US Patent 7875801 - CNT-enhanced thermoplastic conductive wire

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875801.html

In order to fabricate conductive polymer wires carbon nanotubes has been used as a doping material. However, if the concentration of nanotubes is too high the polymer becomes too viscous for ease in processing. This patent from Boeing teaches a manufacturing solution for CNT polymer wires aiming to avoid this problem.

1. A conductive wire comprising:

a plurality of thermoplastic filaments each comprising a surface; and

a coating material comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes dispersed therein,

said coating material bonded to said surface of each thermoplastic filament,

said thermoplastic filaments bundled and bonded to each other to form a substantially cylindrical conductor.