Scientists in South Korea have built the world’s first functional electric motor without any metal components, replacing traditional copper coils with ultra-lightweight carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The breakthrough, led by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), boosts electrical conductivity by 133% while cutting motor weight by more than 80%.
This could mark a new chapter in lightweight engineering, from electric vehicles to spacecraft and beyond.
“By developing a new concept of CNT high-quality technology that has never existed before, we were able to maximize the electrical performance of CNT coils to drive electric motors without metal,” said Dr. Dae-Yoon Kim, lead researcher at KIST.
Purity Was the Problem—And the Key to Progress
CNTs are hexagonal honeycomb-structured nanomaterials with outstanding electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. But for decades, metal catalyst impurities from their production process prevented CNTs from replacing copper in serious hardware.
KIST’s breakthrough came with a new purification technique called the LAST (Lyotropic Liquid Crystal-Assisted Surface Texturing) process. Inspired by LCD technology, this method:
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Aligns CNTs in a liquid crystal state
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Removes metal contamination with hydrochloric acid
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Preserves the tubes’ electrical structure
The result: metal impurities dropped from 12.7% to less than 0.8%, and conductivity shot up to 7.7 megasiemens per meter—a record for CNT wires.
From Lab Bench to Tiny Racetrack
The researchers demonstrated their motor by powering a toy car that reached a speed of 0.52 meters per second—not lightning fast, but impressive given the ultra-lightweight motor. The CNT coils weighed just 78.75 mg, compared to 379.08 mg for copper. Even though copper motors still delivered higher top speeds, the weight-adjusted performance (specific rotational velocity) of CNT motors was nearly equivalent, just 1.06x lower.
Even more impressively, the CNT motor operated continuously for 60 minutes under various power loads, showing early signs of real-world reliability.
Where This Innovation Will Land: Game-Changing Applications
The CNT-based motor is more than a curiosity—it’s a harbinger of radical change for industries that count every gram and watt.
Electric Vehicles
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Extend range through weight reduction
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Increase efficiency without sacrificing torque
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Enable smaller, more flexible vehicle designs
Spacecraft & Aerospace
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Slash launch costs by reducing payload mass
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Improve maneuverability in low-gravity environments
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Potential radiation resistance
Drones & Urban Air Mobility
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Boost flight time by reducing power draw
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Lighten motors for more agile designs
Robotics & Automation
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Lighter robotic arms with high torque output
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Replace bulky copper coils in precision robotics
Energy Storage & Batteries
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Thermal-conductive CNTs assist in heat management
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Replace traditional conductive wires with lighter builds
Medical Devices
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Enable MRI-safe, non-metallic motors for implants and tools
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Lower weight improves patient mobility and device endurance
Semiconductor Manufacturing
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Carbon-based pellicles and cables reduce contamination
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Improve cable durability in cleanroom environments
Marine & Subsea Systems
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Corrosion-proof design for oceanic drones
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Enhanced buoyancy and lifespan in deep-sea conditions
What’s Next? Toward All-CNT Systems
KIST plans to:
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Explore untested CNT variants
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Improve insulation for thermal management
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Refine full motor architectures optimized for CNTs
The ultimate vision? Entire electric drive systems made of carbon, from wiring to coils to interconnects—light, efficient, and metal-free.
This isn’t just about ditching copper—it’s about redefining what’s possible in electric engineering. If silicon was the key to digital logic, carbon nanotubes may be the key to next-generation electromechanics.
