Cnt-infused metal fiber materials and process therefor

Abstract

A composition includes a carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused metal fiber material which includes a metal fiber material of spoolable dimensions, a barrier coating conformally disposed about the metal fiber material, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) infused to the metal fiber material. A continuous CNT infusion process includes: (a) disposing a barrier coating and a carbon nanotube (CNT)-forming catalyst on a surface of a metal fiber material of spoolable dimensions; and (b) synthesizing carbon nanotubes on the metal fiber material, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-infused metal fiber material.

1 . A system for continuous production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), comprising:
 a payout bobbin and an uptake bobbin adapted to feed a metal fiber material in spoolable form through the system to allow reel to reel growth of CNTs on the metal fiber material;   a metal surface modification station adapted to receive the metal fiber material from the payout bobbin and to alter a surface of the metal fiber material;   a catalyst application station adapted to receive the metal fiber material from the metal surface modification station and to deliver a colloidal solution of CNT growth catalyst nanoparticles to the metal fiber material; and   a CNT growth station adapted for CNT growth on the metal fiber material and adapted to receive the metal fiber material from the catalyst application station, the CNT growth station comprising a growth chamber having at least one purge zone depending therefrom and a growth zone proximate the center of the growth chamber, a feed gas inlet inlet that is also proximate the center of the growth chamber being connected to the growth zone.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the CNT growth station is open to, but separated from the outside environment by the use of an inert gas flow. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a payout and tensioner station. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fiber spreading station. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metal surface modification station comprises a plasma station adapted to roughen the surface of the metal fiber material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst application station is further adapted to conformally deposit a barrier coating on the metal fiber material, the barrier coating having CNT growth catalyst embedded therein. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the barrier coating comprises at least one of spin-on glass, an alumina, a silane, an alkoxysilane, and a liquid ceramic. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fiber sizing removal station. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a resin application station downstream of the CNT growth station. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to provide operating speeds in a range from between about 0.5 ft/min to about 36 ft/min. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller station, the controller station being adapted to control at least one of linespeed, an inert gas flow rate, a carbon feedstock flow rate, temperature in the growth chamber, temperature of the inert gas, and temperature of the carbon feedstock. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to provide a metal fiber material residence time in the growth chamber between about 5 to about 30 seconds to produce CNTs having a length between about 1 micron to about 10 microns. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to provide a metal fiber material residence time in the growth chamber between about 30 to about 180 seconds to produce CNTs having a length between about 10 microns to about 100 microns. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to provide a metal fiber material residence time in the growth chamber between about 180 to about 300 seconds to produce CNTs having a length between about 100 microns to about 500 microns.