Fang Zhao, Lingmu Zeng, Xiaobin Luo, Xinyan Tao, Zedong Li, Youtong Liu, Jiacheng Li, Baosheng Du, Dongyang Li, Yuanxian Zhang, Yang Ren, Xiaowei Zhou, Zhu Liu
Carbon nanotube paper (CNTP) is a promising material for pulsed laser propulsion, yet the relationship between species-resolved plasma dynamics and momentum generation remains poorly understood. Here, time-resolved imaging was employed to investigate C2 and CN plasmas generated from four CNTP composites under nanosecond laser ablation. Plasma front evolution, expansion velocity, emission intensity, and temperature were analyzed. C2 dominates the early-stage expansion, and its initial expansion velocity (v0) strongly correlates with the impulse coupling coefficient (Cm), identifying early-stage C2 dynamics as an important kinetic indicator of momentum transfer. Highly graphitized single-walled CNTP generates stronger C2 emission but lower plume velocity, whereas multi-walled CNTP composites exhibited faster expansion and higher Cm. These findings establish a direct link between CNTP composite and plasma momentum evolution, providing guidance for the design of high-performance laser propulsion materials.