Spanish researchers have developed a new material that has sharply improved carbon nanotube conductivity, potentially opening a path to replace copper wire in EVs, drones, and aircraft. Published in Science, the research comes from the Institute of Nanoscience and Materials of Aragon and the IMDEA Materials Institute. It centers on a chemical doping process that pushed nanotube conductivity up 17-fold while leaving the fibers structurally intact.
At ambient temperature, the doped fibers reach around 40% of copper’s electrical output, and on a weight-adjusted basis their specific conductivity exceeds aluminum. The fibers weigh around one-sixth of what copper does while offering roughly five times the tensile strength. Earlier iterations of these fibers were recognized for being tough and lightweight but fell short on current-carrying capacity, making the conductivity gain the key development.
The improvement came from treating the fibers with AlCl4-, a tetrachloroaluminate compound that acts as a dopant. Introducing charge carriers without disrupting the atomic lattice had long been a core difficulty, and the researchers say this method addresses it. Preserving structural integrity mattered as much as the conductivity gain, since a conductor that breaks down in service has no practical value.
Modern EVs carry a significant copper load, especially in the thick wiring bundles that manage high-voltage power, and that mass adds up. Switching part of that copper for a lighter material reduces vehicle mass and extends range, and lower resistivity at operating temperatures cuts heat buildup. In drones, reducing cable mass translates directly into longer flight time, and for aircraft developers, trimming weight at any point yields outsized returns.
The material also holds up reliably in dry conditions and shows acceptable moisture tolerance, properties that matter for transportation certification standards. On specific conductivity, the benchmark manufacturers prioritize most, the treated fibers have entered territory that warrants serious engineering attention. At peak values, they also exceed aluminum’s conductivity on an absolute basis.
The remaining challenge is manufacturing: producing consistent fibers at scale, ensuring hardware compatibility, and establishing a cost profile competitive with conventional metals. If those problems can be worked through, the technology could move out of laboratories and into the electrical systems of the next generation of EVs and aircraft. Recycling infrastructure for these materials will also need to be developed.
Many firms in the automotive space, such as Ferrari N.V. (NYSE: RACE), will be waiting to see whether this new material becomes commercially available at scale and at price points that make the switch from copper economically viable.
