US Patent 8168291 - Ceramic composite containing CNT infused fiber

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8168291.html

This patent from Applied Nanostructured Solutions teaches forming composites using fibers with carbon nanotubes grown on the surface providing the advantages of EMI shielding and improved strength in materials such as concrete. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composite material comprising:

a sintered ceramic matrix; and

a carbon nanotube-infused fiber material distributed in the sintered ceramic matrix, wherein the carbon nanotube-infused fiber material comprises a fiber material, carbon nanotubes infused to the fiber material, and

a passivation layer overcoating the carbon nanotubes.

US Patent 8158217 - CNT-infused fiber

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8158217.html

Thin patent from Applied Nanostructured Solutions LLC teaches a way to directly grow carbon nanotubes on different types of fiber (e.g. graphitic, metallic, ceramic, glass). Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of infusing carbon nanotubes on a parent fiber, the method comprising:

spreading said parent fiber before disposing a carbon nanotube-forming catalyst on a surface of said parent fiber, thereby forming a catalyst-laden fiber;

actively heating said catalyst-laden fiber to a nanotube-synthesis temperature;

transporting said catalyst-laden fiber through a carbon plasma at atmospheric pressure, thereby synthesizing carbon nanotubes directly on said catalyst-laden fiber while being transported; and

re-bundling the spread parent fiber after synthesizing carbon nanotubes thereon.