Super-Compressible Foamlike Carbon Nanotube Films

TLDR

The nanotube films present a class of open‑cell foam structures, consisting of well‑arranged one‑dimensional units (nanotube struts). Freestanding films of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes exhibit super‑compressible foam‑like behavior, forming zigzag buckles that fully recover, and outperform conventional low‑density foams in compressive strength, recovery rate, sag factor, and breathability, making them lightweight, resilient, and promising for compliant, energy‑absorbing coatings.

Abstract

We report that freestanding films of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes exhibit super-compressible foamlike behavior. Under compression, the nanotubes collectively form zigzag buckles that can fully unfold to their original length upon load release. Compared with conventional low-density flexible foams, the nanotube films show much higher compressive strength, recovery rate, and sag factor, and the open-cell nature of the nanotube arrays gives excellent breathability. The nanotube films present a class of open-cell foam structures, consisting of well-arranged one-dimensional units (nanotube struts). The lightweight, highly resilient nanotube films may be useful as compliant and energy-absorbing coatings.