Continuous preparation of carbon nanotube fiber and its potential applications in electrical, thermal, mechanical and biosensing fields

Carbon nanotube fiber (CNTF) has promising applications in the fields of electronic devices, sensors, smart fabrics, electrochemical electrodes, electromagnetic shielding, electric heating elements, and composite materials due to its excellent thermal and electrical properties. In this research, the CNTF was continually prepared through floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using a systematic high-temperature shaft furnace equipment. As for applications, an electrochemical electrode based on the CNTF wrapping showed stronger current responding signal due to its high specific surface. Then, a CNTF-based electrothermal element could heat 25 ml water up to 40 degrees C within 0.5 h. After that, a unidirectional electrically conductive tape based on the CNTF showed different electromagnetic shielding with changing wave vibration direction. Following with that, a CNTF tubular composite was also successfully fabricated showed more light-weight property. Finally, the electrical variation under different forces was studied for the exploration of the CNTF in implantable biosensing electrode.