Yazaki Corporation

The University of Tokyo

Junichiro Tokutomi

Jun Yanagimoto

Kenichi Hanazaki

Ken Nishiura

Hideo Gonda

A carbon nanotube composite material () includes a metal base material () and carbon nanotube electrically-conductive path portions (). The metal base material () is made from a polycrystalline substance in which a plurality of rod-shaped metal crystal grains () are oriented in a direction. The carbon nanotube electrically-conductive path portions () are made from doped carbon nanotubes having a dopant, existing in parts of grain boundaries () between the rod-shaped metal crystal grains () in a cross section of the metal base material (), and forming an electrically-conductive path which is electrically conductive in a longitudinal direction of the metal base material (), by existing along the longitudinal direction (L).

Carbon nanotube composite material

To provide a metal wire and an electric wire of high mechanical strength and high ductibility that have sufficiently increased ductibility as well as sufficiently increased mechanical strength. A metal wire manufactured at least by being subjected to an extension in which a metal wire is extended in an axial direction, and having a hardness distribution in which hardness decreases toward a specific peripheral portion from a central portion in a cross-section orthogonal to axis, whereby a softened peripheral portion becomes to show a good malleability as well as a high resistance to cracking, so as to attain an improvement of mechanical strength and ductibility.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Junichiro Tokutomi