US 7244374 - Carbon nanotube/metal composite

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7244374.html

Metal/carbon nanotube composite material is useful in a variety of applications including improved heat sinks. This patent from Fuji Xerox teaches using cross-linking of functional groups bonded on the carbon nanotube sidewalls to reduce discontinuity of conduction paths and approve the effectiveness of these materials. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composite comprising a carbon nanotube structure and a metal-containing material that are mixed together, wherein the carbon nanotube structure has a network structure constructed by mutually cross-linking functional groups bonded along the lengths of plural carbon nanotubes through chemical bonding of the functional groups together.

US Patent 7166663 - Nanoparticle/Microparticle Composition

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7166663.pdf

Hardness and scratch resistance of materials may be improved by adding particulate matter. However, for optically transparent materials such particle additives may cause undesired haze and lack of clarity. This patent from Nanophase proposes an optimized mixture of nanoparticles and microparticles to balance the physical and optical benefits of particulate enhanced materials. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composition comprising: a matrix material; a first particulate fraction comprising an average particle size of from about 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers; and a second particulate fraction comprising an average particle size from about 0.25 microns to about 50 microns, wherein the first particulate fraction is present in an amount between about 35 to about 65 weight percent of the total added particulate fraction.