Method to generate and disperse nanostructures in a composite material

Abstract

A method of making a nanostructure-reinforced composite comprises providing matrix particles in a reactor; fluidizing the matrix particles; introducing a nanostructure material into the reactor; homogeneously dispersing the nanostructure material; uniformly depositing the nanostructure material on the matrix particles to form a composite powder; generating a nanostructure on the matrix particles from the nanostructure material; and processing the composite powder to form the nanostructure-reinforced composite having a matrix formed from the matrix particles. The nanostructures are evenly distributed in the matrix of the nanostructure-reinforced composite.

1 . A method of making a composite powder comprising:
 providing matrix particles in a reactor, the matrix particles comprising a metal oxide, metal carbide, polymer, ceramic, plastic, glass, graphene, graphite, or a combination thereof;   fluidizing the matrix particles;   introducing a nanostructure material into the reactor;   homogeneously dispersing the nanostructure material; and   uniformly depositing the nanostructure material on the matrix particles to form the composite powder.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix particles are the polymer selected from polyphenylene, polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyester, polyethylene, polyacrylate, polypropylene, polyamide, polyimide, polybenzoxazole, poly(amino acid), epoxy, polystyrene, polybutadiene, polycarbonate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix particles are the ceramic selected from an oxide-based ceramic, nitride-based ceramic, carbide-based ceramic, boride-based ceramic, silicide-based ceramic, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix particles are about 0.5 μm to about 500 μm. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure material comprises nanoparticles, nanotubes, fullerenes, nanowires, nanodots, nanorods, sheets, graphene, nanographite, C1-C4 alkane, C1-C4 alkene, C1-C4 alkyne, benzene, metal, metal oxide, nanodiamonds, polysilsesquioxanes, inorganic nanoparticles, nanoclays, metal nanoparticles, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the nanostructure material on the matrix particles is about 0.001 wt. % to about 50 wt. % based on the weight of the composite powder. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein uniformly depositing the nanostructure material on the matrix particles is a chemical process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein uniformly depositing the nanostructure material on the matrix particles is a physical process. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating nanostructures on the matrix particles from the deposited nanostructure material. 
     
     
         10 . A method of making a nanostructure-reinforced composite comprising:
 providing matrix particles in a reactor, the matrix particles comprising a metal oxide, metal carbide, polymer, ceramic, plastic, glass, graphene, graphite, or a combination thereof;   fluidizing the matrix particles;   introducing a nanostructure material into the reactor;   homogeneously dispersing the nanostructure material;   uniformly depositing the nanostructure material on the matrix particles to form a composite powder;   generating a nanostructure on the matrix particles from the nanostructure material; and   processing the composite powder to form the nanostructure-reinforced composite having a matrix formed from the matrix particles,   wherein the nanostructures are evenly distributed in the matrix of the nanostructure-reinforced composite.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein processing the composite powder comprises mechanical alloying, sintering, hot pressing, spark plasma sintering, extrusion, curing, molding, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein processing the composite powder comprises
 mechanical alloying the composite powder using a ball mill; and   sintering the composite powder to form the nanostructure-reinforced composite.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the matrix particles are the polymer selected from polyphenylene, polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyester, polyethylene, polyacrylate, polypropylene, polyamide, polyimide, polybenzoxazole, poly(amino acid), epoxy, polystyrene, polybutadiene, polycarbonate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein processing comprises
 ball milling the matrix particles; and   curing the polymer to form the nanostructure-reinforced composite.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the matrix particles are the ceramic selected from an oxide-based ceramic, nitride-based ceramic, carbide-based ceramic, boride-based ceramic, silicide-based ceramic, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the nanostructure material comprises nanoparticles, nanotubes, fullerenes, nanowires, nanodots, nanorods, sheets, graphene, nanographite, C1-C4 alkane, C1-C4 alkene, C1-C4 alkyne, benzene, metal, metal oxide, nanodiamonds, polysilsesquioxanes, inorganic nanoparticles, nanoclays, metal nanoparticles, or combinations thereof.