Fabrication of High Strength Metal-Carbon Nanotube Composites

摘要

A major objective of Army technology is the development of lighter and stronger platforms such as armored vehicles for Future Combat systems and Future Force. Here we show that carbon nanotubes could be the basis of such a possibility. It is shown for the first time that a carbon nanotube-iron composite, iron being the principle component of steel, has significantly enhanced mechanical strength. The major challenge has been to develop methods to incorporate single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) into metals. Here we report the first successful fabrication of a metal-SWNT composite having significantly enhanced yield strength. A direct and controllable method of incorporating SWNTS into iron, the principal component of steel, has been developed.