Patent ID: 7727624

Claim:
An open-cell carbon nanotube foam comprising a plurality of separated carbon nanotubes, wherein: the carbon nanotubes are aligned parallel to a thickness of the open-cell carbon nanotube foam, the thickness of the open-cell carbon nanotube foam being smaller than an average free length of the carbon nanotubes, the carbon nanotubes comprise struts of the foam; and the space between the nanotube struts comprises an interconnected network of voids of the foam, the foam is under compression and the nanotubes collectively buckle to form an aligned zigzag pattern, and the foam exhibits at least one of: a Poisson's ratio substantially equal to zero; a compressibility of at least 85%; a recovery rate of at least 120 mm/min; a compressive strength of at least 12 MPa; a sag factor of at least 4; fatigue resistance to no more than 15% permanent deformation when subjected to at least 1,000 compressive cycles at a strain of 85%; or a resilience of between 25% and 30%.