Carbon nanofibers for composite applications

Carbon nanofibers and nanotubes are promising to revolutionise several fields in material science and are suggested to open the way into nanotechnology. Further market development will depend on material availability at reasonable prices. We have achieved bulk production capacities of high purity carbon nanofibers (CNFs) at low cost by a catalytic chemical vapour deposition (CCVD) process. Reasonably low temperatures and yields of up to several g/m(2) min at more than 70% carbon gas-to-fiber conversion rates allow considerable cost reductions. Polymer composites have been prepared by dispersion of CNFs into polymer matrices applying intensive shear via extrusion. In polypropylene the application of less than 10 wt.%. CNFs reduced the volume resistivity from >10(13) Omegacm to a value of similar to10(5) Omegacm, Different sizing of fibers is normally used for nylon, polycarbonate and other high temperature applications. We are focussing on the development and volume production of a single carbon nanofiber type which can be used in the wide range of systems beyond, but not restricted to polymer composites. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.