Coated carbon nanotubes

Carbon Nanotubes have received considerable attention as reinforcements of composite materials. They exhibit remarkable properties such as high mechanical strength, stiffness, flexibility, thermal and electrical conductivities and also low density. Carbon reinforcements have been actively investigated in order to achieve a high mechanical strength, electrical and thermal conductivities of different metal matrix composites (MMC). The key element for producing MMC containing carbon nanotubes is the interface between matrix and reinforcement.

In order to get a performing composite material a homogeneous mixture of CNT well dispersed in the metallic powder is needed. We work on different routes to disperse multi-walled CNT in a metal matrix. One way is to bring them in a good dispersion by modifying the surface of the CNT from a hydrophobic to a hydrophilic character. The other way is to coat CNT with the metal to achieve a good connection with the metal matrix. For the coating we also tested different types of CNT with different surface properties for uniform metal coating.

                                                Cu@CNT

                                              MgO@CNT

                                             Al@CNT

                               Pt@CNT   

                                    TEM images of regular platinum coated CNTs    

Cu@CNT using the MOCVD-method

Publications:

1. Vyacheslav O. Khavrus, Albrecht Leonhardt, Silke Hampel, Christine Täschner, Christian Müller, Wolfgang Gruner, Steffen Oswald, Peter E. Strizhak, Bernd Büchner Single-step synthesis of metal-coated well-aligned CNx nanotubes using an aerosol-technique, Carbon 45 (2007) Nr.15, P. 2889-2896 URL

For more information don't hesitate to contact.

Contacts:

Dr. Silke Hampel
Department 'Chemical Vapor Deposition'
Institute for Solid State Research (IFF)
IFW Dresden
D-01171 Dresden, Germany

Phone: +49-351-4659-323
Fax: +49-351-4659-313

Email: S.Hampel@ifw-dresden.de

Dr. Albrecht Leonhardt
Department 'Chemical Vapor Deposition'
Institute for Solid State Research (IFF)
IFW Dresden
D-01171 Dresden, Germany

Phone: +49-351-4659-299
Fax: +49-351-4659-313

Email: a.leonhardt@ifw-dresden.de

See also:

Filled and coated CNTs

Initial page of department CVD