Carbon nanotube paper (CNP) based multi-functional composite material is an attractive candidate for deicing, flame retardancy, thermal insulation and lighting strike protection due to the excellent conductivity, light weight and thin dimensions. In this article, multi-functional carbon nanotube paper was fabricated successfully by using commercial carbon nanotube. As a deicing composite material, carbon nanotube was used directly without pretreatment in fabricating carbon nanotube paper. The conductivities of the carbon nanotube paper and deicing composite were 77.8S/cm and 64.9S/ respectively. Electrical heating and deicing performance were test by infrared camera with deicing time less than 220s and 450s to melt a certain amount of ice under different ambient condition. CNT was grafted by zirconium (IV) butoxide solution and dimethyl dichlorosilicane to form co-oligomers on the tube surface while oligomers decompose under a certain temperature to develop an inorganic layer of silicon zirconium oxide. The oxidizing temperature of carbon nanotube increases more than 20°C and the weight loss rate decreases 20% than the untreated carbon nanotube. Lightning protection material required high electro conductivity, due to the utmost high current in a short time. Therefore, silver nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of carbon nanotube with the diameter around 100nm. The conductivity increased sharply from 84s/cm to1756s/cm with the mount of 5.9wt% Ag of the modified carbon nanotube paper because the silver nanoparticles deposited on the surface. In addition, the silver modified also can be used as thermal insulation material decreasing the infrared radiation.
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