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Monday, October 18, 2004 - 4:00 PM
FRO 4.5

Rapid Prototyping of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Ceramic Composites

E. L. Corral, N. Perry, E. V. Barrera, M. Pasquali, Rice University, Houston, TX; J. N. Stuecker, J. Cesarano III, N. S. Bell, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM

In the pursuit of developing advanced structural ceramic materials, this work presents the processing steps to develop well-dispersed single-walled carbon nanotube/ceramic suspensions. A free-form-fabrication process called robocasting, which uses high solids loading aqueous suspensions to fabricate near-net-shape parts was successfully used to fabricate solid composite parts containing 1-6 vol% carbon nantoubes. Colloidal processing methods were used to manipulate the charging behavior between carbon nanotubes and ceramic particle surfaces and develop forty-five percent solids loading suspensions with a pseudoplastic rheology (but bordering dilatancy) suitable for robocasting solid parts. Characterization of the composites suspensions was performed using zeta potential, sedimentation, and rheological measurements. In addition, the degree of carbon nanotube dispersion within each composite system was assessed, before and after high temperature sintering, using high resolution scanning electron microscopy.

Summary: Single-walled carbon nanotube reinforced ceramic composites parts were successfully fabricated using a free form fabrication process called robocasting. The colloidal processing methods used to manipulate charging behavior between carbon nanotube and ceramic particle surfaces while maintaining high solids loading suspensions suitable for robocasting solid parts will be discussed.