Interlocked CNT networks with high damping and storage modulus

The interlocked carbon nanotube (CNT) networks formed by floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition method is found to show greatly enhanced damping ratio (0.37–0.42) and much higher storage modulus (>11.0 GPa) compared to most of engineering damping materials and any other kinds of CNT networks and composites ever reported. Interestingly, its damping performance is frequency-dependent with damping ratio and dynamic moduli increasing obviously when frequency varies from 1 to 200 Hz. The structural analysis reveals that excellent energy dissipation ability of the CNT networks is mainly ascribed to abundant inter-bundle stick–slip motions throughout the interlocked CNT networks. Additionally, the presence of catalyst particles at network junctions leads to the strengthening of inter-bundle contacts and therefore high storage modulus. Such networked structures can be tailored with improved mechanical properties via suitable stretching. The simultaneous possession of high damping ratio and storage modulus for the CNT networks, together with its light-weight, high-temperature endurance, good thermal conductivity and scalable production, enables itself a promising new damping materials potentially useful for many applications.