Jorma Antero Virtanen
Tesla NanoCoatings, Inc., USA
Title: Electromagnetic properties of carbon nanotube-cellulose, or hemicellulose nanocomposites
Biography
Biography: Jorma Antero Virtanen
Abstract
Cellulose and hemicellulose form a nanocomposite with doublewall (DWNT) and multiwall (MWNT) carbon nanotubes. Water dispersions of these nanocomposites are uniform and stable. Films of DWNTs-hemicellulose are electrically highly conducting, corresponding to a bulk conductivity of 2000 Scm-1. Transparent (T%>90 %) films can have the surface resistance below 100 W/â˜. Corresponding MWNT films have about 10-fold resistance. Conductivity is almost constant between 30 and 400 K. Kelvin probe force microscopy, and terahertz conductivity were used to study inter-tube charge transport. These films have good EMI shielding properties. Transparent DWNT-hemicellulose films may have 30 dB EMI attenuation in 0.1 – 10 GHz range. MWNT-hemicellulose films may be used as anti-radar stealth coatings. Also the use of these materials in supercapacitors, and 3D printing will be discussed. Overall these materials that are completely recyclable can replace many rare metals in numerous applications often with equal or better performance.