CNT-Grown Conductive Elements for High-Current Lightweight Wires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current conductive elements, such as wires, face challenges in increasing current carrying capacity, reducing resistance, and minimizing weight and size, particularly in aerospace and automotive applications, while also requiring tailored conductivity properties.
Innovation Solution
A conductive element precursor is created using a metallic substrate with openings, where carbon nanotubes are formed on the walls of these openings, allowing for controlled orientation and distribution, and the precursor is then processed into conductive elements like wires or tapes through rolling, drawing, and annealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional conductive elements are used, then current carrying capacity and resistance are limited, but weight and size reduction is required for aerospace and automotive applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining metallic substrate with carbon nanotubes to create a hybrid conductive element. The carbon nanotubes are formed on the walls of openings in the metallic substrate, creating a composite structure that leverages the high electrical conductivity of metals and the high strength-to-weight ratio of carbon nanotubes, thereby increasing current carrying capacity while reducing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous materials by incorporating a metallic substrate with a plurality of openings (porosity) into the conductive element structure. This porous configuration allows carbon nanotubes to be formed on the internal walls, increasing the surface area for nanotube integration and creating a lightweight structure with enhanced conductivity pathways.
2Reliability
If carbon nanotubes are randomly distributed in conductive elements, then conductivity is non-uniform, but controlled orientation and distribution are required for optimized performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming carbon nanotubes specifically on the walls of openings in the metallic substrate rather than randomly distributing them throughout. This localized formation method ensures that nanotubes are positioned in specific regions where they can provide optimized conductivity pathways, creating non-uniform but controlled and functional conductivity distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-forming the metallic substrate with a specific plurality of openings before forming the carbon nanotubes. This preliminary structuring of the substrate creates predetermined locations and orientations for nanotube formation, allowing subsequent nanotube growth to occur in controlled positions that optimize conductivity before the final conductive element is completed.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional wire drawing processes are used, then processing is straightforward, but achieving tailored conductivity properties in specific directions is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the conductive element into a metallic substrate portion and carbon nanotube portions that are separately formed and then integrated. The substrate with its plurality of openings provides a segmented framework that guides nanotube orientation, allowing different regions to have different conductivity characteristics while maintaining compatibility with standard wire drawing processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the conductivity and mechanical properties of conductive elements by aligning carbon nanotubes in desired orientations, improving current carrying capacity and reducing weight, while allowing for flexible design and efficient processing.
Implementation Method 1
forming a plurality of carbon nanotubes on the walls of each of the plurality of openings
Implementation Method 2
The insert is then drawn through a series of drawing and annealing steps to form the conductive element
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for producing a conductive element precursor and a conductive element, such as a tape or wire, are provided. The methods comprise growing a plurality of carbon nanotubes on a metallic substrate wherein the substrate has a plurality of openings.