How to create high performance and multifunctional sp2 carbon nanostructured fibers (Nanotube/Graphene) is one of the most exciting topics for realizing light weight, strong, and multifunctional cable, wire, textile and structural material to electronic systems such as nanocomposites, sensors, medical devices and energy harvest and storage platforms. Here we demonstrate a novel approach enabling an intrinsic structural transformation of carbon nanotubes inside the fibers creating structurally seamless and macroscopically continuous multilayered graphene nanoribbon by applying highly controlled electrical energy. High Resolution Transmission Electron microscope (HRTEM), small angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy reveal that after applying electrical energy of controlled voltage, frequency and number cycles, most of original double-walled carbon nanotubes are transformed to continuous graphitic nanoribbon and multi-walled structures showing increased number of graphene layer and decreased the wall distance with significantly improved sp2 lattice crystallinity over large area. This novel continuous structure, which is impossible to synthesize using conventional methods, leads to up to 20 times higher thermal conductivity (200 W/mK), improved elastic modulus and 20-30% decreased electrical resistivity compared to intrinsic nanotube fibers.<br/>

Molecularly engineered multifunctional carbon nanotube fibers using highly controlled electrical fusion process

256th National Meeting (2018)

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