Bayer MaterialScience (Leverkeusen, Germany; www.bayermaterialscience.com) announced it has added a partner to further develop applications for its Baytubes carbon nanotubes. Bayreuth, Germany-based FutureCarbon will use Baytubes and graphite materials to manufacture aqueous nano dispersions using a patent-pending process.

“FutureCarbon is an innovative and flexible partner that will open up a very large and attractive market for high-tech nano dispersons,” explains Martin Schmid, head of global Baytubes operations. These will be used to formulate nano masterbatches for thermoplastics. According to Schmid, there are great opportunities for Baytubes as additives for thermoplastics, rubber, and polyols for polyurethanes and in the production of catalysts. Carbon nanotubes, also known as CNT for short, have an estimated market potential of several thousand tons a year over the next few years, say company sources.