Project: CArbon nanotube REinforced multifunctional POlymers for use in grinding systems for construction materials

Background_x000D__x000D_Polished concrete has proven to be the most sustainable floor type for industrial and commercial buildings. It requires only a fraction of energy to produce an HTC super floor compared to a resin coated floor, (1,7 kwh/sqm compared to 50kwh/sqm).The project's goal is to develop and improve the technology around the processe related to the creation and COtenance of a polished concrete floor. The technical objectives of the project is to develop nanocomposites with improved material properties. This may also improve process time and reduce energy consumption._x000D__x000D_Diamond is called the hardest material because of its ability to resist pressure and permanent deformation, and its resistance to being scratched. Diamond is hard because of its dense atomic structure and the strength of the bonds between atoms. The smaller the distance between atoms, the stronger the links binding them together. Carbon's bond strength and small size enable it to form a denser, stronger mesh of atomic bonds than any other material. However, diamond has its drawbacks. It is a brittle material and is normally not electrically conductive. Carbon nanotubes (CNT), on the other hand, are incredibly strong. Carbon nanotubes, which consist of sheets of graphitic carbon wrapped to form tubes with diameters only nanometers in size, are the strongest structures because they can withstand the highest tensile force per gram of any known material. They have high modulus, are stronger than steel, thermally stable up to 2800°C in vacuum, their thermal conductivity is twice that of diamond, and the electric - current - carrying capacity is 1000 times higher than that of copper wire. By integrating these two novel forms of carbon together at the nanoscale a new material can be produced that combines the properties of both diamond and nanotubes. _x000D__x000D_Carbon-carbon composites have been fabricated in the past, but without combining the forms of diamond and nanotubes [1,2]. These studies dealt with pulsed-laser deposition of carbon nanotubes into layers of amorphous carbon, as well as simultaneous plasma growth of carbon nanotubes and diamond. However, these techniques either result in nanoparticles of inferior characteristics - relative to "CNT & diamond" combination - or are costly. In both cases, their transfer into real life applications is prohibitive. The added-value towards the improvement of wear resistance and mechanical performance needs to be well balanced with the cost. The integration of the mixture of carbon nanotubes and diamonds has to be implemented in a way that leads to their cost-effective utilization in grinding/polishing tools & other applications where high strength is required._x000D__x000D__x000D__x000D_1. ORNL Review, 35 (2002), Number 3._x000D_2. X. Xiao, J. W. Elam, S. Trasobares, O. Auciello and J. A. Carlisle, Advanced Materials, DOI: 10.1002/adma. 200590061, 12 (2005).

Acronym	CAREPO (Reference Number: 4361)
Duration	02/06/2008 - 02/05/2010
Project Topic	CAREPO proposes an integrated approach on nanostructured carbon nanotubes-diamond-polymers providing not only the research platform for their development but also the necessary engineering and testing tools for their effective adaptation in grinding and polishing tools.
Project Results (after finalisation)	a) Production of new types of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) upon the demands of the project. b) Development of functionalization schemes for CNTs, depending on the host polymer matrix. c) Deep knowledge on the preparation of CNTs composites. d) Production of CNTs - resin masterbatches and e) Optimization of the parameters for the preparation of composites used in polishing tools.
Network	Eurostars
Call	Eurostars Cut-Off 1

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
3	Acreo AB	Partner	Sweden
3	HTC-Sweden AB	Coordinator	Sweden
3	Nanothinx S.A.	Partner	Greece