The Boeing Company
Magnetic carbon nanotube cluster systems and methods

Abstract:

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide magnetic carbon nanotube clusters configured to form electrically conductive coatings. A magnetic carbon nanotube cluster is formed by receiving a magnetic particle, forming a plurality of carbon nanotube catalyst nanoparticles on an outer surface of the magnetic particle, and forming a plurality of carbon nanotubes extending from the catalyst nanoparticles while the magnetic particle is levitated within a nanotube growth chamber to form the magnetic carbon nanotube cluster. A plurality of magnetic carbon nanotube clusters are suspended in a carrier fluid, the carrier fluid is flowed over a surface of an object, and a magnetic field is applied to the carrier fluid while it is flowing over the surface to cause the plurality of magnetic carbon nanotube clusters to form a coating on the surface of the object.