METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITES CONSISTING OF CARBON NANOTUBES AND CRYSTALLINE DIAMOND

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of composites consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and/or carbon fibres (CFs) and crystalline diamond. The CNTs/CFs (2) or a structure formed of CNTs/CFs is coated with a barrier layer (4) that consists of a material that protects the CNTs/CFs (2) against reactive gases required or favorable for diamond formation. The barrier layer (4) is providing nucleation sites due to a seeding-treatment with a suspension of nanocrystalline diamond powder (5), and crystalline diamond (6) is subsequently deposited on the barrier layer (4) of the CNTs/CFs (2) using a CVD deposition process that involves a reactive gas atmosphere that promotes the formation of sp3 -bonded carbon. The method allows the formation of high quality diamond on CNTs/CFs without damage to the CNT/CF or their surface.