Fabricating Ultrastrong Carbon Nanotube Fibers via a Microwave Welding Interface
Jiankun Huang, Yongzhe Guo, Xudong Lei, Bin Chen, Hao He, Jiajun Luo, Tongzhao Sun, Muqiang Jian, Enlai Gao, Xianqian Wu, Weigang Ma, Yuanlong Shao, Jin Zhang
Abstract
Liquid crystal wet-spun carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) offer notable advantages, such as precise alignment and scalability. However, these CNTFs usually suffer premature failure through intertube slippage due to the weak interfacial interactions between adjacent shells and bundles. Herein, we present a microwave (MW) welding strategy to enhance intertube interactions by partially carbonizing interstitial heterocyclic aramid polymers. The resulting CNTFs exhibit ultrahigh static tensile strength (6.74 ± 0.34 GPa) and dynamic tensile strength (9.52 ± 1.31 GPa), outperforming other traditional high-performance fibers. This work provides a straightforward yet effective approach to strengthening CNTFs for advanced engineering applications.