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Researches and developments of new CNT composite materials are getting to be active. Adding CNTs to metals, alloys or ceramics can improve the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the base materials
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CNTs, however, are difficult to be dispersed uniformly in a base material because CNTs are easy to aggregate together. There are a lot of efforts have been made to achieve a highly uniform dispersion. Most of these efforts are based on a mechanically or chemically combining CNT products with a base materials.
Here, we propose a new concept: directly growing CNTs in a base material.
Catalyst powder for CNT growth are first dispersed into a base material, and then CNTs are grown in the base material by using a CVD method. Because the catalyst powder can be uniformly dispersed in a base material, CNTs will be also grown uniformly in the base material. The cost will become higher, but the dispersibility will become better than the conventional methods.
CNT/Metal-Composite
Possible base metals or alloys：Cu, Ti, C, Si, Co, Ni, SUS, etc.
Metal particles surrounded by directly-grown CNTs
CNT/Ceramic-composite
CNTs are much easily and uniformly grown in a ceramic base material, because catalyst particles prefer to be supported on ceramic surfaces.
Possible base ceramics：A2O3, SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, WC, SiC, etc.
CNTs grown on a alumina ball Close-up SEM of CNTs grown on a alumina ball
Long-length CNT bundles grown on a small alumina particle