Interwoven carbon nanotube mats
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorKeith Daniel Humfeld
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for stitching together sheets of interwoven carbon nanotubes. One embodiment is a method that includes providing multiple sheets of interwoven carbon nanotubes, arranging the sheets over a substrate such that interstices of the sheets overlap at a stitch region of the substrate and heating catalysts at the substrate above a threshold temperature to trigger growth of new carbon nanotubes. The method also includes adjusting alignment of an electrical field that defines a direction of growth of the new carbon nanotubes, thereby causing the new carbon nanotubes to grow through the interstices and then stitch the sheets together.
Claims25
A method comprising:
- providing multiple sheets of interwoven carbon nanotubes;
- arranging the sheets over a substrate such that interstices of the sheets overlap at a stitch region of the substrate;
- heating catalysts at the substrate above a threshold temperature to trigger growth of new carbon nanotubes;
- and
- adjusting alignment of an electrical field that defines a direction of growth of the new carbon nanotubes, thereby causing the new carbon nanotubes to grow through the interstices and then stitch the sheets together.
A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method for stitching multiple sheets of interwoven carbon nanotubes arranged over a substrate such that interstices of the sheets partially overlap at a stitch region of the substrate, the method comprising:
- heating catalysts at the substrate above a threshold temperature to trigger growth of new carbon nanotubes;
- and
- adjusting alignment of an electrical field that defines a direction of growth of the new carbon nanotubes, thereby causing the new carbon nanotubes to grow through the interstices and then stitch the sheets together.
A system comprising:
- a substrate comprising multiple catalysts that grow carbon nanotubes, the substrate dimensioned to receive multiple sheets of interwoven carbon nanotubes having interstices that overlap at a stitch region of the substrate;
- a heating device that heats catalysts at the substrate above a threshold temperature to trigger growth of new carbon nanotubes;
- an electromagnetic source that generates an electrical field defining a direction of growth of the new carbon nanotubes;
- an actuator that reorients the electromagnetic source;
- and
- a controller that directs the actuator to adjust alignment of the electrical field as growth continues, thereby causing the new carbon nanotubes to grow through the interstices and then stitch the sheets together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.