Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market Report: Trends, Forecast and Competitive Analysis to 2035

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market

The future of the global carbon nanotube (CNT) market looks promising with opportunities in the energy, electrical & electronic, and transportation markets. The global carbon nanotube (CNT) market is expected to reach an estimated $6.2 million by 2035 from $2.1 million in 2027 with a CAGR of 14.5% from 2027 to 2035. The major drivers for this market are the growing demand from electronics & semiconductor industry, the increasing demand for conductive & flexible materials, and the rising demand for investments in nanotechnology research & development.

• Lucintel forecasts that, within the structure type category, multi-walled carbon nanotubes is expected to witness higher growth over the forecast period due to the lower cost and scalable industrial production capability.
• Within the end use category, electrical & electronics is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period due to the rising demand for high-performance conductive materials.
• In terms of regions, APAC will remain the largest region over the forecast period due to the strong electronics manufacturing and battery ecosystem.

Emerging Trends in Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market

Between 2025 and 2027, the market is expected to develop CNT products from lab-scale processes to larger-scale, applications-oriented production. Continued growth in the battery market will be the main driver of the CNT market. However, other markets, such as conductive plastics, coatings, semiconductors and composites will also generate growing demands and revenues. According to Lucintel, the competition in the CNT market will be on uniformity and cost performance, rather than on purity.

• Related To Energy Storage: CNTs are used to improve the performance of the anode and cathode of lithium-ion batteries. Sila Nanotechnologies' commercialization of CNTs for the production of batteries with silicon anodes in 2025, along with the growing worldwide battery demand, will create increased market opportunities for CNTs.
• Production of CNTs: Based on the trends in energy storage, other market developments will focus on the production of CNTs with lower carbon footprints, such as using renewable sources and improving the purification processes of CNTs. Sustainability will play an increasing role in the decisions made by automotive and battery customers.
• Advanced Dispersion: Son they call it. Suppliers of CNT powders have shifted business models toward prepared material solutions. Users have adopted aqueous processing to extract solvents and improve plant safety. Functional performance is forecast to take a significant leap due to improved dispersion. This should reduce variability in performance and potentially shorten the time required for qualification by end users.
• Regional Supply Diversification: Users have adopted supply chain strategies that incorporate multiple regions due to increased risk of supply disruption. New projects in North America and Asia have attempted to create battery material supply chains in the recent few years. Which regions have production capacity will influence the terms of sales, how much stock customers keep, and how willing customers would be to adopt CNTs at increasing rates.
• Functional Material Expansion: New applications for CNTs have resulted in increased demand. Expect demand to increase due to the increased use of electronics in automobiles. CNTs have good potential for electromagnetic shielding and other applications.

Demand for CNTs is increasing and will continue to increase due to use in batteries and other applications. The ability of a supplier to produce CNTs at a consistent level of quality, disperse CNTs, and adequately engineer them for the required application will determine how long the supplier will meet the needs of the market.

Recent Developments in the Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market

The market for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is expanding beyond specialty applications. Significant market growth is expected during the 2025-2027 time frame as aerospace and battery manufacturers and compounders finalize Qualification of their products. During this period, Lucintel expects that the market for energy storage systems will generate the largest demand for CNTs, and along with the advanced composite systems, will define the market Supply.

• Battery Capacity Expansion: It is expected that battery manufacturers will increase their production capacity in the near term and CNT suppliers will experience increased demand. LG Chem's announcement to build a CNT production facility in South Korea to supply 3,200 metric tons of CNTs per year (March 2025) was relating to their customer battery manufacturers that use CNTs in battery electrodes.
• European Production Investment: Nanocyl's decision to build a CNT production facility in Belgium (June 2025) to support battery and other markets will provide battery manufacturers a local source for CNTs and further integration of the European battery material supply chain.
• Strategic Application Partnership: OCSiAl and a leading European battery manufacturer have initiated a joint qualification process to assess the use of graphene nanotube dispersions in Li-ion batteries (from Sept. 2025 onward). Such partnerships move CNT suppliers away from simple raw material supply and toward customer-specific application. This positively affects customer loyalty and supply barrier differentiation.
• Launch of New Product: Toray has introduced a new CNT-based carbon fiber prepreg at JEC World (March 2025). Due to the improved electrical conductivity, the prepreg can be used to create structures that integrate electrically conductive pathways as well as damage sensors. The new product should facilitate the use of CNTs in the aerospace industry and is expected to create a new and stable market.
• Funding for Large-scale Production: In Feb. 2025, the European Commission has approved state aid worth 1.8 billion EUR for the establishment of battery and related supply chain manufacturing in Europe. It is expected that the public funding facilitates the shift of production from the pilot to the industrial scale. However, even for the battery industry, there are other key factors that need to be considered, e.g. the price per kWh.

Better commercial numbers are replacing lab test data. The focus is moving away from research and development and toward sales. The market is still expected to mainly be driven by the battery industry. A strong case can be made for CNT suppliers who established local presence, particularly in application engineering and sales.

Strategic Growth Opportunities in the Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market

Commercialization of Carbon nanotube (CNT) products has begun, with increasing demand from battery and electronic product manufacturers and composite manufacturers. The years 2024-2026 are expected to see an increase in the production of these products. The growing demand is expected to result from improved energy efficiency and electrification of various means of transportation. For a given end product, a greater emphasis is placed on the performance of the product in use rather than the performance of the product in the laboratory.

• Conductive Additives: CNTs can enhance conductivity of graphite and silicon used in electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. In January 2025, Sila completed the construction of a plant for the commercial production of silicon anode material. With improving conductivity of battery electrodes, automobile manufacturers can use battery packs with higher energy density and reduce the size of battery packs used in vehicles.
• Lightweight Structural Composites: Reinforced plastics containing CNTs can be used for structural components of a vehicle. Electromagnetic and electrostatic phenomenon can be shielded and/or dissipated by CNT-reinforced plastics. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted that in 2025, more than 17 million EVs would be sold worldwide.
• Advanced Materials: CNT films and thermal-management materials can make next-gen electronics. Advanced chips are in growing demand, and in the April 2025 quarter, TSMC reported record advanced-chip sales. Further advances in the electronics industry will reward companies that make continuous improvements in purity and dispersion of CNTs and related materials.
• Sustainable CNTs: More efficient CNT synthesis, particularly if it uses less energy and/or employs sustainable feed stocks, will give producers a competitive edge. The 2025 EU Industrial Deal aligns with the European Commission's goals to incentivize decarbonisation of the industry. The demand for carbon-neutral CNTs will encourage the use of sustainable feed stocks.
• Dispersed CNTs: Further dispersion of CNTs by the producer can lower risks for customers during formulation. The demands for dispensed CNTs in plastics, coatings, and other industries will increase. It is estimated that by 2025, 430 million tons of plastics will be produced annually. The global trend towards electrification will increase the demand for improved battery technologies.

CNT producers should focus on building local, technical, support services in high-demand regions. Further, long-term contracts will be awarded to CNT producers that build capacity and enable the process of customer qualification. Customer retention will hinge on a producer's ability to integrate consistent CNT dispersion, and application and process engineering across various customer verticals.

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market Drivers and Challenges

The carbon nanotube market is both advantageous and disadvantageous. CNTs have numerous benefits including improving the strength and thermal conductivity of materials, and reducing the overall weight of materials. The market for CNTs is still growing, with increasing use in aerospace, electronics, and battery industries. With that said, there are challenges hindering the growth of the market including health and safety concerns and inconsistencies in the supply chain. It is expected that in the next 5 years, there will be large investments in the improvement and growth of the market.

The factors responsible for driving this market include:

• Improvements in Batteries: CNTs are good at enhancing the mechanical stability of battery electrodes, increasing the life cycle and reducing the time for charge and discharge of batteries. With the increasing trends of the production of electric vehicles, there will be an increased demand for advanced batteries. It is expected that between 2023 and 2025, the production of electric vehicles will increase and thus boost the demand for advanced batteries. Fast charging batteries with CNTs as the conduction aid will meet the increasing market demand.
• Technology Improvements: Recent enhancements in the uniformity of CNT production have enabled development in areas such as electronics and composites. Continued progress in CNT production and purification should lead to further incorporation of CNTs in various materials for sensors and energy systems. Purities of 99% and greater are being targeted by research efforts and are expected to facilitate further integration of CNTs in various materials. Improvements in the control and automation of CNT production in the next 3-5 years are expected to result in less variance in CNT performance and larger production volumes, further expanding the use of CNTs to include aerospace and other high-performance applications.
• Electronics: The mechanical and electrical properties of CNTs lend themselves to many areas of electronics including flexible and transistor electronics, shielding and thermal electronics, and display electronics. The global semiconductor industry and displays continued to experience strong growth in 2024, further strengthening the electronics industry. The strong growth is expected to continue in the next 3-5 years, providing opportunities for CNTs in various films and interconnects.
• Lightweight Composites: CNTs have enabled the further development of high performance and lightweight composites. The aerospace industry is expected to experience strong growth in the next 3-5 years, providing an opportunity for CNTs in structural composites.
• Improved Sustainability: The use of CNTs can enhance the durability of products, decrease the material required per product, increase battery life and energy density, and reduce the weight of components. This could positively impact a company's environmental impact and aid in meeting company-wide environmental goals. From January 2025, regulations around batteries in the EU further increased requirements related to sustainability and carbon footprint, therefore increasing the need for improvements in batteries and other energy storage systems. Throughout the next 3 to 5 years, lifecycle analysis will impact the purchase decisions of companies. During this period, improvements in the energy and raw material demands of the synthesis of CNTs and other active materials will also progress.

The challenges facing this market include:

• Costs: CNTs are currently more expensive to manufacture on an industrial scale compared to other conventional carbon and metal-based materials. In May 2025, most industrial clients of batteries and composite materials requested reductions in price, due to instability in the price of raw materials. For CNTs to be adopted on a larger scale in the next 3-5 years, further improvements in manufacturing would be needed to reduce costs and increase standards and performance.
• Health and Safety: Though studies have not shown CNTs to be harmful, the fibrous nature of CNTs has similarities to other, more hazardous materials. In June 2025, controls for engineered nanomaterial's remained in focus for the occupation safety of employees. Additional regulations and rules concerning engineered nanomaterial's would increase in the next 3-5 years. For safety standards to allow wider adoption of CNTs, further research to identify and remove risks would need to be conducted.
• Quality and Supply Issues: There are a number of factors that can impact the performance of CNTs, including their length and diameter, purity, functionalization, and how they are dispersed and processed. Moreover, a limited number of reliable suppliers create supply risks for large customers. Increasing the qualification of battery and semiconductor materials in 2025 meant that CNT suppliers had to go through a prolonged evaluation process and test materials for months, increasing the risk of supply disruptions. In the coming years, the safety and reliability of CNTs can be improved through standardization, and reduced disruptions can be achieved through localized production and supply chain controls.

Carbon nanotubes are rapidly emerging in the electrics, electronics, and energy storage fields, and are expected to rapidly replace traditional materials. Establishing large scale production of consistent quality, safe CNTs is expected to reduce costs, and should facilitate further market growth. While there are many opportunities in the field due to the focus on sustainability, a myriad of challenges exist including first and foremost the safety of users, as well as the unmanageability and variability of CNTs. The challenges can be addressed through research and development, production, standardization, cost reduction, and distribution.

List of Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market Companies

Companies in the market compete on the basis of product quality offered. Major players in this market focus on expanding their manufacturing facilities, R&D investments, infrastructural development, and leverage integration opportunities across the value chain. Through these strategies carbon nanotube (CNT) market companies cater increasing demand, ensure competitive effectiveness, develop innovative products & technologies, reduce production costs, and expand their customer base. Some of the carbon nanotube (CNT) market companies profiled in this report include-

• OCSiAl
• Cabot Corporation
• LG Chem
• Resonac (Showa Denko)
• Nanocyl SA
• Cheap Tubes Inc.
• Arkema SA

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market by Segment

The study includes a forecast for the global carbon nanotube (CNT) market by structure type, method, end use, and region.

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market by Structure Type [Value ($M) from 2019 to 2035]:

• Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes
• Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market by Method [Value ($M) from 2019 to 2035]:

• Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition
• Chemical Vapor Deposition
• Others

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market by End Use [Value ($M) from 2019 to 2035]:

• Energy
• Electrical & Electronics
• Transportation
• Others

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market by Region [Value ($M) from 2019 to 2035]:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• The Rest of the World

Country Wise Outlook for the Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market

CNTs are rapidly transitioning from specialized applications to large scale production in batteries, electric road vehicles and other applications. According to Lucintel, it is expected that during the period 2025-2027, investments and a series of government policies would create a shift in the CNT supply chain.

• United States: Following the enforcement of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the U.S. Department of Energy's January 2025 decision to award $3 billion to support the construction of battery manufacturing and processing facilities is expected to promote the large-scale production of CNTs in the U.S. during the next 3-5 years.
• China: In addition to the expansion of Cnano Technology to produce conductive agents in China, Cnano's annual report for 2024 showed that the company completed the construction of a facility to produce 20,000 tons per year of CNTs for manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. Other similar projects are expected to be completed in the following years.
• Germany: BASF and CATL extend collaboration on battery materials and recycling. Germany and the EU's battery production projects promote local cell production. CATL's plant in Arnstadt reached 30 GWh by 2025. Development of the local cell production will create the need for local supply of CNT dispersions and other additives.
• India: The Indian government's Production Linked Incentive scheme for ACC and battery projects provides first of its kind battery production project related incentive scheme. Exide Energy Solutions is constructing a battery cell plant in Gujarat with a capacity of 12 GWh (expected completion in March 2025). Local production of batteries will catalyze the development and use of CNT based conductive additives and other materials.
• Japan: Commercial development of CNTs and other related materials for batteries and other related products continue at Zeon. Demand for high energy density and other related batteries in Japan will sustain the need for CNTs and other related technologies in the same time frame.

Features of the Global Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Market

• Market Size Estimates: carbon nanotube (CNT) market size estimation in terms of value ($M).
• Trend and Forecast Analysis: Market trends (2019 to 2026) and forecast (2027 to 2035) by various segments and regions.
• Segmentation Analysis: carbon nanotube (CNT) market size by structure type, method, end use, and region in terms of value ($M).
• Regional Analysis: carbon nanotube (CNT) market breakdown by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.
• Growth Opportunities: Analysis of growth opportunities in different structure type, method, end use, and regions for the carbon nanotube (CNT) market.
• Strategic Analysis: This includes M&A, new product development, and competitive landscape of the carbon nanotube (CNT) market.

Analysis of competitive intensity of the industry based on Porter's Five Forces model.

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This report answers following 11 key questions:

• Q.1. What are some of the most promising, high-growth opportunities for the carbon nanotube (CNT) market by structure type (single walled carbon nanotubes and multi walled carbon nanotubes), method (catalytic chemical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and others), end use (energy, electrical & electronics, transportation, and others), and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World)?
• Q.2. Which segments will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.3. Which region will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.4. What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the key challenges and business risks in this market?
• Q.5. What are the business risks and competitive threats in this market?
• Q.6. What are the emerging trends in this market and the reasons behind them?
• Q.7. What are some of the changing demands of customers in the market?
• Q.8. What are the new developments in the market? Which companies are leading these developments?
• Q.9. Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are key players pursuing for business growth?
• Q.10. What are some of the competing products in this market and how big of a threat do they pose for loss of market share by material or product substitution?
• Q.11. What M&A activity has occurred in the last 7 years and what has its impact been on the industry?