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Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...

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150j 5 <strong>Carbon</strong> <strong>Nanotube</strong>–<strong>Ceramic</strong> Nanocomposites<br />

Figure 5.17 (a) Agglomeration of CNTs in A4C-B; dispersion of<br />

CNTs in (b) A4C-SD <strong>and</strong> (c) A8C-SD powder surfaces.<br />

Reproduced with permission from [77]. Copyright Ó (2008)<br />

Elsevier.<br />

aluminum in various acid solutions. The density, diameter <strong>and</strong> length of pores can be<br />

controlled by varying anodizing conditions such as temperature, electrolyte, applied<br />

voltage, anodizing time, <strong>and</strong> so on. Furthermore, a multi-step anodizing process is<br />

recognized as an effective route for creating an amorphous alumina coating with<br />

widened pores (Figure 5.19(a) <strong>and</strong> (b)).<br />

5.4.2<br />

Silica Matrix<br />

Silica-based ceramics are attractive materials for use in optical devices but their<br />

brittleness limits their applications. The incorporation of CNTs into silica can<br />

improve its mechanical performance markedly. Since CNTs have unique linear<br />

<strong>and</strong> nonlinear optical properties [83], silica-CNT nanocomposites show promise<br />

for photonic applications including optical switching, optical waveguides, optical<br />

limiting devices <strong>and</strong> so on [84, 85]. The nanocomposites also exhibit excellent<br />

low dielectric constant <strong>and</strong> electromagnetic shielding characteristics [86]. Silica-CNT<br />

nanocomposites can be produced by direct powder mixing [87], sol-gel [84–86, 88–92]<br />

<strong>and</strong> electrophoretic deposition (EPD) [93] processes. Among them, sol-gel is<br />

often used to make silica-CNT nanocomposites with better dispersion of CNTs<br />

in silica.

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