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Carbon nanotube (CNT)/metal composites have attracted much attention due to their enhanced electrical and thermal performance. How to achieve the scalable fabrication of composites with efficient dispersion of CNTs to boost their performance remains a challenge for their wide realistic applications. Herein, the nanoscale dispersion of CNTs in the Stannum (Sn) matrix to boost thermal and electrical conductivity via facile ball milling techniques was demonstrated. The results revealed that CNTs were tightly attached to metal Sn, resulting in a much lower resistivity than that of bare Sn. The resistivity of Sn with 1 wt.% and 2 wt.% CNTs was 0.087 mΩ·cm and 0.056 mΩ·cm, respectively. The theoretical calculation showed that there was an electronic state near the Fermi level, suggesting its electrical conductivity had been improved to a certain extent. In addition, the thermal conductivity of Sn with 2 wt.% CNTs was 1.255 W·m−1·K−1. Moreover, Young’s modulus of the composites with CNTs mass fraction of 10 wt.% had low values (0.933 MPa) under low strain conditions, indicating the composite shows good potential for various applications with different flexible requirements. The good electrical and thermal conductive CNT networks were formed in the metal matrix via facile ball milling techniques. This strategy can provide guidance for designing high-performance metal samples and holds a broad application potential in electronic packaging and other fields.

A novel processing method to fabricate AlN-MgO-MgAl2O4composites has been developed, using non-sintered, porous, aluminum nitride (AlN) preforms infiltrated with a magnesium alloy in two directions, downward and upward, at relatively low temperatures (650°C, 800°C, 950°C). Microstructural, phase, and chemical analyses show that at 950°C and 135 min holding time, a continuous network of ceramic phases can be achieved successfully. Magnesium oxide and spinel phases (MgAl2O4) are formed in-situ,when nitrogen gas is used. Due to the formation of a magnesium nitride layer on the surface of the non-sintered aluminum nitride, the infiltration mechanism proceeds effectively. No metallic phases are observed in the samples processed at 800°C and higher: these samples show high electrical resistivity ranging from 6.73×108to 2.10×1011Ωcm. Thermal diffusivity, heat capacity and density have been measured using the nano-flash method, differential scanning calorimetry and Archimedes technique, respectively. The effects of residual porosity and holding time on the thermal conductivity have been studied. Maximum thermal conductivity and density at room temperature are 96 W/(mK) and 2.45 g/cm3, respectively.

Polyacrylic acid (PAA) is an important industrial chemical, which has been extensively applied in various fields, including for several biomedical purposes. In this study, we report the synthesis and modification of this polymer with various phenol imides, such as succinimide, phthalimide and 1,8-naphthalimide. The as-synthesized derivatives were used to prepare polymer metal composites by the reaction with Zn+2. These composites were characterized by using various techniques, including NMR, FT-IR, TGA, SEM and DSC. The as-prepared PAA-based composites were further evaluated for their anti-microbial properties against various pathogens, which include both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and different fungal strains. The synthesized composites have displayed considerable biocidal properties, ranging from mild to moderate activities against different strains tested.