Method for forming a fibers/composite material having an anisotropic structure

Abstract

A method for forming fibers/composite material having an anisotropic structure, comprising the steps of mixing an effective amount of fibers with a matrix material to form a deformable mixture containing less than about 96 weight percent of the fibers to about parts per billion of the fibers and wherein the fibers are randomly oriented in the deformable mixture. The deformable mixture can be extruded, stretched or otherwise deformed to form an extrudate. Pressure is applied about the extrudate to substantially compress the fibers in the extrudate to provide the fibers/composite material having an anisotropic structure.

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         6 . A carbon nanotube/matrix composite, comprising: 
 carbon nanotubes disposed within a matrix material forming a carbon nanotube/matrix mixture; wherein the carbon nanotubes are anisotropically positioned within the matrix material during extrusion of the carbon nanotube/matrix mixture, to form a the carbon nanotube/matrix composite which contains about 96 weight percent of the carbon nanotubes to about parts per billion of the carbon nanotubes.    
     
     
         7 . The carbon nanotube/matrix composite of  claim 6 , wherein the matrix material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, poly(paraphenylenevinylene), polypyrrole, polypropylene, nylon-6, polystyrene, polytrifluorochloroethylenem, resin Epon-812, metal, glass, metal alloy, metal oxide glass, metal oxide glass alloy and combinations thereof.  
     
     
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         9 . The carbon nanotube/matrix composite of  claim 6 , wherein the carbon nanotubes and the matrix material are heated and mixed into a homogenous mixture during extrusion, and the carbon nanotubes are anisotropically positioned in the matrix material through the application of shearing force to the homogenous mixture.  
     
     
         10 . The carbon nanotube/matrix composite of  claim 6  wherein the extrusion is by wet spinning, gel spinning, melt spinning, or melt blowing.