Patent attributes
Nano-composite structures are formed by pre-loading carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into at least one of a plurality of channels running the length of a cartridge, placing the pre-loaded cartridge in a piston chamber of a die-casting machine, creating a vacuum therein, and filing the piston chamber with molten metal to soak the pre-loaded cartridge and fill empty cartridge channels. Pressure is applied via the piston to eject the carbon nanotubes and molten metal from the cartridge channels and inject the nano-composite mixture into a rod-shaped die cavity. The internal diameter of the cavity is equal to or less than the final diameter of the nozzle. The nano-composite mixture is cooled to form a solid nano-composite rod having the first predetermined diameter, wherein the carbon nanotubes are aligned in a non-random manner. Furthermore, drawing down the nano-composite rod to smaller diameter wire further disperses the nanotubes along the length of the wire.
