Conductive Materials

As with other properties, life at the nanoscale has the opportunity to change or enhance electrical and thermal conductivity. With the ever-increasing use of electronics, conductive materials are always finding new uses.

Metallic Nano Conductors

Silver is the most electrically and thermally conductive element known to man, and these conductive properties are equally evident at a nanoscale level. Blue Nano's silver nanowires can be effectively utilized in a wide variety of conductive applications including solar cells, high power LEDs, touchscreen displays, computer circuits, conductive adhesives, LCDs, sensors and other applications.


Copper is not quite as electrically or thermally conductive as silver but is significantly less expensive, which is reflected in the huge amounts of copper wires manufactured each year. Copper nanomaterials can be utilized in almost any conductive application as well as waveguides, integrated circuits, and heat transfer systems.


Gold, while not as conductive as silver or copper, displays strong anti-corrosive qualities and is thus often seen in applications where contact with oxygen or other corrosive elements occurs. Gold nanomaterials also incur changes to their chemical properties at a nanoscale level.

Carbon Nano Conductors

Carbon is unique among elements in that it is found in a variety of allotropes that range from conductive (graphite) to strongly insulative (diamond). When arranged at a nanoscale level, however, carbon's conductivity can skyrocket beyond even graphite, displaying superconductive abilities.


Additionally, other carbon nanostructures operate as semiconductors, opening up a world of carbon-based nanoelectronics. Already there is significant research behind the use of carbon-based nanotransistors (single-walled carbon nanotubes as field effect transistors) to break through the physical limitations encountered by computer engineers at a microscale level.


Additionally, carbon nanotubes exhibit unique thermal properties, conducting heat very well along the tube (due to ballistic conductive effects) but insulating effectively on the lateral axis. Given the relationship between electrical and thermal conductivity in modern high-powered electronics, carbon nanotubes open a variety of doors to cutting edge applications.


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