Abstract

The power losses associated with the electrical resistance of copper (Cu) have generated considerable interest in the development of advanced conductors that incorporate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the Cu matrix-ultraconductive Cu (UCC) composites-to increase energy efficiency in various industrial and residential applications, ranging from electric power transmission and rotating machinery to electronic devices. To meet this demand, we describe an electrospinning-based polymer nanofiber templating strategy for the fabrication of UCC composites with electrical and mechanical performance exceeding that of Cu. Our approach involves electrospinning of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-based solutions containing CNTs into aligned PVP/CNT nanofibers onto Cu foil substrates, followed by vacuum-assisted thermal removal of organic solvent/polymer from the CNT matrix to achieve a uniformly distributed CNT layer on the Cu surface. Following additional Cu deposition, the Cu-CNT-Cu composites demonstrated similar electrical conductivity, higher current carrying capacity, and improved mechanical properties compared with those obtained from reference Cu. Importantly, after the heat treatment, Raman analysis of the CNT network displayed an increased metallic character that supports the enhanced electrical properties of the UCC composites. Thus, we believe that these performance characteristics together with the commercial viability of the present approach could open new possibilities in designing advanced conductors for a broad range of electrical systems and industrial applications.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6863-6875
Number of pages13
JournalACS Applied Nano Materials
Volume3
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 24 2020

Funding

Research is supported in part by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), Electric Drive Technologies Program, and in part by the Technology Innovation Program of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US DOE. SEM and STEM imaging and analyses were conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), which is sponsored at ORNL by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, US DOE. The authors thank Rick R. Lowden for the access to mechanical tests and acknowledge the US DOE’s Susan Rogers for her managerial support.

FundersFunder number
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Basic Energy Sciences
Oak Ridge National LaboratoryDE-AC05-00OR22725
Vehicle Technologies Office

    Keywords

    • Cu-CNT composites
    • advanced conductors
    • carbon nanotubes
    • electrospinning
    • ultraconductive copper

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