Skinner Awarded Patent Entitled, Carbon Nanotube Composite Materials

Dr. Jack L. Skinner, Assistant Professor in the General Engineering Department at Montana Tech, was recently awarded a patent entitled “Carbon Nanotube Composite Materials,” US Patent 8986576 B1. This work focuses on the intellectual property associated with polymers containing a mixture of carbon nanotubes with varying surface functionalization. Essentially, plastic materials can be engineered with desired electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties through the application of nanotechnology. Uses of such materials include high-strength, low-weight composites and novel electronic devices with wide-ranging size and shape.