Electrically-conductive nanocomposite material

• US 8,361,608 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conductive Composites Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Conductive Composites Company, LLC
• Inventors: Hansen, George Clayton, Hansen, Lauren, Hansen, Nathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, CAMIE S
• Application Number:
  US12/261,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 428/294.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/14 oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/882 partly or totally electrically conductive, e.g. for EMI shielding conductive floors or floor coverings H05F3/025; EMI shielding in general H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/002 Inorganic yarns or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/00 Non woven fabrics formed of mixtures of relatively short fibres and yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249931 Free metal or alloy fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249933 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a natural or synthetic rubber matrix

Abstract

An electromagnetically active composite has an electrically-nonconductive host matrix and electrically-conductive nanostrand bodies embedded in a substantially uniform distribution throughout the host matrix. Each of the nanostrand bodies comprises a volume containing at least one nanostrand of filamentary metal. Adjacent nanostrand bodies that are sufficiently mutually proximate will interact electromagnetically with each other. The filamentary metal of the one or more nanostrands in each of the nanostrand bodies occupies a deminimus fraction of the overall volume occupied by the at least one nanostrand that comprises each of the nanostrand bodies. The filamentary metal is chosen from among the group of metals that includes nickel, nickel aluminides, iron, iron aluminides, alloys of nickel and iron, and alloys of nickel and copper. Individual nanostrands of the nanostrand bodies have an average diameter in a range of from about 10 nanometers to about 4000 nanometers, and the average diameter of the nanostrand bodies is in a range of from about one micron to about 3000 microns.

Claims

1. An electromagnetically active composite comprising:

an electrically-nonconductive host matrix;

electrically-conductive nanostrand bodies dispersed in a substantially uniform distribution throughout said host matrix, each of said nanostrand bodies comprising an overall volume containing mostly open space and at least one nanostrand of filamentary metal, and adjacent of said nanostrand bodies being sufficiently mutually proximate to interact electromagnetically, the filamentary metal of at least one of said nanostrand bodies occupies a fraction of the overall volume occupied by the at least one of said nanostrand bodies; and

an additive distinct from said nanostrand bodies dispersed throughout said host matrix and lending nonelectromagnetic properties to said composite.

2. A composite as recited in claim 1, wherein the individual nanostrands of said nanostrand bodies have an average diameter in a range of from about 10 nanometers to about 4000 nanometers, and the average diameter of said nanostrand bodies is in a range of from about one micron to about 3000 microns.

3. A composite as recited in claim 1, wherein said host matrix comprises a polymeric material.

4. A composite as recited in claim 1, wherein said host matrix comprises a ceramic material.

5. A composite as recited in claim 1, wherein said filamentary metal is chosen from among the group of metals including nickel, nickel aluminides, iron, iron aluminides, alloys of nickel and iron, and alloys of nickel and copper.

6. A composite as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive is chosen from among the group of additives including pigments, lubricants, hard particles, thermal conductors, surface smoothers, flame retardants, gelling agents, and chopped nickel-coated macroscale fibers.