Every other advantage Flexiphene™ has flows from this one. Surfactants are the crutch that conventional nanocarbon dispersions rely on — and the reason they underperform. Eliminating surfactants entirely, through patented surface engineering, is the foundational breakthrough that makes everything else possible.
Surfactants solve one problem — keeping nanocarbon particles separated in liquid — while creating three more. Understanding why reveals why every surfactant-based dispersion is fundamentally limited.
Surfactant molecules adsorb onto nanocarbon surfaces and stay there after deposition. In conductive films and electrodes, these molecular layers act as resistors between particles — breaking the conductive network. This is why standard CNT films measure 10+ MΩ versus Flexiphene™'s 0.09 MΩ.
In polymer composites, surfactant residue migrates to the nanocarbon-polymer interface — the critical zone where stress transfers from matrix to reinforcing particle. The surfactant layer softens this interface, reducing load transfer efficiency and limiting mechanical gains. It's why high-loading conventional CNT composites often show disappointing results.
Surfactant molecules migrate and desorb over time, changing the nanocarbon network properties and causing the dispersion to degrade. This is why many conventional nanotube dispersions perform well at week 1 and measurably worse at week 8 — the dispersion is changing under you.
Flexiphene™ achieves long-term dispersion stability through patented surface engineering of the nanocarbon structure itself — not by coating it with foreign molecules. The nanocarbon surface remains chemically clean and fully active.
| Measurement | With Surfactant | Flexiphene™ (Surfactant-Free) | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film Resistance | 10+ MΩ | 0.09 ± 0.03 MΩ | 100× Lower |
| Electrode Capacitance | 0.52 µF | 50 µF | 96× Higher |
| Tensile Strength (PA 66, 1 wt.%) | Marginal | +19% | Measured gain |
| 4-Month Stability | Degrades | 83% retained | No migration |
Electrical data: Noell et al., Electroanalysis (2020), NASA JPL. Mechanical: ASTM Type V / D790, PA 66 at 1 wt.%.
Request a free sample kit and the full technical datasheet. Evaluate Flexiphene™ against your current dispersion — with ASTM-standard protocols and our materials scientists on call.