Composite layers, methods for their manufacture and uses thereof

Abstract

A composite layer of carbon nanotubes and metal such as copper is formed by electrodeposition. The layer has a thickness of at least 10 μm. The carbon nanotubes are distributed through the layer and are present in the layer at a volume fraction of at least 0.001 vol % and at most 65 vol %. The volume fraction is based on the total volume of the metal and carbon nanotubes and not including any pore volume. The carbon nanotubes are substantially uniformly plated with the metal. The composite layer has a density ratio satisfying Player Pmetal ≤0.35 where player is the bulk density of the composite layer of thickness of at least 10 μm, including any voids that are present in the composite layer and pmetal is the volumetric mass density material property of the metal. The composite layer is of use in evaporation-condensation apparatus, as an active material layer in an electrochemical device or in an electroforming process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.