Electrically conductive, optically transparent polymer/carbon nanotube composites and process for preparation thereof

• US 7,588,699 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Ounaies, Zoubeida, Connell, John W., Harrison, Joycelyn S., Smith, Joseph G., Watson, Kent A., Park, Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverman; Stanley
• Assistant Examiner(s): VIJAYAKUMAR, KALLAMBELLA M
• Application Number:
  US10/288,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• Field of Search: 252/502, 252/511, 423/445.B, 427/457, 427/487, 428/922, 428/924, 528/335, 528/337, 524/151, 526/328.5, 526/329.7, 977/742, 977/753, 977/778, 977/785
• US Class Current: 252/502
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/44 Polymerisation in the presence of compounding ingredients, e.g. plasticisers, dyestuffs, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 73/10 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 73/1039 comprising halogen-containing substituents
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 73/1071 Wholly aromatic polyimides containing oxygen in the form of ether bonds in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/011 Nanostructured additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/00 Use of organic ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/24 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/12 Polyphenylene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/123 not modified by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 11/04 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/24 the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/29 Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2904 Staple length fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2918 including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2975 Tubular or cellular

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the effective dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into polymer matrices. The nanocomposites are prepared using polymer matrices and exhibit a unique combination of properties, most notably, high retention of optical transparency in the visible range (i.e., 400–800 nm), electrical conductivity, and high thermal stability. By appropriate selection of the matrix resin, additional properties such as vacuum ultraviolet radiation resistance, atomic oxygen resistance, high glass transition (T_g) temperatures, and excellent toughness can be attained. The resulting nanocomposites can be used to fabricate or formulate a variety of articles such as coatings on a variety of substrates, films, foams, fibers, threads, adhesives and fiber coated prepreg. The properties of the nanocomposites can be adjusted by selection of the polymer matrix and CNT to fabricate articles that possess high optical transparency and antistatic behavior.

Claims

1. A method for dispersing carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix to prepare a polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposite, comprising:

(a) dispersing carbon nanotubes in an organic solvent;

(b) adding one or more monomers of the polymer of interest to the dispersed nanotubes; and

(c) polymerizing the monomers in the presence of the dispersed nanotubes under mechanical stirring;

wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(arylene ether) and copoly(arylene ether); and

further wherein the monomers comprise at least one activated halide and at least one bisphenol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an activated halide is 1,3-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)benzene and a bisphenol is 4,4′

-isopropylieienediphenol.

3. A method for dispersing carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix to prepare a polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposite, comprising:

(a) dispersing carbon nanotubes in an organic solvent;

(b) adding one or more monomers of the polymer of interest to the dispersed nanotubes; and

(c) polymerizing the monomers in the presence of the dispersed nanotubes under mechanical stirring;

wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyimide, copolyimide, poly(amide acid), and copoly(amide acid);

the monomers comprise at least one diamine and at least one dianhydride; and

a diamine is 1,3-bis(3-aminophenoxy) benzene and a dianhydride is 4,4′

-perfluoroisopropylidiene dianhydride.

4. A method for dispersing carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix to prepare a polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposite, comprising:

(a) dispersing carbon nanotubes in an organic solvent;

(b) adding one or more monomers of the polymer of interest to the dispersed nanotubes; and

(c) polymerizing the monomers in the presence of the dispersed nanotubes under mechanical stirring;

wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyimide, copolyimide, poly(amide acid), and copoly(amide acid);

the monomers comprise at least one diamine and at least one dianhydride; and

a diamine is 2,6-bis(3-aminophenoxy) benzonitrile and a dianhydride is 3,3′

,4,4′

-oxydiphthalic dianhydride.

5. A method for dispersing carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix to prepare a polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposite, comprising:

(a) dispersing carbon nanotubes in an organic solvent;

(b) adding one or more monomers of the polymer of interest to the dispersed nanotubes; and

(c) polymerizing the monomers in the presence of the dispersed nanotubes under mechanical stirring;

wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyimide, copolyimide, poly(amide acid), and copoly(amide acid);

the monomers comprise at least one diamine and at least one dianhydride; and

a diamine is [2,4-bis(3-aminophenoxy)phenyl]diphenylphosphine oxide and a dianhydride is 3,3′

,4,4′

-oxydiphthalic dianhydride.