Design of electroconductive MWCNT-Al₂O₃ composite ceramics

Electroconductive ceramic composites have many special applications for electronics, wireless communications and nuclear physics. In the latter case, additional requirements appear such as narrow range of conductivity, vacuum-tightness and decay of long-life isotopes. Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-Al₂O₃ composite ceramics can satisfy the conditions, if dense material is received. In this work, attempts to receive such material are made. Dependence of the conductivity on start particle size (0.1-1μm), methods of mixing (dry and wet) and consolidation (cold and hot isostatic techniques) are obtained and analyzed. Vacuum-tight (10^-7 torr/l/s), dense (98%TD) composite material was sintered at 1520°C 200 MPa in hot isostatic press, having electroconductivity level 10^-3 S/cm.