Carbon Nanotubes Enhanced High-Performance Multifunctional Composites

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have amazing electrical, mechanical, photonic and thermal properties. HPMI is working to effectively transfer these amazing properties into bulk composite materials using thin membranes made up of CNTs called “buckypaper.” HPMI is developing CNT buckypaper composite structures that are extremely strong, highly efficient in heat dissipation and can shield for electro-magnetic interference. The nanotubes in buckypapers can be randomly dispersed or aligned, based upon the specific properties desired. Buckypapers can be easily handled and incorporated into conventional and out-of-autoclave composite processing methods.
Related Research Projects:

• Electromagnetic interference shielding
• Functionalization of CNTs and CNTs sheet for metal-like high conductance
• Extra-resilient high-performance CNT buckypaper and sheet composites
• Lightweight thermal management composite using CNT and nanoparticles
• Lightweight and low power consumption nanocomposite actuators and morphing structures
• Nanoscale interfacial bonding and load transfer mechanism
• Novel resin chemistry and compatibility for nanoscale reinforcements
• Fire-smoke-toxicity (FST) retardant composites
• Processing-structure-property relationship of polymer and polymer nanocomposites
• Transparent polymer/CNT nanocomposites
• Prediction of mechanical and electric conductivity properties of nanocomposites using multiscale modeling and simulation methods