Thermally and electrically conductive structure comprising a carbon nanotube and a carbon coating, and method of reducing a contact resistance of same
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 thermally and electrically conductive structure comprising:
a carbon nanotube having an outer surface;
a carbon coating covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the carbon nanotube;
a transition layer exterior to the carbon coating; and
a metal layer exterior to the transition layer.
2. The thermally and electrically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein:
the carbon coating surrounds substantially all of the outer surface of the carbon nanotube.
3. The thermally and electrically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein:
a structure of the carbon coating is that of a graphite sheet.
4. The thermally and electrically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein:
the carbon coating provides the thermally and electrically conductive structure with a reactive surface.
5. The thermally and electrically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein:
the transition layer is a low contact resistance layer.
6. The thermally and electrically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein:
the transition layer comprises a metal or a polymer.
7. The thermally and electrically conductive structure of claim 6 wherein:
the transition layer comprises one of copper, nickel, ruthenium, and platinum.
8. The thermally and electrically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein:
the carbon coating is derived from a nitrile-containing polymer.