Nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene, have the immense potential to transform industries. Their exceptional strength, conductivity, and versatility can revolutionize manufacturing. From electronics to healthcare, nanomaterials can provide immense value in improving the quality and longevity of these products. However, despite their remarkable properties, their adoption in industrial applications faces several challenges.

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CNTs’ smooth, inert walls and graphene's lack of functional groups are central to the lack of commercialization. These characteristics limit the ability of these materials to interact meaningfully with other components, creating a significant barrier of integration into complex systems. Without functional groups, these nanomaterials struggle to form strong interfacial bonds, which are essential for many applications.

Efforts to disperse carbon nanomaterials in various media have shown some promise. Surfactants, for example, have been used to create stable dispersions. Dispersion alone is insufficient; the materials must demonstrate enhanced functionality and compatibility with diverse systems.

Adding functional groups to nanomaterials is crucial for preparing these materials for applications. By introducing functional groups, interfacial bonding and material compatibility improve significantly. However, achieving functionalization at scale poses the following challenges:

A) Scalability: Many functionalization methods cannot be easily scaled for industrial applications.

B) Consistency: Ensuring a uniform density of functional groups across batches is difficult.

C) Versatility: Current methods often fail to deliver multiple functionalities in a single step, limiting their applicability.

Our patent-pending technology, ACE, enables the incorporation of stearic acid, oleic acid, carboxylic groups, hydroxy groups, disulfides, phospholipids, and other functional groups into carbon nanomaterials. Tepanox offers functionalized CNT and graphene dispersions in water, branded as AquCNT™️ and Aquaphene™️, respectively. These products easily integrate into aqueous polymeric colloids, dispersions, and emulsions. AquCNT™️and Aquaphene™️ are utilized across various applications, including surface finishes, chemical resistance, abrasion, impact, anti-corrosion, sensors, water-based inks, and film-forming agents.

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