CNT-Infused Fiber and Method Therefor

• US 20100276072A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Tushar K., Alberding, Mark R., Gardner, Slade H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,158,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/184
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/74 Iron group metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/745 Iron
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/75 Cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/755 Nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/08 Heat treatment B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/162 characterised by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/164 involving continuous processes

Abstract

A carbon nanotube-infused fiber and a method for its production are disclosed. Nanotubes are synthesized directly on a parent fiber by first applying a catalyst to the fiber. The properties of the carbon nanotube-infused fiber will be a combination of those of the parent fiber as well as those of the infused carbon nanotubes.

Claims

1. A method of infusing CNTs on a parent fiber comprising:

spreading said parent fiber before disposing a carbon-nanotube forming catalyst on a surface of said parent fiber, thereby forming a catalyst-laden fiber;

exposing said catalyst-laden fiber to a carbon plasma, thereby synthesizing carbon nanotubes directly on said parent fiber; and

re-bundling the spread parent fiber after synthesizing carbon nanotubes thereon.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing a sizing material from said parent fiber before disposing said catalyst on said parent fiber.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said catalyst is a transition metal catalyst.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of disposing said catalyst on said parent fiber further comprises:

forming a solution of said catalyst in a liquid;

spraying said solution on to said parent fiber.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating said fiber after disposing said catalyst on said parent fiber, wherein said fiber is heated to a softening temperature.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating said fiber after disposing said catalyst on said parent fiber, wherein said fiber is heated to a temperature that is between about 500°

C. and 1000°

C.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said parent fiber is a carbon fiber and wherein the method further comprises heating said fiber after disposing said catalyst on said parent fiber, wherein said carbonfiber is heated to about 800°

C.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying resin to said carbon nanotube-infused fiber.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising winding said carbon nanotube-infused fiber about a mandrel after applying said resin.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said parent fiber is selected from the group consisting of graphite tow and glass roving.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising synthesizing a first amount of said carbon nanotubes on said parent fiber, wherein said first amount is selected so that said carbon nanotube-infused fiber exhibits a second group of properties that differ from a first group of properties exhibited by said parent fiber.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said first group of properties and said second group of properties include at least some of the same properties, and further wherein a value of at least one of said same properties differs between said first group and said second group.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said second group of properties of said carbon nanotube-infused fiber includes a property that is not included among said first group of properties exhibited by said parent fiber.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing a first amount of said carbon nanotubes, wherein said first amount is selected so that the value of at least one property selected from the group consisting of tensile strength, Young'"'"'s Modulus, density, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity of said carbon nanotube-infused fiber differs from the value of said at least one property of said parent fiber.

2. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

17. A method of infusing CNTs on a parent fiber having a sizing material comprising:

removing sizing material from said parent fiber;

spreading said parent fiber before applying a carbon nanotube-forming catalyst on a surface of said parent fiber after sizing removal, thereby forming a catalyst-laden fiber;

heating said fiber to at least 500°

C.; and

synthesizing carbon nanotubes on said parent fiber; and

re-bundling the spread parent fiber after synthesizing carbon nanotubes.

20. The carbon nanotube-infused fiber of claim 17 wherein said composition further comprises a resin.

18. A composition comprising a carbon nanotube-infused fiber, wherein said carbon nanotube-infused fiber comprises:

a parent fiber; and

carbon nanotubes covalently bonded to said parent fiber.

19. The composition of claim 18 wherein the electrical resistivity of said carbon nanotube-infused fiber is lower than the electrical resistivity of said parent fiber.