Mechanically strong, thermally stable, and electrically conductive nanocomposite structure and method of fabricating same
AssigneeAdministrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsDennis Working, Emilie Siochi, Cheol Park, Peter Lillehei
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Abstract
A nanocomposite structure and method of fabricating same are provided. The nanocomposite structure is a polymer in an extruded shape with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) longitudinally disposed and dispersed in the extruded shape along a dimension thereof. The polymer is characteristically defined as having a viscosity of at least approximately 100,000 poise at a temperature of 200° C.
Claims22
A nanocomposite structure, comprising:
- a polymer in an extruded shape, said polymer characteristically defined as having a viscosity of at least approximately 100,000 poise at a temperature of 200° C.;
- and
- a plurality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) longitudinally disposed and dispersed in said extruded shape along a dimension thereof.
A nanocomposite structure, comprising:
- a polymer in the form of an extruded fiber, said polymer characteristically defined as having a viscosity of at least approximately 100,000 poise at a temperature of 200° C.;
- and
- a plurality of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in one of a weight percent and volume percent not to exceed approximately 1% of said nanocomposite structure, said SWCNTs longitudinally disposed and dispersed in said extruded fiber along a length thereof.
A method of fabricating a nanocomposite structure, comprising the steps of:
- providing a polymer characteristically defined as having a viscosity of at least approximately 100,000 poise at a temperature of 200° C.;
- mixing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with said polymer at a temperature of at least 200° C. to form a viscous mixture;
- flowing an inert gas through said viscous mixture to purge oxygen therefrom during said step of mixing;
- cooling said viscous mixture wherein a solid form of said viscous mixture is generated;
- breaking said solid form into pieces not to exceed approximately 0.125 inches in diameter;
- and
- converting said pieces into an extruded shape in which said CNTs are longitudinally aligned along a dimension of said extruded shape.
A method of fabricating a nanocomposite structure, comprising the steps of:
- providing a polymer characteristically defined as having a viscosity of at least approximately 100,000 poise at a temperature of 200° C.;
- mixing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with said polymer at a temperature of at least 200° C. to form a viscous mixture;
- flowing a first inert gas through said viscous mixture to purge oxygen therefrom during said step of mixing;
- cooling said viscous mixture wherein a solid form of said viscous mixture is generated;
- breaking said solid form into pieces not to exceed approximately 0.125 inches in diameter;
- collecting said pieces in a storage hopper;
- flowing a second inert gas through said pieces in said storage hopper to purge oxygen from spaces between said pieces;
- and
- depositing said pieces from said hopper in a temperature-controlled extruder that forms an extruded fiber in which said CNTs are longitudinally aligned along the length thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.