Mechanical and electrical properties of laminated composites containing continuous carbon nanotube film interleaves

This study developed a new method of enhancing the mechanical and electrical properties of laminated composites by interleaving continuous carbon nanotube (CNT) film between laminae. CNT film was fabricated using the floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition method and directly deposited onto the fiber fabric surface. The content of CNT film in the laminate was well controlled by the number of CNT film layers deposited. The flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of the composites initially increased with CNT film content, and then decreased. Meanwhile, the in-plane and out-of-plane conductivities of laminated composites were effectively enhanced after CNT film interleaving.