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 10⁶ (in-plane) and 10⁸ (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.