Carbon Nanotube Fiber Spun From Wetted Ribbon

Abstract

A fiber of carbon nanotubes was prepared by a wet-spinning method involving drawing carbon nanotubes away from a substantially aligned, supported array of carbon nanotubes to form a ribbon, wetting the ribbon with a liquid, and spinning a fiber from the wetted ribbon. The liquid can be a polymer solution and after forming the fiber, the polymer can be cured. The resulting fiber has a higher tensile strength and higher conductivity compared to dry-spun fibers and to wet-spun fibers prepared by other methods.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for spinning a fiber of carbon nanotubes, comprising:
 drawing carbon nanotubes away from a substantially aligned, supported array of carbon nanotubes to form a ribbon,   wetting the ribbon of carbon nanotubes with a liquid to form a wetted ribbon of carbon nanotubes, and   spinning a fiber from said wetted ribbon of carbon nanotubes, wherein spinning comprises twisting wetted carbon nanotubes of the wetted ribbon around each other as carbon nanotubes are drawn away from said substantially aligned, supported array of carbon nanotubes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of wetting the carbon nanotubes of the ribbon occurs before the carbon nanotubes are spun into a fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of wetting occurs as carbon nanotubes are being twisted around each other during the spinning step. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising drying the fiber. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises an organic liquid, an inorganic liquid, or a combination of organic liquid and inorganic liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is chosen from a hydrocarbon, a halogenated hydrocarbon, an alcohol, an ester, and ether, an amide, and an acid. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a polymer dissolved in solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a solution of poly(vinylalcohol). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a polymer dissolved in a solvent, and wherein the method after spinning the fiber from the wetted ribbon further comprises removing the solvent and curing the polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a monomer dissolved in solvent. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a monomer dissolved in a solvent, and wherein the method after spinning a fiber from a wetted ribbon further comprises removing the solvent and polymerizing the monomer to a polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a monomer dissolved in a solvent, and wherein the method after spinning a fiber from a wetted ribbon further comprises removing the solvent, polymerizing the monomer to a polymer, and curing the polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising preparing a substantially aligned, supported array of carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of wetting the ribbon with liquid comprises passing the ribbon through a liquid, spraying the ribbon with a liquid, or passing the ribbon through a supersaturated vapor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber has a tensile strength that is greater than the tensile strength of a fiber spun from said method excluding the step of wetting the ribbon. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the majority of the carbon nanotubes of the substantially aligned, supported array of carbon nanotubes are double-walled carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the double walled carbon nanotubes of the substantially aligned, supported array have an average diameter of about 7 nanometers. 
     
     
         18 . A fiber of carbon nanotubes prepared by a method comprising:
 drawing carbon nanotubes away from a substantially aligned, supported array of carbon nanotubes to form a ribbon, the majority of the carbon nanotubes being double-walled carbon nanotubes,   wetting the ribbon with a liquid comprising a polymer to form a wetted ribbon,   spinning a fiber from wetted ribbon, wherein spinning comprises twisting the carbon nanotubes of the wetted ribbon around each other as the carbon nanotubes are drawn away from the substantially aligned, supported array of carbon nanotubes, and thereafter   heating the fiber for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to cure the polymer, resulting in the fiber having a tensile strength of at least 0.90 GPa.   
     
     
         19 . The fiber of  claim 18 , wherein the majority of the carbon nanotubes have an average diameter of about 7 nanometers. The fiber of  claim 18 , wherein the polymer comprises poly(vinylalcohol).