Copper–Carbon Nanotube Composites Enabled by Brush Coating for Advanced ConductorsClick to copy article linkArticle link copied!
- Huixin JiangHuixin JiangChemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Huixin Jiang
- Lydia CookeLydia CookeChemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Lydia Cooke
- Kesavan SrivilliputhurKesavan SrivilliputhurChemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Kesavan Srivilliputhur
- Michael A. McGuireMichael A. McGuireMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Michael A. McGuire
- Harry M. Meyer IIIHarry M. Meyer, IIIChemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Harry M. Meyer, III
- Mina YoonMina YoonMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Mina Yoon
- James HaynesJames HaynesMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by James Haynes
- Kashif NawazKashif NawazBuildings and Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Kashif Nawaz
- Andrew R. LupiniAndrew R. LupiniMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Andrew R. Lupini
- Kai Li*Kai Li*(K.L.) Email [email protected]Buildings and Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Kai Li
- Tolga Aytug*Tolga Aytug*(T.A.) Email [email protected]Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United StatesMore by Tolga Aytug
Abstract

There is a growing demand for advanced conductors with enhanced electrical properties to increase the energy efficiency in various applications. A promising strategy to achieve this involves the use of ultraconductive copper (UCC) composites that incorporate highly conductive carbon materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), into the copper matrix. In this study, we present a scalable brush coating technique to incorporate CNTs onto Cu substrates to produce Cu–CNT–Cu composites. The process involves brush coating the CNT solution on Cu tape substrates, followed by vacuum-assisted thermal removal of organic moieties (e.g., surfactant/polymer). This step ensures the creation of a uniformly distributed CNT network within the Cu matrix. By addition of a thin film Cu overlayer, the fabricated Cu–CNT–Cu composite architecture demonstrates similar electrical conductivity, increased current carrying capacity, and enhanced mechanical properties compared to pure Cu reference tapes. The performance characteristics of these UCC tapes along with the scalability of the brush coating approach hold great promise for the fabrication of advanced conductors for wide-ranging energy applications.
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This article is cited by 3 publications.
- Mina Yoon, German D. Samolyuk, Kai Li, James Haynes, Tolga Aytug. First-Principles Calculations of the Electrical Conductivity of Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized with Copper and Nitrogen: Implications for Electronics, Energy Storage, and Nanodevices. ACS Applied Nano Materials 2024, 7
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, 26777-26784. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.4c04500
- Chendong Liao, Nicola Bianchi, Zhuoran Zhang. Recent Developments and Trends in High-Performance PMSM for Aeronautical Applications. Energies 2024, 17
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, 6199. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17236199
- Xiaona Ren, Yue Chang, Changchun Ge. State-of-the-Art Carbon-Nanotubes-Reinforced Copper-Based Composites: The Interface Design of CNTs and Cu Matrix. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024, 25
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, 12957. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312957
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