Carbon Nanotubes : Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites

This discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNT) three decades ago ushered in the technological era of nanotechnology. Among the most widely studied areas of CNT research is their use as structural reinforcements in composites. This book describes the development of CNT reinforced metal matrix composites (CNT-MMCs) over the last two decades. The field of CNT-MMCs is abundant in fundamental science, rich in engineering challenges and innovations and ripe for technological maturation and commercialization.

The authors have sought to present the current state of the-art in CNT-MMC technology from their synthesis to their myriad potential end-use applications. Specifically, topics explored include:

• Advantages, limitations, and evolution of processing techniques used to synthesize and fabricate CNT-MMCs

• Emphasizes dispersion techniques of CNTs in metallic systems, a key challenge to the successful and widespread implementation of CNT-MMCs. Methods for quantification and improved control of CNT distributions are presented

•  Methods for quantification and improved control of CNT distributions are presented

• Characterization techniques uniquely suited for charactering these nanoscale materials and their many chemical and physical interactions with the metal matrix, including real-time in-situ characterization of deformation mechanisms

• Electron microscope images from premier studies enrich discussions on micro-mechanical modeling, interfacial design, mechanical behavior, and functional properties

• A chapter is dedicated to the emergence of dual reinforcement composites that seek to enhance the efficacy of CNTs and lead to material properties by design

This book highlights seminal findings in CNT-MMC research and includes several tables listing processing methods, associated CNT states, and resulting properties in order to aid the next generation of researchers in advancing the science and engineering of CNT-MMCs. In addition, a survey of the patent literature is presented in order to shed light on what the first wave of CNT-MMC commercialization may look like and the challenges that will have to be overcome, both technologically and commercially.