COMPOSITES COMPRISING CARBON NANOTUBES ON FIBER

• US 20110024694A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: PIETRAS, Bradley W., MALECKI, Harry C., ADCOCK, Daniel Jacob, ALBERDING, Mark R., SHAH, Tushar K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,585,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/502
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/04 Reinforcing macromolecular compounds with loose or coherent fibrous material
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/042 with carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/06 using pretreated fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/011 Nanostructured additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/24 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/74 with carbon or graphite; with carbides; with graphitic acids or their salts

Abstract

A composite composition includes a plurality of carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused fibers dispersed in a matrix material. The amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 0.1% percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

Claims

1. A composite composition comprising a plurality of carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused fibers dispersed in a matrix material, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 0.1% percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

2. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 10 percent to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

3. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 15 percent to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

4. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 20 percent to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

5. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 25 percent to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

6. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 10 percent to about 50 percent by weight of the composite.

7. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 20 percent to about 40 percent by weight of the composite.

8. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 5 percent to about 10 percent by weight of the composite.

9. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 10 percent to about 20 percent by weight of the composite.

10. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 20 percent to about 30 percent by weight of the composite.

11. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 30 percent to about 40 percent by weight of the composite.

12. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 40 percent to about 50 percent by weight of the composite.

13. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 50 percent to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

14. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is in a range between about 40 percent to about 60 percent by weight of the composite.

15. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is about 10 percent by weight of the composite.

16. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is about 15 percent by weight of the composite.

17. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is about 20 percent by weight of the composite.

18. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is about 25 percent by weight of the composite.

19. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is about 30 percent by weight of the composite.

20. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the composition is about 35 percent by weight of the composite.

21. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the CNT-infused fibers comprise a fiber tow.

22. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the CNT-infused fibers comprise a plurality of rovings.

23. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the CNT-infused fibers comprise a fabric.

24. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the CNT-infused fibers are distributed homogenously throughout the matrix material.

25. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the CNTs of the CNT-infused fibers are present in a concentration gradient throughout a portion of the matrix material.

26. The composite composition of claim 1, wherein the CNT-infused fibers are distributed substantially only near the surface of the composite structure.

27. The composite of claim 1, wherein the infused CNTs on the fiber are oriented in a pattern.

28. The composite of claim 1, wherein the infused CNTs are disposed radially about the fiber axes.

29. The composite of claim 1, wherein the infuse CNTs are disposed parallel to the fiber axes.

30. The composite of claim 1, wherein CNT length differs in at least two portions within the composite structure.

31. The composite of claim 1, wherein CNT density differs in at least two portions of the composite structure.

32. The composite of claim 1, wherein CNT alignment differs in at least two portions of the composite structure.

33. The composite of claim 1, wherein any combination of CNT length, CNT density, and CNT alignment differs in at least two portions of the composite structure.