conductive agents mainly include carbon nanofibers (VGCF), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and carbon fibers (GN).

There are three types of current mainstream conductive agents: conductive carbon black, carbon nanotubes and graphene.

1. Conductive carbon black has moderate conductivity, high purity, low cost and large market share;

2. The conductive graphite sheet is large and thick, and it is not easy to form a conductive network, so it is usually used in combination with conductive carbon black;

3. Among the high-end conductive agents, carbon nanotubes generally have better conductivity than ordinary carbon black, with low dosage but high price and difficulty in dispersion.

Compared with traditional conductive agents, carbon nanotubes have better electrical conductivity. To achieve the same conductive effect, the amount of carbon nanotubes is only 1/6~1/2 of the traditional conductive agent. In addition, carbon nanotubes can maintain good electronic and ionic conduction during the cycling of lithium batteries, thereby greatly improving the cycle life of lithium batteries. Carbon nanotubes are gradually infiltrating and replacing traditional conductive agents such as carbon black.

Carbon nanotube conductive paste is a conductive paste using NMP (N-methylpyrrolidone) as a solvent for dissolving carbon nanotubes. 95% of the components in the carbon nanotube conductive paste are NMP solvents, so it can also be regarded as one of the downstream applications of BDO. In the future, with the rapid development of new energy vehicles, CNT is expected to become a new growth point in the BDO industry.