Systems and methods of manufacturing nanotube structures

Abstract

A tube manufacturing system is provided that is capable of manufacturing tube structures that are on the nanoscale and larger. The system provides for control as to the structure and atomic makeup of the feed sheet material used and provides motive force to the sheet material being used to continuously advance the sheet material through the various system components. After the tube structures are formed, they may be used in providing a source material for manufacturing macroscopic objects thus increasing the level of performance and capabilities of such objects due to the engineered properties of the tube structures formed within this system and method of manufacturing. Processes for manufacturing of nanotubes are also disclosed, as are nanotubes manufactured by the processes and system of the invention.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 950,793, filed 28 Sep. 2004, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 577,678, filed 7 Jun. 2004, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 565,610, filed on 27 Apr. 2004, the entire disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated herein in their entireties by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to nanotube manufacturing, and more specifically, to nanotubes and systems and methods for the formation and / or manufacture of nanotubes and nanotube structures. [0004] 2. Related Art [0005] Carbon nanotubes are tubular carbonaceous structures with mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties that make them potentially useful in many fields, including electronic, mechanical, and medical applications. For example, they exhibit exceptional strength, primarily due to the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The process enables the production of highly uniform and long nanotubes with controlled properties, reducing production costs and improving reproducibility, allowing for mass production of nanotubes with specific characteristics.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, this method results in high levels of impurities that are expensive to remove, if at all possible.

While the nanotubes produced by Laser Ablation are cleaner than those produced by Arc Discharge, the yield is significantly lower.

Chemical Vapor Deposition can be used on a large scale, but often and uncontrollably produces a mixture of SWNTs and MWNTs having a wide range of diameters, the SWNTs invariably being of poor quality.

The nanotubes generated through this protocol, however, can include a high volume of contaminants.

This method can produce nanotubes with relatively fewer contaminants than the arc discharge method, but the production rate can be low.

The laser ablation method can also be capital-intensive.

However, the carbon nanotubes produced can have a number of defects.

Thus, the current technologies do not permit one to pre-select and produce only one type of nanotube, having a single wall type, length, diameter, and lattice structure or conformation.

The manufacturing cost associated with such high temperature growth processes is high due to the energy cost and time required with such batch type processes.

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