CarboSafe

Safety, health and quality aspects for the use of carbon nanotubes (CNT)

Schematic of a short double-walled carbon nanotube

Motivation

The superior material properties and the resulting high innovation potential of carbon nanotubes (CNT) will generate a variety of new applications and materials in the coming years. Due to the expected high production volumes, the comprehensive safety assessment of these materials is a top priority for producers, compounders, consumers and the environment and it is a task of great social and economic importance.

In particular, a reliable detection of CNT, their physico-chemical characterisation together with an improved knowledge about their emission and distribution behaviour in workplaces and the environment are important prerequisites for their safe use.

Potential risks in handling and use of CNT materials need to be assessed and appropriately communicated. This requires profound knowledge about the materials and their human- and ecotoxicologic effects. Therefore, appropriate test methods have to be developed.

The project CarboSafe addresses these challenges in the framework of the Innovation Alliance Carbon Nanotubes (inno.CNT), which was founded with the support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as a network with over 80 partners from industry, academia and government.

Objectives

The project will achieve the following objectives:

• Development of validated on-line analysis to determine particle size, agglomerate size, composition, concentration and size distribution of CNT.
• Improvement of stationary and personal air measurement technique for determining the possible release of CNT in the workplace and throughout the life cycle of CNT-containing products.
• Development of a measuring stand for determination of possible release of nano-objects during the mechanical processing of nanocomposites (such as grinding, drilling, sawing) and their recycling.
• Characterisation of the ecotoxicological potential of CNT in aquatic systems (water, sediment and organisms).
• Chemical characterisation of functionalised CNT

Findings from the development of methods for the characterisation of nanoobjects and their emission and distribution behaviour will contribute to international standardisation activities.

Collaborating partners

• Bayer MateralScience AG
• Bayer Technology Services GmbH
• BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing
• Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
• Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology e.V. (IUTA)
• RWTH Aachen, Institute for Environmental Research

Project management CarboSafe:
Dr. Matthias Voetz, Bayer Technology Services GmbH

Results

A list of publications on results of the CarboSafe project can be found on the related project webpage of the Innovation Alliance Carbon Nanotubes (Inno.CNT). (Link)

General information

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under contract 03X0043.

Project duration: 01.04.2008 – 31.03.2012

Related links

BAM

Division 1.3, NMR Spectroscopy
Division 6.8
Division 6.10

External websites

Inno.CNT (Innovation Alliance Carbon Nanotubes)
CarboSafe (Inno.CNT Project page)

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