Strong carbon nanotube macro-films with retained deformability at fairly low temperatures

The tensile strength and elongation of carbon nanotube (CNT) macro-films with different thicknesses were measured from 150 °C to −50 °C. The microstructural deformation of the CNT macro-films during stretching was detected by scanning electron microscopy. The CNT bundles deposited nanoparticles in the macro-films entangled with one another and formed a highly porous network. Thus, the CNTs rearranged along the direction of the applied force. This unique rearrangement ability during stretching enabled the CNT macro-films to maintain their high plasticity even at the low temperature of −50 °C. The tensile strength of the CNT macro-films also monotonically increased with decreased temperature. The fabricated CNT macro-films with special low-temperature mechanical properties have potential applications in low-temperature engineering and other related fields.

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► The tensile strength of the macro-films increases with decreased temperature.
► The macro-films maintain their high plasticity even at the low temperature of −50 °C.
► The tensile strength of the purified macro-films sharply decreases.