Ultrasound directed self-assembly processing of nanocomposite materials with ultra-high carbon nanotube weight fraction

We introduce a new process to manufacture polymer nanocomposite materials reinforced with an ultra-high weight fraction of aligned carbon nanotubes. This process is based on using ultrasound directed self-assembly, which employs the force associated with a standing ultrasound wave to concentrate and align carbon nanotubes dispersed in the polymer matrix. In contrast with existing manufacturing processes, which typically limit the carbon nanotube weight fraction to approximately 1 wt.%, we demonstrate manufacturing polymer nanocomposite materials with more than 10 wt.% of aligned carbon nanotubes along a single line. We accomplish this by first dispersing 1 wt.% percent of carbon nanotubes in the polymer matrix, and using ultrasound directed self-assembly to concentrate and align the carbon nanotubes along a single line. Then, we trim the excess material around the single line of aligned carbon nanotubes to retain a nanocomposite material with an ultra-high weight percent of aligned carbon nanotubes. We al...