There is a clear need to make energy cheap, readily accessible and green, while ensuring its production does not contribute to further climate change. 

Of all the options available, photovoltaics (use of solar cells to generate electricity from the sun) offer one of the highest probabilities of delivering a meaningful and sustainable change in the way society produces its energy.

One approach to the development of such solar cells involves the production and use of carbon nanotubes. These CNTs offer the advantages of cheap production, flexibility (and hence a range of deployment opportunities), improved conductivity and tunability of light absorption. 

The long term aim of the research will be to develop and formalize an inexpensive, low energy input method for the Production of Carbon Nanotubes that will eventually crystallize to the development of solar cell(s) and other multi-disciplinary renewable energy applications.

A key requirement for CNT applications within south south Nigeria is the development of industrialscale, reliable, inexpensive production processes.

For this research project, the aim is to utilize a modified and optimized but sustainable Staudenmaier synthesis process for the preparation of CNTs at low temperatures (below 70°C).