CARBON NANOSTRUCTURE COMPOSITES FOR RADIATION SHIELDING AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THEREOF

1 . A single-layered carbon nanostructure-based composite comprising:

a vertically aligned carbon nanostructure array comprising a plurality of carbon nanostructures on a substrate or support;

optionally a high shielding efficiency material coating on the plurality of carbon nanostructures of the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure array; and

a low-Z material coating the plurality of carbon nanostructures of the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure array.

2 . The single-layered carbon nanostructure-based composite of claim 1 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material coating is present on the plurality of carbon nanostructures of the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure array; and

the low-Z material encapsulates the high shielding efficiency material coated on the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure array.

3 - 6 . (canceled)

7 . The single-layered composite of claim 1 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material is present and is a high-Z material.

8 . The single-layered composite of claim 1 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material is present and is a low-Z material.

9 . The single-layered composite of claim 1 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material coating is a conformal coating present on all or substantially all of the sidewalls and tips of the plurality of carbon nanostructures.

10 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A multi-tiered carbon nanostructure-based composite comprising:

at least two vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays each comprising a plurality of carbon nanostructures on a substrate or support;

optionally a high shielding efficiency material coating on the plurality of carbon nanostructures of each of the at least two vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays; and

a low-Z material coating the plurality of carbon nanostructures of the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure array;

wherein the at least two vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays having the optional high shielding efficiency material coating and the low-Z material coating thereon are stacked to form the multi-tiered carbon nanostructure-based composite comprising at least two tiers.

18 . The multi-tiered carbon nanostructure-based composite of claim 17 ,

wherein the high shielding efficiency material coating is present on the plurality of carbon nanostructures of each of the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays; and

the low-Z material encapsulates the high shielding efficiency material coated on each of the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays.

19 - 23 . (canceled)

24 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 17 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material is present and is a high-Z material.

25 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 17 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material is present and is a low-Z material.

26 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 17 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material coating on the plurality of carbon nanostructures of each of the at least two vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays is a conformal coating present on all or substantially all of the sidewalls and tips of the plurality of carbon nanostructures.

27 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 24 , wherein the high-Z material coating on the plurality of carbon nanostructures of each of the at least two vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays is independently selected from the group consisting of aluminum, bismuth, cobalt, chromium, zinc, gallium, tantalum, platinum, gold, nickel, iron, tin, lead, silver, tungsten, titanium, indium, copper, antimony, zirconium, titanium, lithium, palladium, alloys thereof, metal oxides thereof, and metal hydrides thereof, and combinations thereof.

28 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 17 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material coating on the plurality of carbon nanostructures of each of the at least two vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays independently has a thickness ranging from about 1 to 10,000 nm.

29 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 17 , wherein the low-Z material is a polymer selected from the group consisting of non-conjugated polymers, conjugated polymers, or aromatic polymers, silicones, polyethylene, polyimides, polyamides, paraffins, polypropylene, and epoxies.

30 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 17 , wherein the composite is a planar laminate.

31 . The multi-tiered composite of claim 18 , wherein the low-Z material encapsulating the high shielding efficiency material coated plurality of carbon nanostructures of each of the vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays has a thickness ranging from about 1 to 1000 nm.

32 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . A method of making a multi-tiered carbon nanostructure-based composite comprising the steps of:

(1′″) forming or providing at least two vertically aligned carbon nanostructure arrays each on a substrate or support;

(2′″) optionally depositing or forming at least one high shielding efficiency material coating on each of the carbon nanostructures of the at least two arrays of step (1′″);

(3′″) forming a low-Z material coating on each of the at least two arrays to provide at least two single-layer carbon nanostructure-based composites;

(4′″) applying an adhesive coating layer onto each of the at least two single-layered carbon nanostructure-based composites; and

(5′″) stacking the at least two single-layer carbon nanostructure-based composites of step (4′″) to provide a multi-tiered carbon nanostructure-based composite.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the at least one high shielding efficiency material coating is present and forms a conformal coating present on all or substantially all of the sidewalls and tips of the plurality of carbon nanostructures present.

37 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material is present and is a high-Z material.

38 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the high shielding efficiency material is present and is a low-Z material.

39 - 48 . (canceled)