ABSTRACT
Use of nanotechnology and nanomaterials-based products has been increasing. The increasing amount of patents indicates continued innovation in potential applications of CNT composites, novel applications enabled by CNTs, and new ways of effectively creating CNT composites. While most of the early patent literature revolves around the incorporation of CNTs into polymeric materials, significant strides have been made in CNT-MMCs as well. This chapter presents an overview of patents and patent applications on CNT-MMCs in order to shed light on what the first wave of commercialization might look like. It is evidence of what is widely known, after decades of exciting research and substantial promising; significant CNT-MMC research is now being done by private industry and other organizations that do not readily report findings and advances in the open literature. By surveying the patent literature, it is possible to take a glimpse into the current and future state of commercial development of CNT-MMC technology.
