Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) filaments
were grown by catalytic chemical vapor deposition
on 2-D weave carbon fiber (CF) cloth substrates. Two
different sets of experiments were carried out to understand
the growth mechanism of these filaments. In the first set of
experiments where CF cloths were coated with the catalysts
particles, CNT filaments having long length
([200 lm) and large diameter (15–25 lm) were obtained.
In another set of experiment, where CF cloths without
catalyst particles were used, only MWCNTs without any
filament formation were obtained. On the basis of the
results, a growth mechanism has been proposed. These
MWCNT filaments can be used for preparing CNTs reinforced
polymer composites having very good structural
properties, which are being sought after