US 7244374 - Carbon nanotube/metal composite

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7244374.html

Metal/carbon nanotube composite material is useful in a variety of applications including improved heat sinks. This patent from Fuji Xerox teaches using cross-linking of functional groups bonded on the carbon nanotube sidewalls to reduce discontinuity of conduction paths and approve the effectiveness of these materials. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composite comprising a carbon nanotube structure and a metal-containing material that are mixed together, wherein the carbon nanotube structure has a network structure constructed by mutually cross-linking functional groups bonded along the lengths of plural carbon nanotubes through chemical bonding of the functional groups together.