Patent ID: 8448328

Claim:
A method of making a rotor comprising; providing an aluminum-carbon nanotube composite by ball milling aluminum and carbon nanotubes; forming a plurality of conductor bars, each comprising an inner layer of the aluminum-carbon nanotube composite surrounded by an outer layer of aluminum; providing a laminated steel stack having a plurality of longitudinal slots; placing the plurality of conductor bars in the plurality of longitudinal slots, a first and a second end of each conductor bar extending out of a longitudinal slot; placing the laminated steel stack with the plurality of conductor bars in a casting mold having cavities for a pair of end rings wherein the first and second ends of the plurality of conductor bars extend into the cavities; and filling the cavities with aluminum, aluminum alloys, or combinations thereof; and casting-in-place a rotor comprising the plurality of conductor bars, the laminated steel stack, and a pair of end rings.