Dr. Jack Skinner, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Montana Tech, was just issued a patent entitled "Method of making carbon nanotube composite materials," US 8,728,566 B2. The patent involves the use of two carbon nanotube types, each with unique chemical and electrical properties, that can be combined to modify the electronic and mechanical properties of polymers. Applications of such materials range from solar cells and touch screen displays to paintable films for electromagnetic shielding. The issuance of this patent serves to reinforce the ongoing collaborative research between Sandia National Laboratories and the General Engineering Nanotechnology Laboratory, established and managed at Montana Tech by Dr. Skinner.