In this presentation, several important aspects of fabricating and post-processing of Carbon Nanotube (CNT) sheets and fibers will be highlighted. Spinnable CNT arrays have been synthesized by CVD. Assembling the CNTs was achieved by dry spinning. In some cases, chemical crosslinking was applied to increase the strength of CNT sheets and fibers. Atmospheric pressure plasma functionalization was used to modify their surfaces for certain applications. The electrical conductivity and strength of the CNT fibers were manipulated by doping with metals or through densification. Some advanced applications of CNT sheets and fibers will be presented including sensors, antennas, heaters and supercapacitors.

The second part of the talk will discuss synthesis characterization and applications of a novel 3D graphene material. Graphene pellets have been synthesized by CVD using Ni catalyst particles, which have been later removed by acid treatment. The 3D graphene pellets were then converted into a thin graphene paper by pressing, which preserved the initial 3D structure of graphene. Applications of 3D graphene will be also presented, include electromagnetic interference shielding, coin cell and flexible supercapacitors.  

Dr. Vesselin Shanov is Professor of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, USA. He completed his Ph.D. in Solid State Chemistry at the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Sofia, Bulgaria and at the University of Regensburg, Germany. Dr. Shanov has received several prestigious awards, including the Fulbright Award for Research and Teaching in USA and German Academic Foundation (DAAD) Grants. His recent research focuses on synthesis, characterization and processing of carbon nanotubes and graphene, with applications in the areas of energy storage, electronics and aerospace, as well as on biodegradable Mg for medical implants. He is co-founder and co-director of the teaching and research facility NANOWORLD Lab at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Shanov has more than 300 scientific publications, including 16 patents, 12 provisional patents and 5 books, cited in about 3,200 different references.