Fabrication and multifunctional properties of a hybrid laminate with aligned carbon nanotubes grown In Situ

A hybrid composite architecture of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), advanced fibers and a matrix is described, from CNT synthesis and characterization through to standard mechanical and electrical laminate tests. Direct growth of aligned CNTs on the surface of advanced fibers in a woven fabric enables enhancement in multifunctional laminate performance, as demonstrated by a 69% increase in interlaminar shear strength and 10(6) (in-plane) and 10(8) (through-thickness) increases in laminate-level electrical conductivity. Processes developed include dip-coating of CNT growth catalyst and atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition of dense aligned CNTs. A capillarity-driven mechanism is presented to explain the observed effective and uniform wetting of the aligned CNTs in the interior of the laminate by unmodified thermoset polymer resins. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.