CNT-infused fiber and method therefor
First Claim
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1. A method of infusing carbon nanotubes on a parent fiber, the method 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;
actively heating said catalyst-laden fiber to a nanotube-synthesis temperature;
transporting said catalyst-laden fiber through a carbon plasma at atmospheric pressure, thereby synthesizing carbon nanotubes directly on said catalyst-laden fiber while being transported; and
re-bundling the spread parent fiber after synthesizing carbon nanotubes thereon.
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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.
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17 Claims
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1. A method of infusing carbon nanotubes on a parent fiber, the method comprising:
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spreading said parent fiber before disposing a carbon nanotube-forming catalyst on a surface of said parent fiber, thereby forming a catalyst-laden fiber; actively heating said catalyst-laden fiber to a nanotube-synthesis temperature; transporting said catalyst-laden fiber through a carbon plasma at atmospheric pressure, thereby synthesizing carbon nanotubes directly on said catalyst-laden fiber while being transported; and re-bundling the spread parent fiber after synthesizing carbon nanotubes thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17)
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15. A method of infusing carbon nanotubes on a parent fiber having a sizing material, the method comprising:
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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 material removal, thereby forming a catalyst-laden fiber; heating said catalyst-laden fiber to at least 500°
C.;synthesizing carbon nanotubes on said catalyst-laden fiber while the catalyst-laden fiber is being transported; and re-bundling the spread parent fiber after synthesizing carbon nanotubes thereon.
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Specification