Thermally and electrically conductive structure, method of applying a carbon coating to same, and method of reducing a contact resistance of same
View Patent ↗A thermally and electrically conductive structure comprises a carbon nanotube ( 110 ) having an outer surface ( 111 ) and a carbon coating ( 120 ) covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the carbon nanotube. The carbon coating may be applied to the carbon nanotube by providing a nitrile-containing polymer, coating the carbon nanotube with the nitrile-containing polymer, and pyrolyzing the nitrile-containing polymer in order to form the carbon coating on the carbon nanotube. The carbon nanotube may further be coated with a low contact resistance layer ( 130 ) exterior to the carbon coating and a metal layer ( 140 ) exterior to the low contact resistance layer.
1. A method of applying a carbon coating to a carbon nanotube, the method comprising:
providing a nitrile-containing polymer;
coating the carbon nanotube with the nitrile-containing polymer;
pyrolyzing the nitrile-containing polymer in order to form the carbon coating on the carbon nanotube; and
forming a metal layer exterior to the carbon coating.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
pyrolyzing the nitrile-containing polymer comprises pyrolyzing the nitrile-containing polymer at a temperature greater than 500 degrees Celsius.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein:
pyrolyzing the nitrile-containing polymer comprises pyrolyzing the nitrile-containing polymer in a tube furnace at approximately 700 degrees Celsius for approximately six hours in argon.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
coating the carbon nanotube comprises dispersing the nitrile-containing polymer in a solvent such that the nitrile-containing polymer is adsorbed to the carbon nanotube.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
performing an acid treatment on the carbon nanotube in order to enhance an adsorption of the nitrile-containing polymer to the carbon nanotube.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
coating the carbon nanotube comprises electrospinning the nitrile-containing polymer and the carbon nanotube in order to create a nanofiber composite.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the nitrile-containing polymer comprises a block copolymer; and
coating the carbon nanotube comprises:
acidifying the carbon nanotube; and
attaching the block copolymer to the carbon nanotube using a colloidal chemistry method.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming a transition layer exterior to the carbon coating prior to forming the metal layer.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein:
forming the transition layer comprises forming a low contact resistance layer.