Reinforced Continuous Carbon-Fiber Composites Using Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes for Wideband Antenna Applications

We explore using reinforced continuous carbon fiber (RCCF) composite for wideband antennas in wireless applications. We use composite material as the radiating element for a monopole antenna. An electromagnetic (EM) model of the composite antenna is developed using Microwave Studio for numerical analysis. An RCCF composite sample is prepared including up to 2% multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) to enhance the conductivity. The anisotropic conductivity of the resulting material is determined by measurement using standard waveguide setups. The reflection coefficient, radiation pattern and gain of the composite antenna are investigated. The frequency- and time-domain dispersions are found for the composite antenna to show its suitability for ultrawideband (UWB) communication systems. It is observed that RCCF/MWCNT composite is an effectively alternative to metal for the antenna structure.