Patent ID: 8663446

Claim:
An electrochemical-codeposition method for forming a carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced metal nanocomposite, comprising: providing a reaction vessel having an anode and a cathode and a plating solution therein, said plating solution comprising at least one acid, at least one surfactant, a plurality of CNTs, and a plurality of metal cations comprising at least one metal, wherein said plurality of CNTs are pre-treated with said surfactant before placement into said plating solution, wherein said plating solution has a pH between 2 and 4.5, and wherein at least a portion of said plurality of CNTs are positively charged CNTs in said plating solution; connecting a power supply between said anode and cathode, and electrochemical-codepositing both said positively charged CNTs and said metal cations onto said cathode to form said nanocomposite, wherein said metal provides a continuous metal phase for said nanocomposite; and wherein said nanocomposite provides a 25° C. bulk electrical conductivity that is at least 20% greater than a 25° C. bulk electrical conductivity of said metal.