Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...
Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...
Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...
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8<br />
Conclusions<br />
8.1<br />
Future Prospects<br />
Research <strong>and</strong> development efforts throughout the academic <strong>and</strong> industrial sectors<br />
haveresultedininnovative technologies forthefabricationofcarbonnanotubes(CNTs)<br />
with reduced weight, <strong>and</strong> excellent electrical, mechanical <strong>and</strong> thermal characteristics.<br />
Consequently, CNTs offer tremendous opportunities for the development of advanced<br />
functional materials. Numerous researchers have reported remarkable improvement<br />
in the mechanical properties of metals <strong>and</strong> ceramics by adding low loading levels<br />
of CNTs. <strong>Carbon</strong> nanotubes can strengthen metals <strong>and</strong> ceramics through the loadtransfer<br />
effect, <strong>and</strong> toughen brittle ceramics via a crack-bridging mechanism.<br />
<strong>Composites</strong> reinforced with CNTs also exhibit excellent electrical <strong>and</strong> thermal conductivities.<br />
These composites show potential applications for thermal management in<br />
electronic devices, particularly in the telecommunications sector. However, heat<br />
dissipation is a key issue that limits the performance <strong>and</strong> reliability of electronic<br />
devicesfromcellular phonestosatellites. Suchcommercial productsrequireminiature<br />
composite materials with multifunctional properties. Furthermore, CNTs show<br />
remarkable biocompatibility <strong>and</strong> bioactivity, rendering them attractive materials for<br />
clinical applications. Generally, fundamental underst<strong>and</strong>ing of the synthetic process<br />
for achieving homogeneous dispersion of nanotubes <strong>and</strong> the structure–property<br />
relationship of nanocomposites is still lacking. From a more fundamental perspective,<br />
the principles of reinforcement, deformation, mechanical failure, electrical<br />
<strong>and</strong> heat transport of these nanocomposites are not completely understood<br />
<strong>and</strong> tested. Proper underst<strong>and</strong>ing of the processing– structure–property relationship<br />
is critical for designing novel nanocomposites with functional properties for<br />
specific applications. Up till now, only a few inventions have been acknowledged by<br />
global patent authorities for the possible commercialization of CNT-reinforced<br />
composites (Table 8.1) [Chap. 2, Ref. 99, Chap. 7, Ref. 3, 1–4].Thisisduetothelow<br />
production yield <strong>and</strong> high cost of CNTs. Obviously there is much to be done in<br />
enhancing the production yield of high quality nanotubes through technological<br />
innovations. Further commercial development of CNT-reinforced composites<br />
depends greatly on the availability of nanotubes at reasonable prices. For successful<br />
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