Lightweight and ultra-conducting copper composite conductors

The solicitation asks for lightweight wiring products as a replacement for traditional copper (Cu) based wiring for application in Next Generation Combat Vehicle Electrical Power Architecture (NGCVEPA). Carbon nanotube or graphene based materials and their composites with copper conductors are the most promising alternatives to achieve these objectives. While promising results have been shown with such materials in small lab scale samples, realizing this potential on practical scale wiring product has not been accomplished. The key roadblocks are the inefficient interface between the nanocarbon and the metal in the composite and practical bulk scale methods to address this problem. Lynntech proposes to develop graphene-copper composite conductor material with improved interface by addressing the fundamental limitations of the charge transfer process at the graphene-metal interface. In addition, Lynntech targets to develop scalable and economic approach for the composite fabrication process. The Phase I will provide feasibility to achieve >25% improvements in mass specific conductivity over the metal conductor in a wide temperature range up to 150C by demonstrating the concept in a lab scale process. The Phase II will focus on scale up of the process with a detail evaluation of mechanical and electrical properties for the military application.