Replies to post #66 on Axion Power International Inc (AXPWQ)

[Ubertino]

I read today, I think, maybe yesterday, where a Japanese company is going to start producing carbon nanotubes by the ton. I forget the name - let me check. Here it is:

SDK to Start Commercial Production of VGCFTM-X Carbon Nanotube; New 400 t/y Plant Completed at Oita Complex

Tokyo, Mar 19, 2010 - (JCN Newswire) - Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has completed a 400-t/y plant for VGCFTM-X, a new grade of carbon nanotube with an optimized design for resin composite applications. Commercial production will begin next month after a trial run. A completion ceremony will be held today at SDK's Oita Complex.
...
http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=22587

Now - 400 tons/year is a lot of CNTs - more than a ton per day! They may not be cheap but these CNT supercapacitors/batteries I've read about don't use much. It is now available by the ton - so the price is going to go down with others entering this field. The CNT battery people are testing their production models NOW:

EcoloCap Solutions Release Preliminary Test Results for its Nano Lithium X Battery

Exponent Testing's preliminary results show better-than-anticipated performance for EcoloCap's Nano Lithium Battery

Press Release Source: EcoloCap Solutions Inc. On Wednesday March 17, 2010, 9:00 am EDT
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/EcoloCap-Solutions-Release-iw-3690769607.html?x=0&.v=1

So I expect CNT containing batteries - supercapacitors on the market in weeks, maybe months, certainly not years. And that will be terrific news if they outperform the existing products by large amounts. I see an electric car in everyone's future, now, thanks to CNTs.

I don't know what the impact will be on Axion but if Axion's don't compare favourably to these CNT entrants to this storage arena it won't be good.