CSIRO is researching applications of carbon nanotube yarns in textiles to improve their electrical and thermal conductivity.
The capability
Carbon nanotubes are one of the most promising new materials in textile science.
They are sub-microscopic, hollow fibres of pure carbon. To the naked eye, they look like black powder, but their true fibre nature becomes apparent under the electron microscope.
Not only are carbon nanotube fibres are immensely strong but they also possess two special characteristics: they have excellent electrical and heat conductivity.
A research team at CSIRO is producing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and investigating applications for them in textiles.
To do this, they are utilising CSIRO's expertise in the following fields:
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reactor design and construction
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physical and organic chemistry
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chemical engineering and process development
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computerised process control and analysis
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fibre physics
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yarn structure and properties
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dispersion of nanotubes in polymers
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polymer–nanotube binding and functionalisation
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electron microscopy (scanning, transmission) and atomic force microscopy.
How CSIRO uses it
We have built several reactors for ‘growing’ carbon nanotubes and we are exploring applications for them.
Encouraged by theoretical calculations based on knowledge of fibre physics, our researchers recently succeeded in spinning yarn from nanotubes (‘dry spinning’).
Dry spinning illustrated
Four scanning electron microscope images of the spinning of carbon nanotube fibres.
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image one (top left, clockwise rotation) is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a spinning triangle in which CNT fibres can be seen drawing off the forest
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image two shows a close-up of the CNTs being drawn from the forest and highlights the alignment of the fibres
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image three shows the twist insertion point
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image four shows a section of the yarn which is comprised of over 100 000 nanotubes.
“We're currently working towards a more robust process for producing carbon nanotube yarns.”
Mr Ken Atkinson
Stream Leader, Electro-active fibres
The fundamental properties of these extremely fine yarns are being studied using techniques borrowed from CSIRO’s multi-fibre research and development (R&D) capability.
We are also studying the production methods and properties of extruded fibres made from polymers blended with carbon nanotubes, with an emphasis on the uniform dispersal of the nanotubes in polymers, before extrusion into yarn.
Who else is involved?
Our major collaborator is the NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), USA, with which we hold a provisional patent on the spinning of CNTs into yarns.
The NanoTech Institute at UTD focuses its investigations primarily into CNT sheets, while CSIRO concentrates on the production and properties of CNT yarns with emphasis on the industrialisation of the spinning process, dealing with issues such as:
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efficiency of spinning
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spinning head design
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productivity.
We supply carbon nanotubes for research at Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and have also given samples to the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Researchers at these organisations report back to us on the properties of the nanotubes, and suggest changes for the applications they are investigating.
We also collaborate with Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, on nanotube-polymer composites.
Antiballistic materials
CSIRO is working with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) Program to demonstrate the capabilities of carbon nanotubes as strong, lightweight antiballistic materials.
CSIRO’s Carbon Nanotubes for Ballistic Protection project was one of eight selected as part of the 2007 round of Defence CTD Program funding.
The CTD Program, managed by DSTO, enables Defence and industry to collaboratively explore emerging technology developments and assess their potential to enhance Australian Defence Force capability.
Up-spinning carbon nanotube yarns process
A new process, called up-spinning, simplifies carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn spinning machine construction, while enabling high-speed yarn production.
The following three video show three different methods of up-spinning carbon nanotube fibres into yarn:
Find out more about Spinning a bullet-proof yarn.
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