Carbon nanotube fabrics

• US 20050095938A1
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosenberger, Brian T., Carra, William M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,354,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/194
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/00 Materials specially adapted for outerwear
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/06 Thermally protective, e.g. insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/065 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/125 Moisture handling or wicking function through layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/245 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/26 Electrically protective, e.g. preventing static electricity or electric shock
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/265 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/00 Clothing anti-ballistic clothing B32B2571/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/02 Gloves, shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 9/12 Carbon filaments; Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 9/127 by thermal decomposition of hydrocarbon gases or vapours or other carbon-containing compounds in the form of gas or vapour, e.g. carbon monoxide, alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0052 Antiballistic fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 11/00 Double or multi-ply fabrics not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/00 Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/275 Carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/04 Asbestos
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/08 Ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/12 : Carbon; Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/20 : Metallic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 : Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/02 : Wool
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/02 : polyamides D10B2331/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/063 : high strength
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 : antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/04 : Outerwear; Protective garments
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/041 : Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/62 : related technologies for production or treatment of textile or flexible materials or products thereof, including footwear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 : Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/75 : Single-walled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/752 : Multi-walled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3065 : Including strand which is of specific structural definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3106 : Hollow strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3472 : Woven fabric including an additional woven fabric layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3504 : Woven fabric layers comprise chemically different strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3976 : Including strand which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous composition, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3984 : Strand is other than glass and is heat or fire resistant

Abstract

The present invention provides fabrics that have unique chemical, electrical, and thermal properties. The fabrics comprise layers of yarns woven together wherein the yarns further comprise carbon nanotube fibers. These carbon nanotube fibers may be either single-walled or multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The use of carbon nanotube fibers allows the fabrics to insulate, semi-conduct or super-conduct electrical charges. Additionally, the thermal properties of carbon nanotubes allow thermal energy to flow efficiently between the fabric and a heat sink or source. Additional yarns of materials other than carbon nanotubes can be integrated or woven into the fabric to provide other unique properties for the fabric. These fabrics can be layered to form unique garments or structures.

Claims

1. A fabric comprising:

a first layer of yarns woven to form the fabric wherein said yarns further comprise at least one carbon nanotube fiber and wherein said carbon nanotube fiber comprise single-walled carbon nanotubes and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

2. The fabric of claim 1, wherein said carbon nanotube fibers comprise insulating, semiconducting, conducting and/or superconductive fibers.

3. The fabric of claim 1, wherein said yarns comprise at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of wool, cotton, asbestos, nylon, synthetic and carbon nanotubes and wherein said carbon nanotube comprise insulating, semiconducting, conducting and/or superconductive carbon nanotubes.

4. The fabric of claim 1, wherein said first layer of yarns woven together exhibit the physical, electrical, mechanical, chemical or thermal properties of said carbon nanotube fibers that comprise said yarns.

5. The fabric of claim 1 wherein said fabric comprises at least one additional layer of yarns woven together.

6. The fabric of claim 5 wherein said additional layer of yarns further comprise carbon nanotube fibers.

7. The fabric of claim 1, wherein said yarns comprise carbon nanotube fibers having different electrical and mechanical properties.

8. A garment made of fabric, wherein said fabric comprises:

a first layer of yarns woven to form the fabric wherein said yarns further comprise at least one carbon nanotube fiber and wherein said carbon nanotube fiber comprise single-walled carbon nanotubes and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

9. The garment of claim 8, wherein said carbon nanotube fibers comprise insulating, semiconducting, conducting and/or superconductive fibers.

10. The garment of claim 8, wherein said yarns comprise at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of wool, cotton, asbestos, nylon, synthetic and carbon nanotubes and wherein said carbon nanotube comprise insulating, semiconducting, conducting and/or superconductive carbon nanotubes.

11. The garment of claim 8, wherein said first layer of yarns woven together exhibit the physical, electrical, mechanical, chemical or thermal properties of said at least one carbon nanotube fibers that comprise said yarns.

12. The garment of claim 8 wherein said fabric comprises at least one additional layer of yarns woven together.

13. The garment of claim 12, wherein said first layer comprises yarns of superconductive carbon nanotube fibers that form a Faraday cage and wherein said at least one additional layer of yarns woven together comprise insulating carbon nanotube fibers.

14. The garment of claim 13, further comprising a tether electrically coupled to said first layer and wherein said tether shunts electricity flowing within said first layer to ground.

15. The garment of claim 12, wherein said first layer comprises yarns of carbon nanotube fibers having a high thermal conductivity and wherein said at least one additional layer of yarns thermally insulate said first layer from a wearer.

16. The garment of claim 15, further comprising a tether thermally coupled to said first layer and wherein said tether shunts thermal energy between said first layer and a heat-sink or heat-source.

17. The garment of claim 8, wherein said garment comprises a glove, body suit or stockings.

18. The garment of claim 8, wherein said first layer comprises tightly packed carbon nanotube fibers held together by Van der Walls'"'"' forces.

19. The garment of claim 18, wherein said garment acts as barrier to objects larger than or equal to 1×

10-9 meters.

20. A multi-layered fabric, wherein said fabric comprises:

a first layer of yarns woven to form the fabric wherein said yarns further comprise at least one carbon nanotube fiber and wherein said carbon nanotube fiber comprise single-walled carbon nanotubes and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes; and

at least one additional layer of yarns woven together adjacent and coupled to said first layer.

21. The multi-layered fabric of claim 20, wherein said carbon nanotube fibers comprise insulating, semiconducting, conducting and/or superconductive fibers.

22. The multi-layered fabric of claim 20, wherein said yarns comprise at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of wool, cotton, asbestos, nylon, synthetic and carbon nanotubes and wherein said carbon nanotube comprise insulating, semiconducting, conducting and/or superconductive carbon nanotubes.

23. The multi-layered fabric of claim 20, wherein said first layer of yarns woven together exhibit the physical, electrical, mechanical, chemical or thermal properties of said at least one carbon nanotube fibers that comprise said yarns.

24. The multi-layered fabric of claim 20, wherein said first layer comprises yarns of superconductive carbon nanotube fibers which electromagnetic radiation does not penetrate.

25. The multi-layered fabric of claim 20 further comprising a tether electrically coupled to said first layer, wherein said tether shunts electricity flowing within said first layer to ground.

26. The multi-layered fabric of claim 20 wherein said first layer comprises yarns of carbon nanotube fibers having a high thermal conductivity and wherein said at least one additional layer of yarns thermally insulate said first layer from an adjacent environment.

27. The multi-layered fabric of claim 26 further comprising a tether thermally coupled to said first layer and wherein said tether shunts thermal energy between said first layer and a heat-sink or heat-source.

28. The multi-layered fabric of claim 20, wherein said first layer comprises tightly packed carbon nanotube fibers held together by Van der Waals'"'"' forces.

29. The multi-layered fabric of claim 28, wherein said first layer acts as barrier to objects larger than or equal to 1×

10-9 meters.