Carbon nanotube structure, method of manufacturing the same, carbon nanotube transfer body, and liquid solution

Abstract

Provided is a carbon nanotube structure of homogeneous characteristics which is composed of at least a carbon nanotube structure layer where plural carbon nanotubes are cross-linked to one another to form a mesh structure on a surface of a base body. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the carbon nanotube structure which includes: an application step of applying a liquid solution that contains carbon nanotubes having functional groups and an additive for forming chemical bonds between the functional groups to a surface of a base body; and a cross-linking step for forming a carbon nanotube structure layer that has a mesh structure composed of the plural carbon nanotubes that are cross-linked to one another by chemical bonds formed among the functional groups.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT [0001] The present invention relates to a carbon nanotube structure with homogeneous characteristics, a method of manufacturing the carbon nanotube structure, a liquid solution for manufacturing the carbon nanotube structure, and a carbon nanotube transfer body which facilitates utilization of the obtained carbon nanotube structure. [0002] Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), with their unique shape and characteristics, are being considered for various applications. Carbon nanotubes have a tubular shape of one-dimensional nature which is obtained by rolling one or more graphene sheets composed of six-membered rings of carbon atoms into a tube. Those that are formed from one graphene sheet are called single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) while those that are formed from graphene sheet layers are called multi-wall nanotubes (MWNTs). SWNTs are about 1 nm in diameter whereas multi-wall carbon nanotubes measure several tens nm in diameter, and both are far th...

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Benefits of technology

[0015] The present invention has been made to solve the problems described above, and provides a homogeneous, mesh-like carbon nanotube structure whose application range is widened by reducing fluctuation in gap between carbon nanotubes, and a method and material for manufacturing the homogeneous carbon nanotube structure with accuracy.

Problems solved by technology

It is very difficult in practice to position carbon nanotubes.

This technique is fine for basic research but takes too much time and labor to provide a practical solution.

The method is capable of aligning carbon nanotubes in one direction, but aligning carbon nanotubes in more than one direction by this technique is difficult and is not realistic.

However, the success rate of cross-linking with the method is very low and it is still difficult with this method to position carbon nanotubes as desired.

However, carbon nanotubes obtained by those methods have been found lacking in their performance including mechanical strength and electric conductivity since, in those methods, carbon nanotubes are simply dispersed in a solvent to be applied or mixed with a binder before being applied.

It is therefore difficult to use the resultant carbon nanotubes as they are for an electrode or an electric circuit.

This causes the gap between carbon nanotubes and chemical structure to vary from one cross-linked site to another, making it difficult to obtain the intended characteristics and limiting the range of application of the carbon nanotube structure.

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