A graphene sheet rolled into a seamless cylinder. 100 times the tensile strength of steel at one-fifth the density. Electrical conductivity matching copper. Thermal conductivity exceeding diamond. Available as single-wall (SWCNT), multi-wall (MWCNT), and five Speculāris-grade composite variants. Manufactured at L4 Factory 3 Line 3B from asteroid carbon at zero raw material cost. FOB Earth orbit from Month 21.
A carbon nanotube is a sheet of graphene rolled into a seamless hollow cylinder. The hexagonal carbon lattice is preserved — every atom is sp² hybridized, every bond is at maximum strength. The cylindrical geometry converts graphene's extraordinary in-plane properties into a three-dimensional structure that can be handled, woven, wound, and incorporated into composites. A CNT is not a fibre. It is a single molecule — a graphene sheet with no beginning and no end, no grain boundaries, no weak points. The wall is one atom thick for SWCNT. The properties that result are beyond any conventional engineering material.
CNT is produced at L4 by chemical vapor deposition on catalyst nanoparticles — iron-nickel catalyst from asteroid belt M-type bodies. Carbon feedstock from asteroid XL5 Sabatier methane. Energy from the 239.4 MW mirror array. Line 3B produces five grade variants covering SWCNT through thermoelectric composite. All grades available to Earth customers FOB orbit.
CNT is the structural and electrical backbone of the FPP drive system. Every coil winding, every confinement field element, every high-current bus conductor in the entire programme is CNT composite. Nothing else survives the environment.
Factory 3 Line 3B produces five CNT grades covering the full range of structural, electrical, and thermoelectric applications. All grades available FOB Earth orbit from Month 21. Ocean drop delivery to customer EEZ available. Strategic investment partners receive 50% perpetual discount.
| Grade | Type | Specification | Primary use |
|---|---|---|---|
CNT-S Structural |
MWCNT composite | Optimized for tensile strength and stiffness. Random chirality — always metallic. Purity >95%. Used as-produced or in epoxy/ceramic matrix composites. | Structural composites. Pressure vessels. Tether cables. Aerospace frames. |
CNT-T Thermal |
Aligned MWCNT | Axially aligned array optimized for thermal conductivity. 3,500 W/m·K along alignment axis. Lower structural performance than CNT-S — thermal is the design priority. | Thermal interface materials. Heat spreaders. Satellite thermal management. Electronic packaging. |
CNT-TC Thermoelectric Conductor |
SWCNT — metallic chirality selected | Armchair SWCNT, >90% metallic chirality purity. Electrical conductivity 10⁸ S/m. Current density up to 10⁹ A/cm². Spun into macro-yarn at specified cross-section. | High-current coil windings. FPP coil winding equivalent. Power transmission. Mass driver coils. High-field magnet windings. |
CNT-TG CNT/Graphene Composite |
MWCNT + graphene matrix | CNT fibres in graphene matrix. Graphene provides transverse load transfer between tubes — dramatically improving composite transverse strength versus unbound CNT. Highest structural performance composite grade. | Ultra-high-performance structural composites. Armor panels. Aerospace primary structure. Pressure vessels for cryogenic applications. |
CNT-TCG Full Composite |
MWCNT + thermoelectric + graphene | All-in-one structural, conductive, and thermally managed composite. CNT structural fibre + metallic SWCNT conductive network + graphene matrix + thermoelectric nanoparticles. Most complex grade — highest unit value. | Smart structural composites with embedded sensing. Thermoelectric energy harvesting structural panels. Aerospace multifunctional structure. |
| Product form | Specification | Sizes / dimensions | Applications | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CNT Powder / Dispersion CNT-PWD / CNT-DISP |
Dry powder or aqueous/solvent dispersion. Specified grade, purity, and length distribution. Surfactant-stabilized dispersion available. | Powder: 1g · 10g · 100g · 1kg · bulk. Dispersion: 10mL · 100mL · 1L · 10L at 1–10 mg/mL | Composite additive. Ink formulation. Electrode slurry. Coating. Research feedstock. | Purity certificate included. Length distribution by grade datasheet. |
CNT Fibre / Yarn CNT-FBR / CNT-YRN |
Continuous fibre spun from aligned CNT arrays. Available in monofilament and twisted yarn. Custom cross-section and twist angle. Tex (g/km) specified at order. | Monofilament: 1–50 μm diameter. Yarn: 100 μm – 5mm diameter. Length: 1m minimum, no maximum (continuous roll) | Textile composites. Structural fibre replacement. Electrical wiring in radiation environments. Coil windings. Tether cables. | Electrical conductivity grade (CNT-TC) or structural grade (CNT-S) specified. Breaking strength certified per spool. |
CNT Macro-Yarn Conductor CNT-MYC |
High-purity metallic SWCNT (CNT-TC grade) spun to large cross-section for power transmission applications. Current density >10⁸ A/cm². Insulated or bare conductor supplied. | Cross-section: 1mm² · 5mm² · 25mm² · 50mm² · Custom. Length: 1m minimum, custom spool length | High-current coil windings. Fusion magnet conductors. Mass driver coils. Power transmission in radiation environments. FPP-class applications. | Current rating certified. Insulation: PTFE, ceramic, or bare. Connector terminations available on request. |
CNT Composite Sheet / Panel CNT-CMP-PNL |
CNT-S, CNT-TG, or CNT-TCG grade in specified matrix (epoxy, PEEK, ceramic, or graphene matrix). Unidirectional, woven, or random orientation. Specify ply count and layup. | Sheet: 300×300mm · 500×500mm · 1×1m · 2×1m. Thickness: 0.5mm – 50mm custom ply | Aerospace structure. Satellite bus panels. Micrometeorite shielding. Armor. Pressure vessel skin. High-performance sporting equipment. | Specific strength and specific stiffness datasheet supplied. Custom layup to customer drawing accepted. |
CNT Thermal Interface CNT-TIM |
Aligned CNT-T array on metal or ceramic carrier. 3,500 W/m·K along tube axis. Bond line thickness 10–100 μm. Compression-mounted — no adhesive required. | 25×25mm · 50×50mm · 100×100mm · 200mm wafer. Carrier: copper · aluminium nitride · beryllium oxide | High-power electronics. RF power amplifiers. DRAD chip packages. Laser diode arrays. Nuclear reactor instrumentation cooling. | Thermal resistance datasheet per lot. Vacuum-compatible. Operating temperature to 750°C in inert atmosphere. |
CNT Armor Panel CNT-ARMOR |
CNT-TG composite panel with ceramic strike face. Multi-hit capable. Areal density 20–80% lower than equivalent steel or aluminium armor. Specify protection level at order time. | 300×300mm · 500×500mm · 1×1m · Custom geometry. Thickness: 5mm · 10mm · 20mm · 30mm | National defense force personal protection. Vehicle appliqué armor. Aerospace micrometeorite shielding. Industrial high-impact enclosures. | Ballistic test data supplied per lot. Curved geometry panels on request. Integration hardware available. |
CNT Tether Cable CNT-TETH |
CNT-S macro-yarn braided tether. 100 GPa tensile strength. 1.3 g/cm³ density. Termination fittings included. The only material from which a space tether of useful length can be manufactured. | Diameter: 1mm · 5mm · 20mm · 50mm · Custom. Length: 1km – 100km (delivered on drum). Breaking load certified per drum. | Orbital tethering and momentum transfer. Space elevator precursor sections. Asteroid capture tethers. Satellite deorbit devices. High-altitude balloon tethers. | Specific strength far exceeds any alternative material for length-to-mass-limited applications. No minimum order on standard diameters. |
Delivery: All products FOB Earth orbit from Month 21. Ocean drop to customer EEZ coordinates — same chain as rare earth and DRAD chip products. Minimum order: No minimum on powder and dispersion. 1m minimum on fibre and yarn. Lead time: Factory 3 Line 3B production schedule — contact for availability. Strategic investment partners receive 50% perpetual discount on all CNT products. Bulk supply agreements available for national defense forces and industrial customers.
Carbon nanotubes were discovered in 1991. For thirty years they were produced in gram quantities at thousands of dollars per gram, for research applications. The promise of structural CNT — cables stronger than steel at a fraction of the mass — remained permanently two decades away from commercial reality because no one could produce them cheaply enough at sufficient scale. Speculāris produces them from asteroid carbon at L4 at zero raw material cost, in quantities sufficient for structural industrial applications.
The space elevator material. The tether cable material. The replacement for every structural application where steel is too heavy and carbon fiber is too weak. The coil winding that makes fusion drives possible. The armor that national defense forces have been waiting thirty years for. It is here. It comes from an asteroid. It arrives FOB Earth orbit from Month 21.
Speculāris — On the cutting edge.
Five grades. Any form. Contact for specifications, quotation, and delivery scheduling.