Method of making complex carbon nanotube sheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018339473-A1
Application number	US-201715606636-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2017
Priority date	May 26, 2017
Publication date	Nov 29, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of making monolithic carbon nanotube heater elements with geometric shape with multiple, complex curvatures is disclosed. The method includes depositing carbon nanotubes on to a forming surface, draining the carbon nanotubes, and drying the carbon nanotubes. Alternatively, the method includes thermoforming carbon nanotube sheets containing thermoplastic binders. The resulting carbon nanotube heater element is a thin, monolithic carbon nanotube heater sheet having a geometric shape with complex curvatures.

First claim

1 . A method of making a carbon nanotube heater comprising:
depositing carbon nanotubes onto a forming surface that has a complex shape; and treating the carbon nanotubes such that the carbon nanotubes form a complex shape reflecting the complex shape of the forming surface.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein treating the carbon nanotubes comprises:
mixing the carbon nanotubes with a thermoplastic binder to create a carbon nanotube sheet prior to depositing the carbon nanotubes onto the forming surface; and thermoforming the carbon nanotube sheet onto the forming surface.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein thermoforming the carbon nanotube sheet comprises applying force and heat to the carbon nanotube sheet.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic binder is selected from the group consisting of polyetherether ketones, polyetherimides, polyethlylenes, polyether sulfones, nylon, polyethylene-naphthalates, polybenzimidazole, polyimides, poly methyl methacrylates and combinations thereof.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein treating the carbon nanotubes comprises:
draining water from the carbon nanotubes to form a carbon nanotube heater element on the forming surface; and drying the carbon nanotube heater element.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein depositing carbon nanotubes comprises pouring an aqueous carbon nanotube slurry onto the forming surface.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein depositing carbon nanotubes comprises placing a pre-made carbon nanotube sheet on to the forming surface and adding water to one or more portions of the carbon nanotube sheet.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the forming surface is porous.

9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein draining water from the carbon nanotubes comprises gravitational draining.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the complex shape of the forming surface includes at least two different curvatures.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching a bus bar to the carbon nanotube heater element.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the bus bar comprises depositing a metal onto the carbon nanotube heater element.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the bus bar comprises:
perforating a portion of a bus bar; treating the bus bar with a coupling agent; applying a conductive adhesive to the bus bar, wherein the coupling agent forms covalent bonds between the bus bar and the conductive adhesive; bonding the bus bar into the carbon nanotube heater with the conductive adhesive; attaching a pre-preg glass fabric to the bus bar; and curing the bus bar such that the bus bar is attached to the pre-preg glass fabric and carbon nanotube heater.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising soldering wires onto the bus bar, wherein the wires extend through the pre-preg glass fabric.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the pre-preg layer comprises a glass fiber fabric.

16 . A heater element for ice protection comprising a thin, monolithic carbon nanotube heater element having a geometric shape with complex curvatures.

17 . The heater element of claim 16 , wherein the carbon nanotube heater element has a uniform thickness between 0.001 inches and about 0.020 inches.

18 . The heater element of claim 16 , wherein the carbon nanotube heater element has an electrical resistivity between 0.005 ohms per square and 3.0 ohms per square.

19 . The heater element of claim 16 , wherein the carbon nanotube heater element has a surface area between 4 square inches and 1,000 square inches.

20 . The heater element of claim 16 , further comprising a bus bar attachment.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Zhao Wenping
• Chaudhry Zaffir A
• Botura Galdemir Cezar
• Wilson Jr Tommy M
• Hartzler Brad

Classifications

• B29C70/88 Primary

  characterised primarily by possessing specific properties, e.g. electrically conductive or locally reinforced · CPC title

• B64D15/12 Primary

  by electric heating (heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas H05B3/84) · CPC title

• C01B32/16

  Preparation · CPC title

• H05B3/145

  Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite · CPC title

• H05B3/34

  flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs · CPC title