CNT-INFUSED FIBERS IN CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES
A carbon/carbon (C/C) composite includes a carbon matrix and a non-woven, carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused carbon fiber material. Where woven materials are employed, CNTs are infused on a parent carbon fiber material in a non-woven state. A C/C composite includes a barrier coating on the CNT-infused fiber material. An article is constructed from these (C/C) composites. A method of making a C/C composite includes winding a continuous CNT-infused carbon fiber about a template structure and forming a carbon matrix to provide an initial C/C composite or by dispersing chopped CNT-infused carbon fibers in a carbon matrix precursor to provide a mixture, placing the mixture in a mold, and forming a carbon matrix to provide an initial C/C composite.
1 . A carbon/carbon (C/C) composite comprising a carbon matrix and a non-woven, carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused carbon fiber material.
2 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein said non-woven, CNT-infused carbon fiber material is a continuous CNT-infused carbon fiber material.
3 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein said non-woven, CNT-infused carbon fiber material is a chopped CNT-infused carbon fiber material.
4 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein said carbon matrix is derived from an organic resin.
5 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein the carbon matrix is derived from a tar or pitch.
6 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , further comprising a matrix modifier comprising phosphorus or boron.
7 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , further comprising a dopant carbon nanostructure selected from the group consisting of loose CNTs, fullerenes, nano-onions, nanoflakes, nanoscrolls, nanopaper, nanofibers, nanohorns, nanoshells, nanowires, nanosprings, nanocrystals, nanodiamonds, bucky diamond, nanocontainers, nanomesh, nanosponges, nano-scaled graphene plates (NGPs), and nanobeads.
8 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein a CNT density on said non-woven CNT-infused carbon fiber material is in a range from between about 100 CNTs per micron squared to about 10,000 CNTs per micron squared.
9 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein a CNT density on said CNT-infused carbon fiber material is in a range from between about 100 CNTs per micron squared to about 5,000 CNTs per micron squared.
10 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein CNTs of said CNT-infused fiber material range in length from between about 0.1 microns to about 500 microns.
11 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein CNTs of said CNT-infused fiber material range in length from between about 250 to about 500 microns.
12 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein CNTs of said CNT-infused fiber material range in length from between about 50 to about 250 microns.
13 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein CNTs of said CNT-infused fiber material are present in a range from between about 0.5 percent by weight to about 40 percent by weight of said CNT-infused fiber.
14 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein CNTs of said CNT-infused fiber material are present in a range from between about 35 percent by weight to about 40 percent by weight of said CNT-infused fiber.
15 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein CNTs of said CNT-infused fiber material are present in a range from between about 15 percent by weight to about 30 percent by weight of said CNT-infused fiber.
16 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein said composite has a CNT-infused fiber material volume in a range from between about 0.5% percent to about 60 percent of the composite volume.
17 . The C/C composite of claim 1 , wherein said composite has a CNT-infused fiber material volume in a range from between about 30 percent to about 40 percent of the composite volume.
18 . A C/C composite comprising a carbon matrix and a CNT-infused carbon fiber material; wherein if said CNT-infused carbon fiber material is woven, CNTs are infused on a parent carbon fiber material in a non-woven state.
19 . A C/C composite made by the process of growing CNTs on a spread carbon fiber tow to provide a CNT-infused carbon fiber tow, shaping the CNT-infused carbon fiber tow, and forming a carbon matrix about the shaped CNT-infused carbon fiber tow.
20 . A C/C composite comprising a carbon matrix and a CNT-infused carbon fiber material, said CNT-infused carbon fiber material comprising a barrier coating.
21 . An article comprising a carbon/carbon (C/C) composite comprising a carbon matrix and a non-woven CNT-infused carbon fiber material.
22 . The article of claim 21 , wherein said CNT-infused carbon fiber material is continuous.
23 . The article of claim 21 , wherein said CNT-infused carbon fiber material is chopped.
24 . The article of claim 21 , further comprising a protective coating, a matrix modifier, or mixtures thereof.
25 . The article of claim 24 , wherein said protective coating is a metal or metalloid in a form selected from an oxide, carbide, nitride, silicide, and combinations thereof.
26 . The article of claim 24 , wherein said matrix modifier comprises boron or phosphorus.
27 . The article of claim 21 , wherein said article is a brake rotor.
28 . The article of claim 21 , wherein said article is a portion of a hypersonic aircraft.
29 . A method of making a C/C composite comprising a CNT-infused carbon fiber in a carbon matrix, the method comprising:
winding a continuous CNT-infused carbon fiber about a template structure; and
forming a carbon matrix to provide an initial C/C composite.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the step of forming a carbon matrix comprises infusing the wound continuous CNT-infused carbon fiber material with a carbon matrix precursor followed by pyrolysis of the carbon matrix precursor.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the carbon matrix precursor is an organic resin.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the organic resin is a phenolic resin.
33 . The method of claim 30 wherein the carbon matrix precursor is a tar or pitch.
34 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the winding step comprises wet winding with a carbon matrix precursor and the forming step comprises pyrolysis.
35 . The method of claim 29 , wherein forming the carbon matrix comprises chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/or chemical vapor infiltration (CVI).
36 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising densifying said initial C/C composite.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein densifying comprises subjecting said initial C/C composite to repeated cycles of infusion with a carbon matrix precursor and pyrolysis.
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein densifying comprises subjecting said C/C composite to repeated cycles of CVD and/or CVI.
39 . The method of claim 36 , wherein densifying comprises disposing a CNT growth catalyst on said initial C/C composite and subjecting the catalyst-laden initial C/C composite to CVD conditions that include a temperature ramp comprising temperatures for promoting CNT growth up to temperatures for carbonization.
40 . A method of making a C/C composite comprising a CNT-infused carbon fiber in a carbon matrix, the method comprising:
dispersing chopped CNT-infused carbon fibers in a carbon matrix precursor to provide a mixture;
placing said mixture in a mold; and
forming a carbon matrix to provide an initial C/C composite.
41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the step of forming a carbon matrix comprises pyrolyzing the carbon matrix precursor.
42 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the carbon matrix precursor is an organic resin.
43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the organic resin is a phenolic resin.
44 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the carbon matrix precursor is a tar or pitch.
45 . The method of claim 40 , further comprising densifying said initial C/C composite.
46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein densifying comprises subjecting said initial C/C composite to repeated cycles of infusion with a carbon matrix precursor and pyrolysis.
47 . The method of claim 45 , wherein densifying comprises subjecting said C/C composite to repeated cycles of CVD.
48 . The method of claim 45 , wherein densifying comprises disposing a CNT growth catalyst on said initial C/C composite and subjecting the catalyst-laden initial C/C composite to CVD conditions that include a temperature ramp comprising temperatures for promoting CNT growth up to temperatures for carbonization.