Antennas using Carbon Nanotubes Vs Copper

Hi Everyone,

Presently, there has been a lot of buzz in designing miniaturized antennas using carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
I went through a lot of papers, for ex:"Full-Composite Fractal Antenna Using Carbon Nanotubes for Multiband Wireless Applications" where they compare the performance of the antennas designed with copper and CNTs.
Obviously, the antennas designed with Copper have better performance in terms of return loss,radiation pattern etc. And there is hardly any miniaturization achieved with the antenna designed using CNTs.

So I was wondering what are advantages of designing structures using CNTs or am I missing anyting ?

Please let me know your opinions on this.

Thanks a lot,
-sv.

Carbon Nanotubes sounds more sexy than regular copper, even if it's technically meaningless.

Hi FvM,

So can I take that "There are technically no advantages in designing RF structures such as antennas/filters etc using CNTs".

Thanks,
-sv

That's at least my guess.

I guess it has mostly to do with its properties,not only just miniaturization but properties like semiconducting and conducting nanotubes(Electrical properties) Tensile strength. i have read that in specific cases the conductivity of nanotubes is very high compared to copper. Apart from all these when we go higher up the frequency ladder the actual process of etching copper becomes more tedious and unrealistic.

Since its a relatively new field of study compared to others integration of the nanotube into various fields will take time and understanding.

These are just my guesses,and i am no expert.with All due respect to experts here

Regards
Chachito

Hi Chachito, Thank you for sharing your views. I agree that its a new field and a lot of research is going on for "mass production" of CNTs.

I am right now doing material characterization of Single walled CNTs and Multiwalled CNTs. From the IEEE papers that I read, the conductivity for SWNTs reported is 30000 S/m in the frequency range from 1 to 14 GHz. I really doubt about the fact that "conductivity of nanotubes can be higher compared to copper".

Thanks for sharing your views.

-sv

Thanks a lot for your comments and i really appreciate your feedback.

if i am not mistaken i read from the science week that multiwalled carbon nanotubes exhibit superconductivity.But then i am not at all involved in any of the carbon nanotube business,so wouldnt know anything concerete. :)

Regards
Chachito

---------- Post added at 01:51 ---------- Previous post was at 01:39 ----------

But for some reason the whole hype that have created around nanotubes,makes it interesting in so many ways. thats the reason i am trying to get involved and see what kind of feedback or response does this thread brings about :)

Regards
Chachito

Thanks you for sharing information about carbon nanotubes :)

Assume a monopole, radiation resistance typical 70 Ohm. If built in Copper material must a loss resistance due to the material be added. Assume a high value typ 0.5 Ohm. Superconducting material can then improve by reducing this 0.5 Ohm loss. I do not think anyone is able to measure the difference in antenna performance.
Then must they have compared with bent nanotubes if free space radiation pattern was affected in a measurable degree.
There is nothing that makes naontube antenna shorter for same performance. If superconducting also results in current near speed of light will a nanotube antenna actually be a bit longer for same antenna /wavelength. A Copper monopole is about 0.24 lambda.
It is possible with nanotubes to build miniature patterns and achieve a high order of fractal properties.
Sure but that kind of antennas can I do with steel-wool also and with high enough order of the bending have I built a non radiating resistor.
If you want to convince your self, and have a VNA or similar available to measure result, compress some steel wool in a plastic tube and use as a monopole.
Well tuned is it a excellent antenna/resistor with low return loss and wide bandwidth but with poor antenna efficiency.