Copper-ANF composite conductor fabrication

A method of fabricating a conductor, the method comprising:

• preparing an aramid nanofiber solution in which a matrix of aramid nanofibers is dispersed;
• preparing a dispersion of copper nanoparticles, each copper nanoparticle of the dispersion of cooper nanoparticles having an organic capping ligand attached to the copper nanoparticle;
• and
• incorporating copper nanoparticles of the dispersion of copper nanoparticles into the matrix of aramid nanofibers such that each incorporated copper nanoparticle is bonded to a respective aramid nanofiber of the matrix of aramid nanofibers via the organic capping ligand to which the copper nanoparticle is attached;
• wherein preparing the dispersion of copper nanoparticles comprises:
• establishing a first pH for the dispersion during nanoparticle growth;
• and
• adjusting the dispersion from the first pH to a second pH after the nanoparticle growth in preparation for incorporating the plurality of copper nanoparticles into the matrix of aramid nanofibers, the second pH being lower than the first pH.

A method of fabricating a conductive wire, the method comprising:

• preparing an aramid nanofiber solution in which a matrix of aramid nanofibers are dispersed;
• preparing a dispersion of copper nanoparticles, each copper nanoparticle of the dispersion of copper nanoparticles having an organic capping ligand attached to the copper nanoparticle;
• injecting the dispersion of copper nanoparticles into a stream of the aramid nanofiber solution to form a composite stream in which copper nanoparticles of the dispersion of metal nanoparticles are incorporated into the matrix of aramid nanofibers such that each incorporated copper nanoparticle is bonded to a respective aramid nanofiber of the matrix of aramid nanofibers via the organic capping ligand to which the copper nanoparticle is attached;
• releasing the composite stream into a hydrolyzing solution to form a composite structure;
• and
• forming the conductive wire from the composite structure.