Composites comprising carbon nanotubes on fiber

• US 8,585,934 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Tushar K., Adcock, Daniel Jacob, Malecki, Harry C., Alberding, Mark R., Pietras, Bradley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): MC GINTY, DOUGLAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/707,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20110024694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 252/511, 252/502, 252/510, 977/742, 977/753
• 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 tailored composite comprising:

a matrix material; and

a first plurality of carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused fibers dispersed in a first location of the matrix material and a second plurality of carbon nanotube-infused fibers dispersed in a second location of the matrix material;

wherein the CNT-infused fibers comprise carbon nanotubes that are grown in situ on an exterior surface of a fiber material and extend therefrom;

wherein the amount of carbon nanotubes in the tailored composite is in a range between about 0.1 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight of the tailored composite; and

wherein the first plurality of carbon nanotube-infused fibers and the second plurality of carbon nanotube-infused fibers differ in any combination of CNT length, CNT density, or CNT alignment with respect to the fiber material to provide a differential enhancement in at least one property selected from the group consisting of mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties in each location of the tailored composite.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25. The tailored composite of claim 1, wherein carbon nanotubes are present in a concentration gradient throughout a portion of the matrix material.

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

27. The tailored composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes grown in situ on the fiber material are oriented in a pattern.

28. The tailored composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes grown in situ on the fiber material are disposed radially about the fiber material axes.

29. The tailored composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes grown in situ on the fiber material are disposed parallel to the fiber material axes.

30. The tailored composite of claim 1, wherein a length of the carbon nanotubes differs in the first location and the second location within the tailored composite.

31. The tailored composite of claim 1, wherein a density of the carbon nanotubes differs in the first location and the second location within the tailored composite.

32. The tailored composite of claim 1, wherein an alignment of the carbon nanotubes differs in the first location and the second location within the tailored composite.