Demands for high-performance electrical power transmission cables continue to rise, especially for offshore power transmission, electric vehicles, and portable electronics applications. One of the most difficult challenges to offshore power transmission is to develop electrical wires with greatly reduced weight as well as enhanced performance and stability. As such, carbon nanotube (CNT)-Copper (Cu) core-shell wire is regarded as one of the best candidate systems for transmitting electricity and thermal energy. However, it remains a daunting task to prepare highly conductive and ultra-strong CNT-Cu wires due to the poor wettability of Cu on the CNT surface. In this study, a robust and facile approach was developed to enhance the CNT-Cu interfacial interactions using a substrate-enhanced electroless deposition step for Cu pre-seeding and thiol functionalization on CNT wires. The designed CNT-Cu core-shell wire possesses (1) superior specific strength (8-fold stronger), (2) 30% higher specific conductivity, (3) 120% higher specific ampacity, and (4) 110% higher heat dissipation capability compared with pure Cu wire. Moreover, this composite wire maintains its structural integrity and electrical properties over 600 cycles of fatigue bending test, rendering this system an excellent candidate for high-performance electrical cable and conductor applications. Considering the novel interfacial design, remarkable property enhancement, and facile and scalable manufacturing process, the present study may shed light on the technological shift in designing advanced nanocarbon-metal composites for the next-generation high-performance electrical and electronic component applications.

Highly conductive and ultra-strong carbon nanotube-copper core-shell wires as high-performance power transmission cables

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