A nanofiber yarn that includes a plurality of nanofibers twisted into a yarn along an alignment axis. The nanofibers of the plurality of nanofibers have a ratio of nanofiber length to nanofiber circumference of at least 50. The yarn has a helix angle measured relative to the alignment axis of from 5? to 30?. The yarn has tensile strength of at least 280 MPa. A nanofiber fabric that includes a first sheet of multiwalled nanotubes and a second sheet of multiwalled nanotubes on the first sheet of multiwalled nanotubes. The multiwalled nanotubes of the first sheet are aligned in a first direction. The multiwalled nanotubes of the second sheet are aligned in the first direction. The first sheet and the second sheet are aligned so that the multiwalled nanotubes of the first sheet and the second sheet are both aligned in the first direction.

An epitaxial structure and a method for making the same are provided. The epitaxial structure includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer and a carbon nanotube layer. The epitaxial layer is located on the substrate. The carbon nanotube layer is located in the epitaxial layer. The method includes following steps. A substrate having an epitaxial growth surface is provided. A carbon nanotube layer is suspended above the epitaxial growth surface. An epitaxial layer is epitaxially grown from the epitaxial growth surface to enclose the carbon nanotube layer therein.

A nanofiber forest on a substrate can be patterned to produce a patterned assembly of nanofibers that can be drawn to form nanofiber sheets, ribbons, or yarns.

A solar cell structure is disclosed that includes a first metal layer, formed over predefined portions of a sun-exposed major surface of a semiconductor structure, that form electrical gridlines of the solar cell; a network of carbon nanotubes formed over the first metal layer; and a second metal layer formed onto the network of carbon nanotubes, wherein the second metal layer infiltrates the network of carbon nanotubes to connect with the first metal layer to form a first metal matrix composite comprising a metal matrix and a carbon nanotube reinforcement, wherein the second metal layer is an electrically conductive layer in which the carbon nanotube reinforcement is embedded in and bonded to the metal matrix, and the first metal matrix composite provides enhanced mechanical support as well as enhanced or equal electrical conductivity for the electrical contacts against applied mechanical stressors to the electrical contacts.

The invention provides a composite comprising a substrate and a membrane of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes formed on the substrate which membrane is independent of the material of the substrate and a process for the production of the same. A process for producing the first composite comprising the first substrate and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes formed on the first substrate which comprises the step (a) of preparing the second composite comprising the second substrate made of quartz or silicon and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes formed on the second substrate, the step (b) of subjecting the second composite to water immersion wherein the temperature (T.sub.w) of the water is higher than the temperature (T.sub.c) of the second composite with a temperature difference T (=T.sub.wT.sub.c) of at least 25 C. to make the carbon nanotubes peel off the second substrate and arrange them either in water or on the surface thereof, and the step (c) of arranging the resulting vertically aligned carbon nanotubes on the first substrate.

Stem cell, bone and nerve scaffolding comprising discrete carbon nanotubes is disclosed. The discrete carbon nanotubes may be have targeted, or selective oxidation levels and/or content on the interior and exterior of the tube walls. The described scaffolding may be used to guide, target and protect stem cells upon injection into the body.

Provided is a positive electrode material slurry for secondary battery including a positive electrode active material, a conductive agent, a binder, and a solvent, wherein the conductive agent includes a first conductive agent and a second conductive agent having different particle shapes and sizes. Since the conductive agent of the present invention may be uniformly dispersed in the positive electrode active material by including a point-type conductive agent, as the first conductive agent, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) subjected to a grinding process as the linear second conductive agent, conductivity of an electrode to be prepared may be improved and a secondary battery having improved high-rate discharge capacity characteristics may be provided.

Disclosed is a single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) film electrode (FE), all-organic electroactive device systems fabricated with the SWNT-FE, and methods for making same. The SWCNT can be replaced by other types of nanotubes. The SWCNT film can be obtained by filtering SWCNT solution onto the surface of an anodized alumina membrane. A freestanding flexible SWCNT film can be collected by breaking up this brittle membrane. The conductivity of this SWCNT film can advantageously be higher than 280 S/cm. An electroactive polymer (EAP) actuator layered with the SWNT-FE shows a higher electric field-induced strain than an EAP layered with metal electrodes because the flexible SWNT-FE relieves the restraint of the displacement of the polymeric active layer as compared to the metal electrode. In addition, if thin enough, the SWNT-FE is transparent in the visible light range, thus making it suitable for use in actuators used in optical devices.

A composition for preparing an electrically conductive composite includes, based on the total weight of the composition: about 37 weight percent to about 84 weight percent of an epoxy; about 0.001 weight percent to about 22 weight percent of an electrically conductive filler; and about 15 weight percent to about 45 weight percent of a thermoplastic resin, wherein the thermoplastic resin is a liquid at about 25 C., is miscible with the epoxy, and forms a domain upon heat curing that is phase-separated from the epoxy and the electrically conductive inorganic filler. Also composites prepared therefrom and an electronic device including the same.

Thermally conductive polymer (TCP) resin compositions are described, comprising: 50 to 75% matrix polymer (I) comprising styrenic polymers (F) such as ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resins, ASA (acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate) resins and elastomeric block copolymers of the structure (S-(B/S)).sub.n-S; and 25 to 50% thermally conductive filler material (II) (D.sub.50 0.1 to 200 m), consisting of carbonyl iron powder (II-1) in mixture with multi wall carbon nanotubes, silicon carbide, diamond, graphite, aluminosilicates and/or boron nitride (II-2); wherein the volume ratio of (II-1)/(II-2) is 15:1 to 0.1:1. Shaped articles made thereof can be used for materials with antistatic finish, electrical and electronic housings, toys and helmet inlays.