Synchronous growth of bamboo-shaped CNTs and PyC for fabricating super-elastic nanocomposites

In the field of carbon fibers reinforced pyrocarbon matrix (C/C) composites fabrication, normally the carbon fiber preform is densified with the pyrocarbon matrix (PyC) after it is produced and weaved. Such two-step method is due to the different structures and different fabrication conditions that matrixes and reinforcements require. Here, we achieve the synchronous growth of matrix (PyC) and reinforcement (bamboo-shaped carbon nanotubes, CNTs) in one step using a controlled thermal gradient chemical vapor deposition (TGCVD). This proposed one-step method can greatly simplify the fabrication process of traditional C/C composites. And the fabricated bamboo-shaped carbon nanotubes reinforced pyrocarbon matrix (CNTs/PyC) nanocomposites achieve improved mechanical performance and show isotropy and super-elastic property. The CNTs/PyC nanocomposites can be the substitution of traditional C/C composites and isotropic PyC materials. And such method can provide a new technical strategy for synthesizing multi-carbon structures and other nanocomposites.