⚡ Carbon Nanotube Dispersion Comparison · Surfactant-Free · NASA Validated

Carbon Nanotube Dispersion
Without the Compromises.

Most CNT dispersions require surfactants — which coat every tube surface and destroy the very properties you're trying to exploit. Flexiphene™ dispersion achieves stable, uniform dispersion without surfactants, delivering measured results: 100× lower resistance, +19% polymer strength, and 90% batch consistency. Validated at NASA JPL.

U.S. Patents 10,049,783 / 11,961,630 B2. ASTM-tested polymer data. Peer-reviewed NASA JPL electrical data.

Zero Surfactants
100× Lower Resistance
+19% Polymer Strength

The Surfactant Trap

Carbon nanotubes have extraordinary intrinsic properties — but achieving those properties in a usable dispersion is genuinely hard. The van der Waals attraction between tubes is strong enough that they spontaneously bundle, and unbundling them without damaging the tube structure or contaminating the dispersion is the central challenge of CNT materials science.

❌ The Standard CNT Dispersion Approach

  • Surfactant dispersion (SDS, SDBS, Triton X-100): stabilizes tubes but coats every surface — creating insulating barriers between CNTs that destroy electrical conductivity
  • Acid functionalization (HNO₃/H₂SO₄): introduces defects and shortens aspect ratio — the longer the tube, the better the reinforcement, but acid cuts tubes short
  • Ultrasonication: breaks bundles but also breaks tubes — further shortening the aspect ratio and damaging the sidewall structure
  • Re-aggregation over time: tubes gradually re-bundle in storage; what you test at week 1 is different from what you use at week 8
  • Poor polymer interfacial bonding: surfactant shell around each tube creates a soft, weak interphase — load transfer from matrix to tube is compromised before reinforcement can occur

Result: Expensive CNTs delivering marginal, irreproducible improvements

✅ The Flexiphene™ Approach

  • Proprietary surface engineering: patented process maintains CNT stability in dispersion without any surfactant molecules — clean tube surfaces, clean interfaces
  • Intact tube structure: no acid damage, no sonication-induced breakage — high aspect ratio maintained for maximum load transfer and conductivity
  • Flexiphene™ architecture: patented multi-allotrope nanocarbon design — planar and tubular components work synergistically for superior surface area, stability, and electron transport
  • Long-term stability: 83% performance retained at 4 months — not days or weeks
  • Direct matrix bonding: no surfactant interphase means direct CNT-polymer contact — full load transfer efficiency for maximum reinforcement at minimum loading

Result: Measured, reproducible performance improvements. Every batch.

Flexiphene™ vs. Standard CNT Dispersions

Measured data from independent ASTM testing and a peer-reviewed NASA JPL publication — not marketing claims.

Property / Metric Standard CNT Dispersion Flexiphene™ Improvement
Electrical Resistance (film)10+ MΩ0.09 ± 0.03 MΩ100× Lower
Capacitance (electrode)0.52 µF50 µF96× Higher
EMF Signal Drift1900 µV/s20 ± 8 µV/s95× More Stable
Tensile Strength — PA 66, 1 wt.%Variable / marginal+19.0% ASTM testedMeasured gain
Flexural Modulus — PA 66, 1 wt.%Variable / marginal+18.9% ASTM D790Consistent
AgglomerationTypical — clusters presentZero (SEM confirmed)Fully dispersed
Surfactant ResiduePresentNoneClean surfaces
Shelf Stability (4 months)Re-aggregation occurs83% retainedProven stable
Batch ReproducibilityOften variable90% lot-to-lot yieldProduction reliable
Independent ValidationInternal or noneNASA JPL (published)Peer-reviewed

Electrical: Noell et al., Electroanalysis (2020), NASA JPL. Polymer: ASTM Type V / ASTM D790, PA 66 at 1 wt.%. SEM: scanning electron microscopy of composite cross-sections.

Why Flexiphene™ Outperforms Standard CNT Dispersions

Flexiphene™ is not just a CNT dispersion — it's a patented multi-component nanocarbon architecture where different nanocarbon allotropes work synergistically. This is the key insight that makes the performance numbers possible.

2D

2D Nanocarbon: The Planar Scaffold

The planar nanocarbon component provides large surface area with abundant functional groups. It stabilizes the nanotube network spatially, prevents rebundling, and provides direct bonding points to polymer matrices and electrode surfaces.

1D

1D Nanotubes: The Electron Highways

High-aspect-ratio nanotubes bridge across the nanocarbon scaffold, creating continuous 1D electron pathways through the network. The combination of planar surface area and nanotube conductivity is what produces the 100× resistance improvement and 96× capacitance gain.

3D

3D Interconnected Network

Flexiphene™'s patented architecture forms a 3D interconnected nanocarbon network — the planar component provides area coverage, the nanotubes bridge gaps. This network is more robust and more conductive than single-component dispersions at equivalent loading.

⚗️

Proprietary Surface Engineering

The patented dispersion process maintains this 3D network structure in liquid suspension — surfactant-free — through proprietary surface chemistry that prevents bundling without contaminating the carbon surfaces.

Reducible for Maximum Performance

Flexiphene™ can be thermally or chemically reduced post-application to further enhance conductivity. This two-stage approach combines excellent processability with maximum electrical performance — on demand.

10×

High Functional Content

Up to 10× higher interfacial activity compared to standard oxidized CNTs — more contact area, more functional groups for bonding, more reinforcement per gram delivered by Flexiphene™'s multi-allotrope architecture.

What You Can Build

CNT Dispersion FAQ

What type of CNTs does Flexiphene™ contain?
Flexiphene™ is a proprietary, patented nanocarbon dispersion. The specific formulation — including nanotube type and architecture — is protected under U.S. Patents 9,896,335 and 10,501,325. Flexiphene™ consistently outperforms MWCNT-only and SWCNT-only dispersions in validated testing. Full technical characterization data is available under NDA/MTA — contact us to discuss your application requirements.
Can Flexiphene™ replace my current CNT masterbatch formulation?
Yes — Flexiphene™ is a drop-in candidate for CNT masterbatch applications. It ships as a liquid dispersion that integrates into melt compounding, solution blending, and resin infusion workflows. Our materials scientists can advise on loading equivalency and processing adjustments for your specific polymer system. We recommend requesting a sample to run side-by-side testing against your current formulation.
How do I handle and store Flexiphene™?
Flexiphene™ ships as a ready-to-use liquid dispersion — no powder handling, no dust exposure risk. Store at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Shake gently before use. The 83% performance retention at 4 months (published data) means your sample remains useful over a typical research evaluation period. No special storage equipment is required.
Is Flexiphene™ more expensive than standard CNT dispersions?
Flexiphene™ is a premium dispersion — it costs more than commodity CNT powders or low-grade dispersions. The relevant comparison is cost-per-result, not cost-per-gram. If your current dispersion requires 5 wt.% loading to achieve marginal gains that Flexiphene™ delivers at 1 wt.%, the effective cost advantage is significant. If your current dispersion produces irreproducible results that consume research time to troubleshoot, the productivity savings are even larger. Contact us to discuss pricing for your application and volume requirements.

Try the CNT Dispersion Without the Compromises.

Free sample kit. Full technical datasheet. NASA JPL and ASTM data included. See for yourself why surfactant-free makes all the difference.