What NanoLab does

NanoLab, Inc. is a privately held US manufacturer of carbon nanotube (CNT) materials and nanotechnology-enabled products, founded in 2000 and headquartered at 22 Bedford Street, Waltham, Massachusetts. The company produces a broad portfolio built around a vertically integrated CNT platform: research-grade and industrial-grade MWNT, SWNT, and DWNT powders; COOH- and NH2-functionalized variants; metal- and silica-coated CNTs; aligned nanotube arrays grown via Plasma Enhanced CVD (PECVD) and Thermal CVD on substrates including Si, SiO2, W, Mo, stainless steel, Ti, mica, and carbon; BuckyPaper (freestanding CNT sheets); and an In-Situ Growth CNT-carbon fiber veil composite. Its proprietary optical black coating line — Singularity Black, adVANTA (VANTA), IM 1.6, Cromer Black, and Singular Velvet applique — is engineered for aerospace and space-based optics, with performance claims of greater than 99 percent visible light absorption and greater than 98.7 percent absorption at 2000 nm infrared, and the company operates a paint shop scaled to support multiple satellite constellation missions.

The company monetizes through one-time product sales across a wide price range (industrial-grade MWNTs from $1,000/kg; research-grade MWNTs from $110/g to $9,000 per 100g depending on grade; aligned arrays from $100 to $875; optical velvet at $125 per 5-sheet lot; ultrasonic dispersion equipment from $235 to $5,500), supplemented by contract R&D and toll compounding services. Distribution is primarily direct via a website e-commerce storefront and a sales team reachable by phone, email, and fax, with channel partners E&T Corporation (Japan, exclusive) and Optocom.com (Southeast Asia) handling international reach. NanoLab's primary customer segments are aerospace and space (Singularity Black and technical coatings), researchers and scientists (CNT materials and arrays for materials science R&D), industrial product developers (contract formulation and toll compounding), and electronics/printed electronics manufacturers (Nink CNT inks). The company is founder/management owned with no external funding rounds disclosed, ships worldwide from its single Waltham facility under a Quality Management System, and is led by co-founder and president David Carnahan.

Name

NanoLab

Legal name

NanoLab, Inc.

Website

https://nano-lab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NanoLab is a privately held US manufacturer of carbon nanotubes, CNT-based optical black coatings for aerospace, and related nanomaterials, serving aerospace primes, satellite constellation operators, research institutions, and industrial product developers from its Waltham, Massachusetts facility since 2000.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nanomaterials Manufacturing

NAICS

Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991), Printing Ink Manufacturing (32591), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Carbon Fillers (Carbon Black, Graphite) (IMAEAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon Black & Bulk Pigments (IMAEAAAF), Black Masterbatch & Carbon Black-Filled Rubber Mixing (IMANAJAD), Thermoset & Reactive Resin Manufacturing (Epoxy, Polyester, Phenolic, Urethane systems) (IMANAAAC)

Keywords

• Carbon nanotube manufacturing
• Optical black coatings
• Nanomaterials production
• Nanocomposite formulation
• Contract research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Waltham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Carbon Nanotube Products: Sale of carbon nanotube materials including MWNT, SWNT, DWNT in various grades (research grade, industrial grade), functionalized variants (COOH, NH2), and coated variants (metal, silica). Products sold in quantities from 1g to bulk volumes.
2. Optical Coatings and Products: Sale of optical black coatings including Singularity Black, adVANTA VANTA, IM 1.6 index matching paint, Cromer Black, and Singular Velvet applique for aerospace and optical applications.
3. Equipment Sales: Sale of ultrasonic probe dispersion equipment (QS1, QS4 systems), probes, cup horn accessories, sound enclosures, and jack stands for nanomaterials dispersion.
4. Contract R&D Services: Nanotechnology-related contract research and development services including formulation, compounding, and custom product development for customers across industries.
5. Toll Compounding Services: Toll compounding and formulation services for nanocomposites with capabilities up to 50 lb/hr processing capacity, serving customers requiring custom composite formulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NanoLab manufactures and sells carbon nanotube-based nanomaterials, optical black coatings for aerospace, functionalized nanotube variants, aligned nanotube arrays, nanotube inks and suspensions, and related dispersion equipment. The company also provides contract research and development services and toll compounding of nanocomposites for customers across industries.

Product overview

NanoLab is a US-based manufacturer of nanotechnology-enabled products, founded in 2000, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. The company operates a unified product portfolio organized around carbon nanotube technology and applications, comprising: (1) Optical Black Coatings including Singularity Black, adVANTA (VANTA), IM 1.6, Cromer Black, and Singular Velvet Appliqué for aerospace and optical applications; (2) Nanotube Powders including Industrial and Research Grade MWNT, SWNT, DWNT, and functionalized variants (COOH and Amine); (3) Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays on various substrates using PECVD and Thermal CVD processes; (4) Advanced Materials including BuckyPaper (CNT paper), CNT-Carbon Fiber Veil Composite (ISG), and Metal/Silica Coated CNTs; (5) Inks and Suspensions including Nink inkjet printing inks and surfactant-free nanotube suspensions; (6) Laboratory Equipment including ultrasonic probe dispersion systems (QS1, QS4); and (7) Contract R&D and Toll Compounding Services for custom nanocomposite formulation. NanoLab ships worldwide and runs a coating service for aerospace clients, scaled to support multiple satellite constellation missions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Singularity Black: Optical black paint for aerospace applications, including Singularity Black LT
• adVANTA
• IM 1.6
• Cromer Black
• Singular Velvet
• Nink
• NanoSperse AQ
• ISG Veil
• Buckypaper

Products and services

• Singularity Black Optical Paint Optical black coating paint for aerospace applications, designed to absorb light across visible and infrared spectra. Used for satellite and aerospace optical applications.
• adVANTA (VANTA) Optical Blacks Vertically Aligned NanoTube Arrays (VANTA) optical blacks for high-performance light absorption applications with very low reflectance.
• IM 1.6 Index Matching Paint Index matching black absorbing paint specifically designed for glass applications.
• Cromer Black Laser tolerant black absorbing coating for applications requiring resistance to laser exposure.
• Singular Velvet Appliqué 12x12 inch velvet applicator over-coated with Singularity LT, backed with aerospace grade 3M 467MP adhesive. Absorbs >99% of visible light (400-800nm) and >98.7% at 2000nm.
• Research Grade Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (RG-CNT) High purity multiwall carbon nanotubes (>95% by TGA) with strict length and diameter specifications. Capacity: tons per year.
• Industrial Grade Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (IG-CNT) Multiwall carbon nanotubes with >85% purity, produced by CVD method. Available in 25g to ton quantities.
• Single and Double Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWNT/DWNT) Single and double wall carbon nanotubes produced by CVD method. Available in various diameters and lengths with >95% purity.
• COOH Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Carboxylated carbon nanotubes functionalized via sulfuric/nitric acid reflux, yielding 2-7 wt% COOH groups, enabling surfactant-free stable suspensions.
• Amine (NH2) Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Amide functionalized carbon nanotubes using ethylene diamine coupling agent, producing primary amine groups for positive charge and solvent suspension.
• Metal and Silica Coated Carbon Nanotubes Research grade multiwall nanotubes coated with metals (silver, copper, Ni-Fe alloy) or silica using electroless deposition with 1-10nm coating thickness.
• Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays Vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays grown on various substrates using PECVD or Thermal CVD processes, used for field emission, sensors, and optical coatings.
• BuckyPaper (Carbon Nanotube Paper) Freestanding carbon nanotube paper sheet made from 95% purity MWNT, used for electrochemical electrodes, filters, scaffolds, and composites.
• CNT-Carbon Fiber Veil Composite (ISG) Carbon nanotube-carbon fiber veil composite material using In-Situ Growth process, used for energy storage electrodes, ESD, and EMI shielding.
• Nink Carbon Nanotube Ink Carbon nanotube inks for inkjet printing of nanotube electronics and sensors, available as Nink-1000 (MWCNT) and Nink-1100 (SWCNT) at 2g/l concentration.
• Carbon Nanotube Suspensions Surfactant-free carboxylated nanotube suspensions in water, ethanol, acetone, or DMF with concentrations up to 2g/l.
• Ultrasonic Probe Dispersion Equipment QS1 and QS4 ultrasonic probe systems for dispersion of nanotubes, nanowires, and nanoparticles, with various titanium probe tips and accessories.
• Contract Research and Development Services Nanotechnology-related contract R&D including formulation and compounding services for composites, devices, paints, and coatings development.
• Toll Compounding Services Formulation and compounding services for nanocomposites using three roll mills, sigma blade mixers, and a 50 lb/hr mill for processing CNT into resins, polymers, and epoxies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon nanotube purity >95% by TGA measurement
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• E&T CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorE&T Corporation serves as the exclusive distributor for NanoLab products in Japan, handling sales and distribution of carbon nanotube products, optical coatings, and other nanotechnology products in the Japanese market.
• Optocom.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOptocom.com serves as a distributor for NanoLab carbon nanotube products in Southeast Asia, extending NanoLab's distribution reach into the regional market.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• NanoIntegris: North American supplier of high-purity single-wall and metallic/semiconducting carbon nanotubes; directly comparable to NanoLab's SWNT and functionalized CNT offerings for research customers.
• Cheap Tubes Inc. US-based carbon nanotube supplier offering MWNT, SWNT, and functionalized CNTs; competes with NanoLab's research-grade and industrial-grade powder product lines on price and scale.
• American Elements: US-based manufacturer and distributor of advanced and nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes and functionalized variants; overlaps with NanoLab's research-grade product catalog and serves similar R&D customers.

Direct peers

• Surrey NanoSystems: Creator of Vantablack, a vertically aligned carbon nanotube-based ultra-black coating for aerospace, defense, and optical instrumentation — competes directly with NanoLab's VANTA (adVANTA) optical black product.
• OCSiAl: World's largest single-wall carbon nanotube producer; competes head-to-head with NanoLab in SWNT/MWNT powders and functionalized variants for research and industrial customers globally.
• Acktar: Israel-based manufacturer of ultra-black optical coatings and appliques for aerospace, space, and optics — a direct competitor to NanoLab's Singularity Black and Singular Velvet product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Birla Carbon: One of the world's largest carbon black producers (Aditya Birla Group) with active investments in CNT materials; competes with NanoLab in industrial carbon fillers and the broader carbon nanomaterials market.
• Cabot Corporation: Global specialty chemicals and performance materials company with a substantial carbon black portfolio and growing carbon nanomaterials (CNT) business; competes with NanoLab in industrial-grade carbon fillers and CNT-enhanced composites.
• Tokyo Chemical Industry (TCI): Major Japanese specialty chemicals distributor with a deep nanomaterials catalog including carbon nanotubes; competes with NanoLab (and indirectly through E&T Corporation) for research-grade CNT purchases.

Regional players

• Chengdu Organic Chemicals (Timesnano): Chinese state-backed mass-producer of carbon nanotubes and graphene; competes primarily in commodity industrial-grade CNTs with much larger volume capacity than NanoLab.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NanoLabinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/nanolabinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nanolab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NanoLab