From Waste to Energy Materials Such as Carbon Nanotubes and Hydrogen

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The high cost of carbon nanotube (CNT) materials stifles broader access to energy applications. Also, CNTs are mainly produced in Asia, whilst the majority of customers are in Europe or the USA, implying large shipping costs and potential for supply chain disruption. In addition, plastic recycling systems struggle with mixed streams and are not environmentally sensitive. TrimTabs can solve these problems in three ways:

  1. By using plastic and solvent feedstock we will feed into the material supply chain of high-quality CNTs at lower manufacturing cost due to the use of waste plastics as feedstocks.
  2. The TrimTabs technology is applicable to a broadening list of single-stream and mixed plastics so we will improve on the recycling of otherwise wasted plastics and solvents not suited to conventional systems.
  3. TrimTabs solution can be tailored to local supply chains. Each plastic recycling location/company has unique plastic compositions and our process can be flexibly amended to suit local chemical supply chains, potentially avoiding long-distance supply chain disruptions. For example, when a Giga factory needs CNTs, we can create a device that makes their CNTs from their own waste plastics.

The chemical conversion of plastics to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and hydrogen is carried out using a patent-pending catalytic chemical vapour deposition process (https://www.trimtabs.ltd/patents) and this works in two process steps that are readily scalable using off-the-shelf engineering operational units:

  1. Plastics are dissolved in an appropriate liquid solvent, heated and stirred to produce a carbon-rich slurry.
  2. The slurry is injected into a heated furnace (no air or fire) at optimum pressure, temperature and flow rate; converting the slurry to a vapour. Catalysts then convert the vapour to nanotube solids and hydrogen gas using our patent-pending process.

The company has developed the prototype and is designing and building a pilot production plant to scale production and enter a commercially viable phase. Production is environmentally safe with all waste carbon extracted from the gasses to be reused making further hydrogen and nanotubes; "No carbon left behind" is our motto.

  • Total Addressable Market: The global market size for carbon nanotubes was $5.67bn in 2020 with forecasts increasing the market value to $20.31bn by 2030.
  • Serviceable Addressable Market: TrimTabs is focused on multi-walled nanotubes, a sector that was worth $5.25bn in 2021 and should be worth $10.74bn by 2028; representing a CAGR of 10.8%. Market demand in 2018 was estimated at 1,090 metric tons driven by growth for batteries, solar cells, nanoelectronics and energy storage. This would give a SAM of $109m (1,090 tonne)*($100,000/tonne).
  • Serviceable Obtainable Market: Annual MWCNT Pilot Plant production of 4 metric tonnes is planned, equalling 0.37% global market share.

High CNT price is the biggest obstacle to large scale deployment, TrimTabs patent-pending process can make CNTs cheaper by using waste materials as feedstock. Our nanotubes are low in price with a high-quality profile and we use green production techniques. TrimTabs can count the carbon particles and show how customers are saving carbon that would have otherwise been lost to the atmosphere.

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Alvin Orbaek White
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Scientist
  • Alvin is inspired by:
    In my office, and at the forefront of my thinking is a picture of "Earth Rising" that was taken from the Apollo orbiter when looking back to earth. From that vantage point looking at our planet, it is obvious that nothing is actually thrown away; my vision is to develop technologies that turn waste into wealth. I want to bring to light technologies that can create value in waste from a fiscal, financial and environmental perspective The TrimTabs name comes from the philosophy of making small changes that have a large impact and this aligns with the vision of having made a small change in the mindset of people by showing them a financially lucrative pathway that is technologically sound for which they can make a lot of money from; while doing something beneficial for the environment too.
  • Software used for this entry:
    Comsol
  • Patent status:
    pending