Technical Field of the I nvention

The present invention relates to a production method of vertically/horizontally aligned and/or randomly oriented carbon nanotubes (CNTs) produced on polymeric nanofiber substrate. These polymer/CNT structures can be used to enhance energy storage in supercapacitors.and if they are embedded into thermoset/thermoplastic resins and also they can be incorporated as interleaves in composite materials. Direct implementation of these structures is a route to establish nano-enhanced composite structures for advanced applications such as primary load bearing components, energy storage, and multifunctional components such as structural composites within energy storage applications.

Prior Art of the I nvention

Some of the related patents on vertically grown carbon nanotubes, methods and applications are US2001024633 (A1 ) , KR201 10037556 (A) , US2013285160 (A1 ) . Especially RU201 1 1 18647 (A) proposed several manufacturing methods including the method of manufacturing a film consisting of a polymer matrix reinforced with a vertically oriented array of carbon nanotubes grown on a substrate includes heat treatment at a temperatu re no higher than the temperature of destruction of the polymer matrix. However, the present invention belongs to the field of preparation of composite prepregs and interleaves materials.

This invention further proposes a method for the preparation of such carbon nanotubes random ly and/or vertically and/or horizontally grown on polymeric nanofibers and their thermoset/thermoplastic prepregs. The invention eliminates the removal of CNTs arrays from substrate, further handling problems and the damage of CNTs arrays related to it. These random and/or vertically, horizontally oriented array of carbon nanotubes grown on a polymer substrate enable direct transfer of there nanostructures to composites, ease composite manufacturing and can also be used as interleaves materials. Brief Description and Obj ectives of t he I nvention

Carbon nanotubes fabricated onto polymeric nanofibers can form an ordered layer of nanomaterials which can enhance the properties of advanced composites. There are numerous examples of carbon nanotube dispersed thermoset resins for prepreg manufacturing and/or composite manufacturing, however; critical volume fraction and dispersion/distribution issues can limit the enhancing mechanisms expected from these nanomaterials. I n this invention , the controlled morphology of carbon nanotubes synthesized directly onto polymer nanofibers can remove these concerns encountered in the prior studies including handling and their composite manufacturing includes thermoset/thermoplastic prepregs. These advantages would avoid an additional step of carbon nanotube integration to composites by direct manufacturing of carbon nanotubes onto high temperature polymeric fibers. The already grown carbon nanotubes would remain onto the polymeric fibers during composite or energy storage applications.

Definit ion of t he Figures Describing t he I nvention

Figure 1 . The technical illustration of present invention . Figure 1 describes the production steps of present invention. ( I ) production of high performance nanofibers ( I I ) catalyst deposition on nanofibers ( I I I ) random and/or vertically oriented array of carbon nanotubes growth on a polymer substrate ( I V) embedding these structures into thermoplastic/thermoset resins and/or (V) use of in structural composites as interlaminar reinforcement.

Figure 2. a) camera image of catalyst doped polymeric nanofibers b) camera image of produced polymer/carbon nanotubes in controlled morphology c) SEM image of catalyst doped polymeric nanofibers d) SEM image of randomly oriented carbon nanotubes grown on nanofiber substrateFigure 2 represents a) camera image of catalyst doped polymeric nanofibers b) camera image of produced polymer/carbon nanotubes in controlled morphology c) SEM image of catalyst doped polymeric nanofibers d) SEM image of randomly oriented carbon nanotubes grown on nanofiber substrate Definitions of the Com ponents/ Sect ions/ Parts that form t he I nvent ion

1 . High temperature resistant nanofibers

2. Catalyst deposition

3. Carbon nanotubes grown on nanofiber substrate 4. Nanofibrous substrate

5. Polymer/carbon nanotubes in controlled morphology

6. Polymer/carbon nanotubes in controlled morphologies reinforced prepregs

7. Composite lamina/ply

Detailed Description of the I nvention

The present invention discloses a production method of carbon nanotubes grown on high temperature resistant polymeric nanofibers and use of their thermoset/thermoplastic prepregs/interleaves in composite materials. The production method of carbon nanotubes and the prepregs of them comprises the steps below:

1 . Manufacturing of heat resistant high performance nanofibers with the methods includes electrospinning, deposition , film forming, gel spinning from polymers with high melting and degradation temperatures (above 500 ^° C) includes polybenzim idazole and its derivatives.

2. Random and/or vertically and/or horizontally aligned carbon nanotubes growth on polymeric nanofibers by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) following the procedure as coating nanofibers/fibers with catalyst includes as iron nitrate/ cobalt/nickel by dipping into the catalyst solution and/or related wet processes under ambient room conditions, which can range from 23°C to 28°C and 20% to 70% humidity, drying in an oven that heated up to an optim ized temperature according to polymeric nanofiber chemical structure, placing into a tube furnace where CVD and/or other methods to grown carbon nanotubes, heating up to growth temperature (range from 550°C to 800°C) in a pure hydrogen environment, stabilizing the temperature while using ethanol/ethylene/acetylene/methane/methylacetylene/ carbon monoxide/benzene gas during carbon nanotubes growth . Achieving 'fuzzy fiber' architecture onto nanofibers within CNT fibers including their orientation which is obtained by growing CNTs in situ , directly on surface of coated polymeric nanofiber includes random and/or vertically, horizontally aligned CNTs that form a forest like structure on the surface of each nanofiber/fiber.

Controlled morphology of CNTs will support to achieve controlled volume fraction of nano-reinforcementto be used for thermoset/thermoplastic prepregs and composites as interleaves and/or embedded into resin .

Preparation of thermoset/thermoplastic prepregs incorporating random and/or vertically and/or horizontally aligned carbon nanotubes grown on polymeric nanofibers with the methods including polymer deposition by electrostatic forces, ultrasonic deposition, coating of the resin , melting the resin .