Foster-miller, Inc.

Carbon Nanotechnologies, Inc.

Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Margaret E Roylance

John Player

Victor Leemon

Kenneth A Smith

Jack Allen Woods

Kenneth Odell McElrath

Joseph S Boyce

Daniel E Bullock

Thomas Tiano

Douglas T Thomson

Jack A Woods

John C Player

The invention relates to a composite comprising a weight fraction of single-wall carbon nanotubes and at least one polar polymer wherein the composite has an electrical and/or thermal conductivity enhanced over that of the polymer alone. The invention also comprises a method for making this polymer composition. The present application provides composite compositions that, over a wide range of single-wall carbon nanotube loading, have electrical conductivities exceeding those known in the art by more than one order of magnitude. The electrical conductivity enhancement depends on the weight fraction (F) of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the composite. The electrical conductivity of the composite of this invention is at least 5 Siemens per centimeter (S/cm) at (F) of 0.5 (i.e. where single-wall carbon nanotube loading weight represents half of the total composite weight), at least 1 S/cm at a F of 0.1, at least 1&#xd7;10S/cm at (F) of 0.001 and at least 3&#xd7;10S/cm (F) plus the intrinsic conductivity of the polymer matrix material at of 0.0001. The thermal conductivity enhancement is in excess of 1 Watt/m-&#xb0; K. The polar polymer can be polycarbonate, poly(acrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), polyoxide, polysulfide, polysulfone, polyamides, polyester, polyurethane, polyimide, poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl pyridine), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), copolymers thereof and combinations thereof. The composite can further comprise a nonpolar polymer, such as, a polyolefin polymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, polyisobutene, polyisoprene, polystyrene, copolymers thereof and combinations thereof.

Composite materials comprising polar polymers and single-wall carbon nanotubes

A bi-directional device for ultrasonically consolidating a fiber reinforced composite structure including a horn which can be angled relative to the composite structure. The horn includes a tip at the distal end of the horn which terminates in a rounded face. The rounded face of the horn contacts the composite structure enabling the horn to be driven bi-directionally over the composite structure at an angle.

Device for ultrasonically consolidating fiber reinforced composite structures

A method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composite structure wherein a stack of fiber reinforced thermosetting material plies are assembled; an ultrasonic horn is engaged with a top surface of the upper most ply, oriented at an acute angle with respect to the top surface, and energized to induce a shear wave in the plies to heat the plies. The horn is moved along the upper most ply to consolidate the plies and the energy level applied to the horn is sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the thermoset resin to the point where the plies can be debulked but not high enough to fully cross-link the resin so that another ply can still be fully cross-linked to the uppermost ply. Pressure is applied to the plies as the horn moves to debulk the plies.

Ultrasonic method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix fiber-reinforced composite structure and the product thereof

Growing community of inventors

West Newton, MA, United States of America

Margaret E Roylance