US Patent 8388795 Nanotube-enhanced interlayers for composite structures

Carbon nanotube interlayer assemblies, methods of manufacturing carbon nanotube interlayer assemblies, and methods of manufacturing composite parts with carbon nanotube interlayer assemblies are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a composite structure in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes producing a plurality of carbon nanotubes on one or both sides of a substrate, and attaching the substrate to a first fiber layer. The method can further include positioning a second fiber layer adjacent to the first fiber layer to position the plurality of carbon nanotubes between the first and second fiber layers. The method can additionally include infusing the first and second fiber layers with resin, and curing the resin. In one embodiment, the carbon nanotube substrate can be attached to the first fiber layer by melt-bonding. In another embodiment, the carbon nanotube substrate can be attached to the first fiber layer with stitches.