Patent ID: 7125476

Claim:
A composite material, which comprises: (a) a polymer matrix comprising an elastomeric polymer; and (b) a plurality of metal microtubules dispersed within said polymer matrix, wherein said metal microtubules are one or more microtubules selected from the group consisting of nickel-coated lipid tubules, cobalt-coated lipid tubules, iron-coated lipid tubules, cobalt over copper-coated lipid tubules, iron-alloy coated lipid tubules, nickel-alloy coated lipid tubules, and boron-alloy coated lipid tubules, wherein said plurality of metal microtubules further comprises one or more metal microtubules selected from the group consisting of copper-coated halloysite tubules, nickel-coated halloysite tubules, cobalt-coated halloysite tubules, iron-coated halloysite tubules, nickel over copper-coated halloysite tubules, cobalt over copper-coated halloysite tubules, iron-alloy coated halloysite tubules, nickel-alloy coated halloysite tubules, and boron-alloy coated halloysite tubules.