Lightweight Copper–Carbon Nanotube Core–Shell Composite Fiber for Power Cable Application

The substitution of traditional copper power transmission cables with lightweight copper–carbon nanotube (Cu–CNT) composite fibers is critical for reducing the weight, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions automobiles aircrafts. Such a replacement will also allow lowering loss in resulting decrease coal gas ultimately diminishing carbon footprint. In this work, we created Cu–CNT fiber through multistep scalable process, including spinning, densification, functionalization, double-layer deposition. characterization testing fabricated included surface morphology, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, crystallinity, ampacity (current density). conductivity resultant was measured to be 0.5 × 106 S/m an 0.18 105 A/cm2. copper-coated CNT were 16 times lighter 2.7 stronger than wire, as they revealed gravimetric density 0.4 g/cm3 strength 0.68 GPa, suggesting great potential future applications cables.