Spray-coating method with particle alignment control
AssigneesMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
InventorsRobert E. Cohen, Michael F. Rubner, Dayong Chen, Roberta Polak, Kenan Song, Khalid Askar
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Abstract
A simple spray coating process can be utilized to create epoxy/HNT nanocomposites with vertically aligned nanotubes. Important mechanical properties such as modulus and hardness values can be optimized and enhanced by controlling the level of nanotube dispersion during processing and the final orientation of the nanotubes. Thus, a technologically relevant processing scheme can be used to fabricate HNT nanocomposites with a high level of control over nanotube alignment and the resulting mechanical properties.
Claims13
A method of making a coating comprising:
- preparing a surface;
- providing a polymer in a fluid phase;
- diluting the fluid phase with a solvent;
- adding a plurality of nanotubes to the mixture;
- spraying the mixture through a nozzle onto the surface to form a composite;
- upon exiting the nozzle, accelerating the nanotubes in a gas stream and aligning the nanotubes along a plane normal direction;
- and
- maintaining elevated levels of viscosity in the mixture to preserve the nanotube orientations upon impacting the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.