Advances in polymer-anchored carbon nanotube foam: a review

Carbon nanotube-based foams are three-dimensional macroscopic assemblies. This review emphasizes essential types of carbon nanotube-based foams including (i) neat carbon nanotube foam; (ii) carbon nanotube reinforced polymeric foam; and (iii) carbon nanotube foam reinforcement in polymers. Carbon nanotube foam retains intrinsic mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties for structural composites and energy devices. Polymer-anchored carbon nanotube foam are light weight, scalable, conductive, and thermally stable structures. Nanocomposite foams hold technological promise for electromagnetic interference shielding, fuel cell, supercapacitor, and superhydrophobic materials. High performance nanohybrid foams and new applications need to be focused for aerospace, space craft, tissue engineering, and biomedical industries.