Carbon nanostructure-coated fibers of low areal weight and methods for producing the same
Carbon nanostructures can convey enhanced electrical conductivity to various substrates, while maintaining a high surface area and low density per unit area. Such substrates can provide good shielding against electromagnetic radiation over a wide range of frequencies. Electrically conductive structures can include a support layer containing a plurality of fibers having apertures defined between the fibers, and a plurality of carbon nanostructures at least partially conformally coating the fibers and bridging across the apertures defined between adjacent fibers to form a continuous carbon nanostructure layer. Each carbon nanostructure can include a plurality of carbon nanotubes that are branched, crosslinked, and share common walls with one another.
1. An electrically conductive structure comprising:
a support layer comprising a plurality of fibers configured as a fiber mat and having apertures defined between the fibers; and
a plurality of carbon nanostructures at least partially conformally coating the fibers;
wherein the carbon nanostructures are in the form of a carbon nanostructure flake material and are free of a growth substrate adhered to the carbon nanostructures;
wherein the carbon nanostructure flake material bridges across the apertures defined between adjacent fibers to form a continuous carbon nanostructure layer; and
wherein each carbon nanostructure comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes that are branched, crosslinked, and share common walls with one another.
2. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers comprise carbon fibers, glass fibers, or any combination thereof.
3. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers are coated with a metallization layer.
4. The electrically conductive structure of claim 3 , wherein the metallization layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, and any combination thereof.
5. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers in the support layer are oriented randomly with respect to one another.
6. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes in each carbon nanostructure are formed with branching, crosslinking, and sharing common walls with one another during formation of the carbon nanostructures on a growth substrate.
7. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive structure is substantially planar.
8. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive structure is substantially cylindrical.
9. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprise a plurality of carbon nanostructure-infused fibers having carbon nanostructures grown from a surface of a fiber material.
10. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a surface to which the electrically conductive structure is applied.
11. The electrically conductive structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive structure exhibits shielding against electromagnetic radiation over a frequency range between at least about 30 MHz to about 8 GHz.