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Abstract

In a method of manufacturing a composite material, a catalyst material is patterned within a deposition area to form an array of catalyst regions. A first array of bundles of filaments is grown on the catalyst regions. Adjacent filaments in the bundle are spaced by an inter-filament gap. Adjacent bundles are spaced in the array by an inter-bundle gap substantially free of filaments. The free tips of the filaments are drawn together within each bundle, so that the inter-filament gaps become smaller at the tip of each bundle than at the base of each bundle where the filaments remain attached to the catalyst region. These steps are repeated to provide a second array of bundles of filaments. The second array are positioned or grown at least partly in the inter-bundle gaps of the first array. The inter-filament gaps and inter-bundle gaps of both arrays are impregnated with a matrix material.

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