High-performance optical absorber comprising functionalized, non-woven, CNT sheet and texturized polymer film or texturized polymer coating and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11175437-B1
Application number	US-202017136703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 29, 2020
Priority date	Dec 29, 2020
Publication date	Nov 16, 2021
Grant date	Nov 16, 2021

Abstract

A high-performance optical absorber includes: a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; and a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet. A method using capillary force lamination (CFL) for manufacturing a high-performance optical absorber, includes: texturizing a base layer of the high-performance optical absorber, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; joining a surface layer of the high-performance optical absorber to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet; wetting the joined surface layer and base layer with a solvent; drying the joined surface layer and base layer; and treating the resulting base layer with plasma, creating the high-performance optical absorber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A high-performance optical absorber, comprising:
a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; and
a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet,
wherein the CNT sheet has a porosity between approximately 65% and approximately 75%.

2. A high-performance optical absorber, comprising:
a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; and
a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet, wherein the CNT sheet has an areal density between approximately 10 grams per square meter (g/m 2 ) and approximately 30 g/m 2 .

3. A high-performance optical absorber, comprising:
a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; and
a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet, wherein the CNT sheet has an areal density between approximately 12 g/m 2 and approximately 15 g/m 2 .

4. A high-performance optical absorber, comprising:
a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; and
a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet, wherein the surface layer comprises a non-functionalized surface sub-layer, the surface layer further comprising a functionalized surface sub-layer below the non-functionalized surface sub-layer.

5. A high-performance optical absorber, comprising:
a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; and
a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet, wherein the surface layer comprises a non-functionalized surface sub-layer, the surface layer further comprising a functionalized surface sub-layer below the non-functionalized surface sub-layer, wherein an index of refraction of the non-functionalized surface sub-layer equals approximately 2.5.

6. A high-performance optical absorber, comprising:
a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating; and
a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet, wherein the surface layer comprises a non-functionalized surface sub-layer, the surface layer further comprising a functionalized surface sub-layer below the non-functionalized surface sub-layer, wherein an index of refraction of the functionalized surface sub-layer is between approximately 1.2 and approximately 1.6.

Assignees

• Northrop Grumman Systems Corp

Inventors

• Starkovich John A
• Silverman Edward M

Classifications

• B29L2016/00

  Articles with corrugations or pleats (B29L2023/18, {B29L2024/003} take precedence) · CPC title

• B29L2011/00

  Optical elements, e.g. lenses, prisms · CPC title

• B29C66/7294

  Non woven mats, e.g. felt · CPC title

• B29C66/45

  Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles (methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00) · CPC title

• B29C66/1122

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title