CNT-INFUSED FIBERS IN THERMOPLASTIC MATRICES

1 . A composite comprising:

a thermoplastic matrix material; and

a CNT-infused glass fiber material;

wherein the CNTs on said CNT-infused glass fiber material comprise between about 3 percent to about 10 percent of the composite by weight;

wherein said composite exhibits electrical conductivity.

2 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein said CNT-infused glass fiber material comprises between about 10 percent to about 40 percent of the composite by weight.

3 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic matrix material is a low-end thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of ABS, polycarbonate, and nylon.

4 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein said composite has an electrical conductivity in a range between about 1 S/m to about 1000 S/m.

5 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein said composite has an EMI shielding effectiveness in a range between about 60 dB to about 120 dB over a range of frequencies between about 2 GHz to about 18 GHz.

6 . A method of making the composite of claim 1 , said method comprising:

impregnating a CNT-infused glass fiber material with a softened thermoplastic matrix material;

chopping said impregnated CNT-infused glass fiber material into pellets; and

molding said pellets to form an article.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein molding comprises injection molding or press molding.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

diluting said pellets with thermoplastic pellets lacking a CNT-infused glass fiber material.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said CNT-infused glass fiber material comprises between about 10 percent to about 40 percent of the composite by weight.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said thermoplastic matrix material is a low-end thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of ABS, polycarbonate, and nylon.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said article has an electrical conductivity in a range between about 1 S/m to about 1000 S/m.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said article has an EMI shielding effectiveness in a range between about 60 dB to about 120 dB over a range of frequencies between about 2 GHz to about 18 GHz.

13 . A composite comprising:

a thermoplastic matrix material; and

a CNT-infused glass fiber material;

wherein the CNTs on said CNT-infused glass fiber material comprise between about 0.1 percent to about 2 percent by weight of the composite;

wherein said composite exhibits enhanced mechanical strength relative to a composite lacking CNTs.

14 . The composite of claim 13 , wherein said CNT-infused glass fiber material comprises between about 30 percent to about 70 percent of the composite by weight.

15 . The composite of claim 13 , wherein said thermoplastic matrix material is a high-end thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of PEEK and PEI.

16 . The composite of claim 13 , wherein a concentration of the CNTs throughout the composite varies in a gradient manner.

17 . The composite of claim 16 , wherein said composite further exhibits low observable properties.

18 . The composite of claim 13 , wherein a concentration of the CNTs throughout the composite is uniform.