High-Performance Carbon Nanotube Fiber

Abstract

With their impressive individual properties, carbon nanotubes should form high-performance fibers. We explored the roles of nanotube length and structure, fiber density, and nanotube orientation in achieving optimum mechanical properties. We found that carbon nanotube fiber, spun directly and continuously from gas phase as an aerogel, combines high strength and high stiffness (axial elastic modulus), with an energy to breakage (toughness) considerably greater than that of any commercial high-strength fiber. Different levels of carbon nanotube orientation, fiber density, and mechanical properties can be achieved by drawing the aerogel at various winding rates. The mechanical data obtained demonstrate the considerable potential of carbon nanotube assemblies in the quest for maximal mechanical performance. The statistical aspects of the mechanical data reveal the deleterious effect of defects and indicate strategies for future work.

Analysis of the structure and chemical properties of some commercial carbon nanostructures

“…Their advantages for polymer reinforcement have been recently reviewed by Miyagawa et al and Coleman et al [29,30]. Koziol et al spun fibers from CNTs much stronger than in previous studies [31]. Such fibers can be imagined as a superior alternative to Kevlar.…”

Monitoring a Micromechanical Process in Macroscale Carbon Nanotube Films and Fibers

“…For example, prior to 2007, the reported tensile strengths of continuous CNT fibers without a coagulant lay in the range from 0.4 to 1.2 GPa, no matter if they were spun from a suspension. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Recently, Windle et al reported the synthesis of continuous high-performance CNT fibers with the highest strength value of 9 GPa. [12] This encouraging breakthrough enlightens the use of macroscale CNTs fibers as a structural reinforcement for many applications.…”

“…[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Recently, Windle et al reported the synthesis of continuous high-performance CNT fibers with the highest strength value of 9 GPa. [12] This encouraging breakthrough enlightens the use of macroscale CNTs fibers as a structural reinforcement for many applications. They pointed out that the obtained tensile strengths depended on the gauge lengths of the tested specimens: when the gauge length increased from 1 to 10 mm (a typical value for the tensile tests of CNT fibers), the average strength rapidly dropped to 1 GPa.…”

Aligned carbon nanotube reinforced high performance polymer composites with low erosive wear

“…Carbon nanotubes used in the study were synthesised via continuous CVD process [16]. Methane was used as the hydrocarbon feedstock and was injected into the hot furnace (1300°C) along with ferrocene and thiophene.…”

“…In this paper, the presence of vertically aligned CNT arrays within epoxy matrix gives improved erosion resistance which opens up a new way for erosive wear applications of polymer composites using aligned CNTs. Inspired by this work, CNTs films synthesized by the continuous CVD process [16] can be assembled together to fabricate uni-or multi-directional CNT film/epoxy based composites. Such CNT structures can then be mechanically comparable to conventional fibre reinforced polymer composites.…”