Abstract: Carbon nanotube is a promising reinforcing material for its unique mechanical and physical properties, though wetting property of metal-matrix and carbon nanotube is poor. Interfacial strength would be increased between carbon nanotubes and metal-matrix through electroless plating a continuous layer of copper on carbon nanotubes. TEM images show that it is difficult to gain continuous elcetroless plating layer for carbon nanotubes because of large proportion of longitudinal axis length and its diameter, weak reaction capacity, large curvature of surface, small diameter and thin plating layer(50~100nm). A series of way of optimization(oxidization, sensitization and activation) were used to add activated sites before electroless plating, and the adjustment of the traditional composition of copper electroless plating bath can decelerate electroless plating. The surface of carbon nanotubes was successful coated with continuous layer of copper.
Electroless plating of carbon nanotube with copper
Abstract:
Carbon nanotube is a promising reinforcing material for its unique mechanical and physical properties, though wetting property of metal-matrix and carbon nanotube is poor. Interfacial strength would be increased between carbon nanotubes and metal-matrix through electroless plating a continuous layer of copper on carbon nanotubes. TEM images show that it is difficult to gain continuous elcetroless plating layer for carbon nanotubes because of large proportion of longitudinal axis length and its diameter, weak reaction capacity, large curvature of surface, small diameter and thin plating layer (50~100 nm. A series of way of optimization (oxidization, sensitization and activation were used to add activated sites before electroless plating, and the adjustment of the traditional composition of copper electroless plating bath can decelerate electroless plating. The surface of carbon nanotubes was successful coated with continuous layer of copper.