CNT-infused metal fiber materials and process therefor

• US 9,573,812 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Tushar K., Gardner, Slade H., Alberding, Mark R., Malecki, Harry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gambetta, Kelly M
• Application Number:
  US14/582,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20160130147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 3/125 the work being a web, band, strip or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/18 performed by dipping
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/20 to wires for insulating electric cables H01B13/16
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/544 the first layer is let to dry at least partially before applying the second layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/002 Manufacture of articles essentially made from metallic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/16 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 47/04 by coating, e.g. with a protective or activated covering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/02 Pretreatment of the material to be coated C23C16/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 Deposition of carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/453 passing the reaction gases through burners or torches, e.g. atmospheric pressure CVD C23C16/513 takes precedence; for flame or plasma spraying of coating material in the molten state C23C4/00
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/75 Single-walled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/752 Multi-walled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/843 Gas phase catalytic growth, i.e. chemical vapor deposition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/292 In coating or impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2924 Composite

Abstract

A composition includes a carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused metal fiber material which includes a metal fiber material of spoolable dimensions, a barrier coating conformally disposed about the metal fiber material, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) infused to the metal fiber material. A continuous CNT infusion process includes: (a) disposing a barrier coating and a carbon nanotube (CNT)-forming catalyst on a surface of a metal fiber material of spoolable dimensions; and (b) synthesizing carbon nanotubes on the metal fiber material, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-infused metal fiber material.

Claims

1. A continuous CNT infusion process comprising:

disposing a barrier coating and a carbon nanotube (CNT)-forming catalyst on a surface of a metal fiber material of spoolable dimensions;

wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of an alkoxysilane, a methylsiloxane, an alumoxane, alumina nanoparticles, spin on glass and glass nanoparticles; and

synthesizing carbon nanotubes on said metal fiber material by exposing the metal fiber material to carbon nanotube growth conditions, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-infused metal fiber material;

wherein the metal fiber material is moving while disposing the barrier coating and the CNT-forming catalyst, and while synthesizing the carbon nanotubes.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said continuous CNT infusion process has a material residence time in the carbon nanotube growth conditions of between about 5 to about 300 seconds.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein a material residence time of about 5 to about 30 seconds produces CNTs having a length between about 1 micron to about 10 microns.

4. The process of claim 2, wherein a material residence time of about 30 to about 180 seconds produces CNTs having a length between about 10 microns to about 100 microns.

5. The process of claim 2, wherein a material residence time of about 180 to about 300 seconds produces CNTs having a length between about 100 microns to about 500 microns.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein more than one metal fiber material is simultaneously exposed to the carbon nanotube growth conditions.

7. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

removing a sizing material from said metal fiber material before disposing said barrier coating or said CNT-forming catalyst on said metal fiber material.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein said CNT-forming catalyst is an iron-based nanoparticle catalyst.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein disposing said CNT-forming catalyst on said metal fiber material comprises spraying, dip coating, or gas phase deposition onto said metal fiber material.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein disposing said barrier coating is simultaneous with disposing said CNT-forming catalyst on said metal fiber material.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein said barrier coating is conformally disposed on said metal fiber material prior to disposing said CNT-forming catalyst on said metal fiber material.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein synthesizing carbon nanotubes comprises CVD growth.

15. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

after synthesizing the carbon nanotubes, applying sizing to said carbon nanotube-infused metal fiber material.

16. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

after synthesizing the carbon nanotubes, applying a matrix material to said carbon nanotube-infused metal fiber material.

17. The process of claim 1, wherein the barrier coating is deposited from a liquid onto the metal fiber material.

18. The process of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes are uniform in length and uniform in distribution.

12. A continuous CNT infusion process comprising:

disposing a barrier coating and a carbon nanotube (CNT)-forming catalyst on a surface of a metal fiber material of spoolable dimensions;

wherein said barrier coating is conformally disposed on said metal fiber material prior to disposing said CNT-forming catalyst on said metal fiber material;

partially curing said barrier coating prior to disposing said CNT-forming catalyst on said metal fiber material; and

synthesizing carbon nanotubes on said metal fiber material by exposing the metal fiber material to carbon nanotube growth conditions, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-infused metal fiber material;

wherein the metal fiber material is moving while disposing the barrier coating and the CNT-forming catalyst, and while synthesizing the carbon nanotubes.

13. The process of claim 12 further comprising:

curing said barrier coating after disposing said CNT-forming catalyst on said metal fiber material.