Patent ID: 8470946

Claim:
A method for making an improved strength CNT yarn, comprising utilizing as a starting material an unspun CNT yarn comprising continuous strands of CNT fibers held together and capable of being drawn under tension through a continuous strength-enhancing process, comprising: (1) surface-activating the unspun CNT yarn via atmospheric pressure plasma to produce open bonds in the CNT walls contained in the yarn, in preparation for nano-resin infusion, (2) infusing the surface-activated CNT yarn with a nano-resin that penetrates the void spaces between the individual CNTs contained in the unspun yarn, (3) tightening the CNT fibers contained in the resin-infused yarn via spinning the yarn under tension or applying pressure to consolidate the yarn under tension, and (4) curing the yarn from step (3) to cross-link and chemically bond the nano-resin to the surface-activated CNT walls to physically bond the individual CNTs to each other, to yield an enhanced strength CNT yarn, wherein the nano-resin infused in the CNT yarn comprises a DCPD material, CPD/DCPD material, or other similar nano-resin material that is polymerizable and has an uncured viscosity (at room temperature) near that of water.