nozzle assembly for carbon nanotube films

Abstract

This invention proposes a nozzle assembly for carbon nanotube films, comprising a shell and an inner liner. The shell has an inner cavity, and a connector and an end plate are respectively provided at the slurry inflow end and the slurry outflow end of the shell. The connector has an inlet channel, and the end plate has an outlet channel. The inner liner is disposed in the inner cavity and has a main channel. The two ends of the main channel are respectively connected to the inlet channel and the outlet channel. The main channel has at least two converging channels connected in sequence. A distribution plate is provided at the connection of two adjacent converging channels. The distribution plate has multiple through holes for connecting adjacent channels. In the slurry flow direction, the converging channels are truncated cones with a gradually narrowing cross section. For any two adjacent converging channels, the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the rear end of the former are the same as the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the front end of the latter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of carbon nanotube thin film technology, and more particularly to a nozzle assembly for carbon nanotube thin films. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most carbon nanotube films are anisotropic, meaning the carbon nanotubes align in different directions, resulting in the incomplete release of the film's strength and conductivity. While wet-process carbon nanotube films offer advantages in orientation, they present two problems. First, the carbon nanotube slurry used in wet processing is a highly corrosive mixture of strong acid and carbon nanotubes, easily damaging the nozzle assembly and leading to film failure. Second, the high orientation of wet-process carbon nanotube films comes partly from subsequent stretching and partly from shearing within the nozzle assembly. However, this shearing prevents the carbon nanotube slurry from being uniformly extruded from the outlet, and the shear force at the peripheral edges of the nozzle assembly is greater than the shear force in the center, affecting the film's integrity and uniformity. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A primary objective of this invention is to overcome at least one of the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a nozzle assembly with superior corrosion resistance and capable of producing complete, uniform, and highly oriented carbon nanotube films.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a nozzle assembly for a carbon nanotube film is provided, comprising a shell and an inner liner; the shell has an inner cavity, a connector is provided at the slurry inflow end of the shell, the connector has an inlet channel, and an end plate is provided at the slurry outflow end of the shell, the end plate closing one end opening of the inner cavity and providing an outlet channel; the inner liner is disposed in the inner cavity, the inner liner having a main channel extending axially, the two ends of the main channel being connected to the inlet channel and the outlet channel respectively, the main channel having at least two converging channels connected sequentially along the axial direction, a distribution plate being provided at the connection point of two adjacent converging channels, the distribution plate having multiple through holes for connecting adjacent channels; wherein, in the slurry flow direction, the converging channels are frustoconical with a gradually narrowing cross section, and for any two adjacent converging channels, the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the rear end of the former are the same as the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the front end of the latter, and are the same as the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the distribution plate between them.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the end plate is made of tantalum metal and its surface is coated with a lithium tantalate film.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the connector, inner liner, and distribution plate is made of tantalum metal and has a lithium tantalate film coated on its surface.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a distribution plate is provided at the connection between the inlet channel and the adjacent converging channel, and the distribution plate has a plurality of through holes.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the main channel has at least three of the converging channels, and the distribution plate has at least three.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction of the slurry, for any two adjacent converging channels, the inclination angle of the frustum-shaped channel corresponding to the latter is less than or equal to the inclination angle of the frustum-shaped channel corresponding to the former.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction of the slurry, for any two adjacent converging channels, the axial length of the latter is greater than or equal to the axial length of the former.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall of the converging flow channel has multiple grooves arranged circumferentially along the converging flow channel, the grooves extending axially along the converging flow channel and penetrating the converging flow channel, and the width of the grooves gradually decreasing in the flow direction of the slurry.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cross-section of the convergent flow channel is circular or regular polygonal.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the housing includes a body and a cover plate. The body is tubular, the cover plate is detachably disposed at one end opening of the body, the connector is disposed on the cover plate, and the end plate is disposed at the other end opening of the body. The body, the cover plate and the end plate together form an inner cavity for accommodating the inner liner.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a first sealing gasket is provided between the cover plate and the body; wherein, a first notch is provided around the end of the inner liner facing the cover plate, the first notch and the inner wall of the body together form an annular first sealing groove, and the first sealing gasket is accommodated in the first sealing groove.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a second sealing gasket is provided between the end plate and the body; wherein, a second notch is provided around the end of the inner liner facing the end plate, the second notch and the inner wall of the body together form an annular second sealing groove, and the second sealing gasket is accommodated in the second sealing groove.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction of the slurry, the inlet channel is a truncated cone with a gradually narrowing cross section, and the inclination angle of the truncated cone corresponding to the inlet channel is 1° to 5°.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction of the slurry, the cross-section of the outlet channel is rectangular, and the ratio of the length of the short side of the rectangle corresponding to the outlet channel to the axial length of the outlet channel is less than or equal to 0.1, and the length of the long side of the rectangle corresponding to the outlet channel is greater than or equal to 2 cm.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of through holes in the distribution plate accounts for 50% to 70% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the distribution plate.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a filter screen is provided between the connector and the adjacent distribution plate. The filter screen has a mesh size of 800 to 1500 mesh and a pore size of 10 μm to 50 μm.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the filter screen is made of tantalum metal and has a lithium tantalate film coated on its surface.

[0022] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the advantages and positive effects of the carbon nanotube film nozzle assembly proposed in this invention are as follows:

[0023] The nozzle assembly for carbon nanotube films proposed in this invention includes a shell and an inner liner. The shell has an end plate at the slurry outlet end, and the end plate has an outlet channel. The main channel of the inner liner has at least two converging channels connected in sequence. A distribution plate is provided at the connection point of each adjacent converging channel, and the distribution plate has multiple through holes for connecting adjacent channels. In the slurry flow direction, the converging channels are truncated cones with a gradually narrowing cross-section. Through the above design, this invention uses tantalum metal as the material for the end plate and coats it with a lithium tantalate film, which improves the strength and corrosion resistance of the outlet channel, ensures the dimensional uniformity of the carbon nanotube films obtained by this invention, and is more cost-effective than metals such as gold, platinum, and rhodium. Furthermore, this invention utilizes multiple distribution plates to achieve multi-level distribution of slurry flow, uniformly distributing carbon nanotube slurry within the component, averaging pressure and shear distribution. Simultaneously, this invention employs a segmented design with multiple converging flow channels, which reduces shear on both sides and balances the shear forces at the edge and center points, ensuring the preparation of complete, uniform, and highly oriented carbon nanotube films even at high extrusion speeds. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Various objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings, the same reference numerals always denote the same or similar parts. Wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle assembly for a carbon nanotube film according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the corresponding frustum-shaped converging flow channel is shown;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the distribution plate is shown;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the converging flow channel of a nozzle assembly for a carbon nanotube film, according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the distribution plate of the nozzle assembly of a carbon nanotube film according to yet another exemplary embodiment.

[0030] Figure 6 Is adopted Figure 1 A digital photograph of a carbon nanotube film prepared by a nozzle assembly of a carbon nanotube film is shown.

[0031] Figure 7 Is adopted Figure 1 Metallurgical microscope image of a carbon nanotube film prepared by a nozzle assembly of a carbon nanotube film shown.

[0032] Figure 8 Is adopted Figure 1 A scanning electron microscope image of a carbon nanotube film prepared by a nozzle assembly of a carbon nanotube film is shown.

[0033] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0034] 100. Shell;

[0035] 110. Ontology;

[0036] 120. Cover plate;

[0037] 121. Connector;

[0038] 130. First sealing gasket;

[0039] 140. Second sealing gasket;

[0040] 200. Connector;

[0041] 210. Inlet flow channel;

[0042] 300. End plate;

[0043] 310. Outlet flow channel;

[0044] 400. Inner liner;

[0045] 410. Mainstream Road;

[0046] 411. Converging flow channel;

[0047] 421. The first gap;

[0048] 422. The second gap;

[0049] 500. Distribution board;

[0050] 510. Through hole;

[0051] 600. Filter screen;

[0052] X. The direction of slurry flow. Detailed Implementation

[0053] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that the present invention can have various variations in different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and the description and drawings therein are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the present invention.

[0054] In the following description of different exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the invention, and in which different exemplary structures, systems, and steps that can implement various aspects of the invention are shown by way of example. It should be understood that other specific embodiments of the components, structures, exemplary devices, systems, and steps may be used, and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, although the terms “above,” “between,” “within,” etc., may be used in this specification to describe different exemplary features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein only for convenience, such as the orientation according to the examples shown in the drawings. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional orientation of the structure to fall within the scope of the invention.

[0055] See Figure 1The illustration shows a cross-sectional view of the nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film proposed in this invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the nozzle assembly is described as an example of its application in the extrusion preparation of carbon nanotube films. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, additions, substitutions, deletions, or other changes may be made to the following specific embodiments to apply the relevant designs of this invention to other types of nozzle devices; these changes remain within the scope of the principles of the nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film proposed in this invention.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle assembly of the carbon nanotube film proposed in this invention includes a housing 100 and an inner liner 400. (See also...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 2 China representatively shows Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the corresponding frustum-shaped converging flow channel 411 is shown; Figure 3 China representatively shows Figure 1 The diagram shows a three-dimensional structural schematic of the distribution plate 500. The structure, connection method, and functional relationship of the main components of the carbon nanotube film nozzle assembly proposed in this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the above-mentioned figures.

[0057] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the housing 100 has an inner cavity, and the housing 100 is provided with a connector 200 at the slurry inflow end, the connector 200 having an inlet flow channel 210, and the housing 100 is provided with an end plate 300 at the slurry outflow end, the end plate 300 closing one end opening of the inner cavity and having an outlet flow channel 310. The inner liner 400 is disposed in the inner cavity of the shell 100. The inner liner 400 has a main channel 410 that runs through the axial direction. The two ends of the main channel 410 are connected to the inlet channel 210 and the outlet channel 310, respectively. The main channel 410 has at least two converging channels 411 (e.g., but not limited to the three converging channels 411 shown in the figure) connected in sequence along the axial direction. A distribution plate 500 (e.g., but not limited to the three distribution plates 500 shown in the figure) is provided at the connection between the inlet channel 210 and the adjacent converging channel 411, and at the connection between two adjacent converging channels 411. The distribution plate 500 has a plurality of through holes 510 for connecting adjacent channels. Based on this, in the flow direction X of the slurry, the converging flow channel 411 has a tapered frustum shape with a gradually narrowing cross section. For any two adjacent converging flow channels 411, the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the rear end of the former are the same as the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the front end of the latter, and are also the same as the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the distribution plate 500 between them. Through the above design, the present invention utilizes multiple distribution plates 500 to achieve multi-level distribution of slurry flow, uniformly distributing carbon nanotube slurry inside the component, averaging pressure and shear distribution. At the same time, the present invention adopts a segmented design of multiple converging flow channels 411, which reduces shear on both sides and balances the shear force at the edge point and the center point, ensuring that complete, uniform, and highly oriented carbon nanotube films can be prepared even at high extrusion speeds.

[0058] In one embodiment of the present invention, the end plate 300 can be made of tantalum metal and coated with a lithium tantalate film. Through this design, the present invention uses tantalum metal coated with a lithium tantalate film as the material of the end plate 300, which improves the strength and corrosion resistance of the outlet flow channel, ensuring that the outlet flow channel will not deform under high extrusion pressure and high corrosion conditions, guaranteeing the dimensional uniformity of the obtained carbon nanotube film, and at a lower cost than metals such as gold, platinum, and rhodium.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, the connector 200 may be made of tantalum metal and coated with a lithium tantalate film. Through the above design, the present invention can further improve the corrosion resistance and strength of the connector 200, and the specific design can be selected according to application requirements and cost.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inner liner 400 may be made of tantalum metal and coated with a lithium tantalate film. Through the above design, the present invention can further improve the corrosion resistance and strength of the inner liner 400, and the specific design can be selected according to application requirements and cost.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present invention, the distribution plate 500 may be made of tantalum metal and coated with a lithium tantalate film. Through the above design, the present invention can further improve the corrosion resistance and strength of the distribution plate 500, and the specific design can be selected according to application requirements and cost.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the main channel 410 is described as having three converging channels 411. Based on this, in the flow direction X of the slurry, a first distribution plate 500 is provided between the inlet channel 210 and the first converging channel 411. The diameter of the distribution plate 500 is equal to the diameter of the inlet channel 210 and the diameter of the front end (i.e., the larger end) of the first converging channel 411. A second distribution plate 500 is provided between the first and second converging channels 411. The diameter of the distribution plate 500 is equal to the diameter of the rear end (i.e., the smaller end) of the first converging channel 411 and the diameter of the front end of the second converging channel 411. A third distribution plate 500 is provided between the second and third converging channels 411. The diameter of the distribution plate 500 is equal to the diameter of the rear end (i.e., the smaller end) of the second converging channel 411 and the diameter of the front end of the third converging channel 411. In some embodiments, the main channel 410 may include only two converging channels 411, in which case there are two distribution plates 500. Alternatively, the main channel 410 may include four or more converging channels 411, in which case there are four or more distribution plates 500. These embodiments are not limited to this one.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction X of the slurry, for any two adjacent converging channels 411, the inclination angle of the frustum-shaped channel corresponding to the latter can be less than or equal to the inclination angle of the frustum-shaped channel corresponding to the former. In other words, in the flow direction X of the slurry, the convergence amplitude of the former converging channel 411 will not be less than the convergence amplitude of the latter converging channel 411.

[0064] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction X of the slurry, for any two adjacent converging channels 411, the axial length of the latter can be greater than or equal to the axial length of the former.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall of the converging channel 411 may have multiple grooves arranged circumferentially along the converging channel 411, and the grooves extend axially and penetrate the converging channel 411. The width of the grooves gradually decreases in the flow direction X of the slurry. Through this design, the present invention can utilize these grooves to reduce the shear rate between the slurry and the channel, ensuring that the shear force experienced by the center point and edge points of the carbon nanotube slurry in the radial direction is the same, thereby achieving the purpose of uniform film formation.

[0066] Based on the design of multiple grooves on the inner wall of the convergent flow channel 411, in one embodiment of the present invention, the groove width can be less than 1 / 10 of its own length, that is, the groove can have a "slender" structure, thereby further reducing the shear rate.

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the cross-section of the converging flow channel 411 can be circular. In other words, the frustum shape corresponding to the converging flow channel 411 can be a truncated cone shape. Through the above design, the converging flow channel 411 with a truncated cone shape can ensure that the slurry is subjected to the same shear force in the circumferential direction of its inner wall, thereby improving the integrity and uniformity of the carbon nanotube film.

[0068] See Figure 4 , Figure 4 The image shows a representative perspective view of the converging flow channel 411 of the nozzle assembly of the carbon nanotube film, which embodies the principles of the present invention, in another exemplary embodiment, corresponding to the frustum-shaped shape.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the cross-section of the convergent flow channel 411 can be a square. In some embodiments, the cross-section of the convergent flow channel 411 can also be an equilateral triangle, a regular pentagon, or other regular polygons, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0070] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the housing 100 may include a body 110 and a cover plate 120. The body 110 is tubular, and the cover plate 120 is detachably disposed at one end opening of the body 110. A connector 200 is disposed on the cover plate 120, and an end plate 300 is disposed at the other end opening of the body 110. The body 110, the cover plate 120, and the end plate 300 together form an inner cavity for accommodating the inner liner 400. Through the above design, the present invention facilitates the disassembly and assembly of the inner liner 400 in the housing 100, and further facilitates the maintenance and replacement of various components in the housing 100 (e.g., the distribution plate 500 and the filter screen 600 described below).

[0071] like Figure 1As shown, based on the structural design of the shell 100 including a body 110 and a cover plate 120, in one embodiment of the present invention, a first sealing gasket 130 may be provided between the cover plate 120 and the body 110. Specifically, a first notch 421 is formed around the end of the inner liner 400 facing the cover plate 120. The first notch 421 and the inner wall of the body 110 together form an annular first sealing groove, and the first sealing gasket 130 is accommodated in the first sealing groove. Through the above design, the present invention can further ensure the sealing between the body 110 and the cover plate 120, and at the same time prevent leakage of carbon nanotube slurry.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown, based on the structural design of the shell 100, which includes a body 110 and a cover plate 120, in one embodiment of the present invention, a second sealing gasket 140 may be provided between the end plate 300 and the body 110. Specifically, a second notch 422 is provided around the end of the inner liner 400 facing the end plate 300. The second notch 422 and the inner wall of the body 110 together form an annular second sealing groove, in which the second sealing gasket 140 is accommodated. Through the above design, the present invention can further ensure the sealing between the body 110 and the end plate 300, and at the same time prevent leakage of carbon nanotube slurry.

[0073] like Figure 1 As shown, based on the structural design of the housing 100 including the body 110 and the cover plate 120, in one embodiment of the present invention, the body 110 and the cover plate 120 can be detachably connected via a connector 121, which can be, but is not limited to, a bolt.

[0074] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction X of the slurry, the inlet channel 210 can be a truncated cone with a gradually narrowing cross-section, and the inclination angle of the truncated cone corresponding to the inlet channel 210 can be 1° to 5°, for example, 1°, 1.1°, 1.2°, 1.3°, 1.5°, 1.7°, 2°, 2.5°, 3°, 3.5°, 4°, 4.5°, 5°, etc. Through the above design, the present invention can reduce the extrusion eddies, which is beneficial to accelerating the slurry flow.

[0075] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the flow direction X of the slurry, the cross-section of the outlet channel 310 can be rectangular, and the ratio of the length of the shorter side of the rectangle corresponding to the cross-section of the outlet channel 310 (e.g., the channel thickness of the outlet channel 310) to the axial length of the outlet channel 310 can be less than or equal to 0.1. For example, the axial length of the outlet channel 310 can be 1 mm, and the length of the shorter side of the rectangle corresponding to the cross-section of the outlet channel 310 can be 0.1 mm. Through the above design, the present invention can ensure the orientation of the carbon nanotube slurry.

[0076] Taking the rectangular cross-section of the outlet channel 310 as an example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the length of the long side of the rectangle corresponding to the cross-section of the outlet channel 310 (e.g., the channel width of the outlet channel 310) can be greater than or equal to 2cm, and the specific value can be selected according to the actual situation.

[0077] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of through holes 510 opened in the distribution plate 500 can account for 50% to 70% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the distribution plate 500, for example, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, etc. Through the above design, the present invention can effectively reduce slurry shear.

[0078] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the multiple through holes 510 opened in the distribution plate 500 can be arranged in a dispersed manner. The design of multiple through holes 510 reduces the high shear of the slurry at the edge of the flow channel. The high shear rate is evenly distributed to each through hole 510, which reduces the pressure inside the component and is beneficial to the extrusion of the slurry.

[0079] See Figure 5 , Figure 5 The diagram shows a three-dimensional structural schematic of the nozzle assembly of the carbon nanotube film, which embodies the principles of the present invention, in another exemplary embodiment of the distribution plate 500.

[0080] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of through holes 510 formed in the distribution plate 500 can be distributed on a plurality of annular paths, which are concentric and nested sequentially. In some embodiments, the aforementioned annular path may also be only one and located at the edge of the distribution plate 500, that is, the center of the distribution plate 500 may not have a through hole 510, and this is not limited to this embodiment.

[0081] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, a filter screen 600 can be provided between the connector 200 and the adjacent distribution plate 500 (i.e., between the inlet channel 210 and the first distribution plate 500). The filter screen 600 can be 800 mesh to 1500 mesh, for example, 800 mesh, 900 mesh, 1000 mesh, 1050 mesh, 1100 mesh, 1200 mesh, 1300 mesh, 1400 mesh, 1500 mesh, etc., and the pore size of the filter screen 600 can be 10 μm to 50 μm, for example, 10 μm, 11 μm, 13 μm, 15 μm, 20 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, 35 μm, 40 μm, 45 μm, 50 μm, etc. Through the above design, the present invention can effectively filter out impurities and undispersed carbon nanotubes in the slurry.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present invention, the filter screen 600 may be made of tantalum metal and coated with a lithium tantalate film. Through the above design, the present invention can further improve the corrosion resistance and strength of the filter screen 600, and the specific design can be selected according to application requirements and cost.

[0083] See Figures 6 to 8 , Figure 6 The image shows a digital photograph of a carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly proposed in this invention. Figure 7 The image shows a metallographic micrograph of a carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly proposed in this invention. Figure 8 The image shows a representative scanning electron microscope image of a carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly proposed in this invention.

[0084] Based on carbon nanotube films in Figures 6 to 8 The morphological characteristics observed in the photographs demonstrate that the nozzle assembly proposed in this invention can be used to prepare complete, uniform, and highly oriented carbon nanotube films. It should be noted that the above... Figures 6 to 8 The photographs shown are merely illustrative, intended to provide a more vivid understanding of the concrete morphology of the carbon nanotube films obtained from vegetation according to the present invention. It should be understood that those skilled in the art, based on this specification, should not assume any other equivalent characteristics. Figures 6 to 8 In addition to the above-mentioned accompanying drawings and other textual content, Figures 1 to 5 The exemplary drawings shown provide an unambiguous understanding of the design concept of the invention and various possible exemplary embodiments conforming to that design concept.

[0085] Based on the detailed description of several exemplary embodiments of the nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film proposed in the invention above, the following will list several specific embodiments that conform to the design concept of the present invention and the performance parameters of the carbon nanotube films prepared therefrom.

[0086] Example 1

[0087] In this embodiment, the inlet channel 210 is a truncated cone with a reduced cross-section. The main channel 410 has three converging channels 411, and the nozzle assembly correspondingly has three distribution plates 500. A filter screen 600 is disposed between the connector 200 and the adjacent distribution plate 500. In the flow direction X of the slurry, for any two adjacent converging channels 411, the inclination angle of the truncated cone corresponding to the latter is smaller than the inclination angle of the truncated cone corresponding to the former. The inner wall of the converging channel 411 has multiple grooves. The outlet channel 310 has no inclination angle, that is, the outlet channel 410 is a channel with parallel inner walls. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of this embodiment 1 has an orientation degree of 0.95, an integrity of 90%, and good uniformity.

[0088] Example 2

[0089] In this embodiment, a design largely the same as that of Embodiment 1 described above is adopted, the difference being that the inlet channel 210 has a uniform cross-section, i.e., it does not have an inclined angle. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of Embodiment 2 has an orientation degree of 0.83, an integrity of 88%, and good uniformity.

[0090] Example 3

[0091] In this embodiment, a design largely the same as that of Embodiment 1 is adopted, the difference being that no distribution plate 500 is provided between the connector 200 and the main channel 410, i.e., there are only two distribution plates 500, both located within the main channel 410. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of Embodiment 3 has an orientation degree of 0.85, an integrity of 89%, and good uniformity.

[0092] Example 4

[0093] In this embodiment, a design largely the same as that of Embodiment 1 described above is adopted, the difference being that the inner wall of the converging flow channel 411 does not have multiple grooves, i.e., the inner wall of the converging flow channel 411 is a smooth wall surface. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of Embodiment 4 has an orientation degree of 0.82 and an integrity of 86%.

[0094] Example 5

[0095] In this embodiment, a design largely the same as that of Embodiment 1 is adopted, the difference being that the outlet channel 310 adopts a convergent channel structure, that is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet channel 310 gradually decreases along the flow direction X of the slurry. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of Embodiment 5 has an orientation degree of 0.87 and an integrity of 74%.

[0096] Based on the above description of several specific embodiments of the nozzle assembly of the carbon nanotube film proposed in the invention, the following will illustrate several comparative examples and the performance parameters of the carbon nanotube films prepared therein.

[0097] Comparative Example 1

[0098] In this comparative example, a design largely the same as that of Example 1 described above was used, the difference being that the main channel 410 includes only one converging channel 411. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of Comparative Example 1 has an orientation degree of 0.74, an integrity of 70%, and poor uniformity.

[0099] Comparative Example 2

[0100] In this comparative example, a design largely the same as that of Example 1 was used, the difference being that the main channel 410 consists of only a single parallel channel, without a convergent design. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of Comparative Example 2 has an orientation degree of 0.72, an integrity of 65%, and poor uniformity.

[0101] Comparative Example 3

[0102] In this comparative example, a design substantially the same as that of Example 1 described above was used, the difference being that the distribution plate 500 was not provided within the main channel 410. Based on this, the carbon nanotube film prepared using the nozzle assembly of Comparative Example 3 had an orientation degree of 0.52, an integrity of 60%, and poor uniformity. It should be noted that the nozzle assemblies for carbon nanotube films shown in the accompanying drawings and described in this specification are merely a few examples among many nozzle assemblies from which the principles of the present invention can be employed. It should be clearly understood that the principles of the present invention are by no means limited to any details or components of the nozzle assemblies for carbon nanotube films shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification.

[0103] In summary, the carbon nanotube film nozzle assembly proposed in this invention includes a housing 100 and an inner liner 400. The housing 100 has an end plate 300 at the slurry outlet end, and the end plate 300 has an outlet channel 310. The end plate 300 is made of tantalum metal and its surface is coated with a lithium tantalate film. The main channel 410 of the inner liner 400 has at least two converging channels 411 connected in sequence. A distribution plate 500 is provided at the connection point of each adjacent converging channel 411, and the distribution plate 500 has multiple through holes 510 for connecting adjacent channels. In the slurry flow direction X, the converging channels 411 are truncated cones with a gradually narrowing cross-section. Through the above design, this invention uses tantalum metal coated with a lithium tantalate film as the material of the end plate 300, ensuring both high corrosion resistance and high strength, while being more cost-effective than metals such as gold, platinum, and rhodium. Furthermore, this invention utilizes multiple distribution plates 500 to achieve multi-level distribution of slurry flow, uniformly distributing carbon nanotube slurry within the component, averaging pressure and shear distribution. Simultaneously, this invention employs a segmented design of multiple converging flow channels 411, which reduces shear on both sides and balances the shear forces at the edge and center points, ensuring the preparation of complete, uniform, and highly oriented carbon nanotube films even at high extrusion speeds.

[0104] The foregoing has described and / or illustrated exemplary embodiments of the nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film proposed in this invention. However, the embodiments of this invention are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein; rather, components and / or steps of each embodiment may be used independently and separately from other components and / or steps described herein. Each component and / or step of one embodiment may also be used in combination with other components and / or steps of other embodiments. In describing the elements / components / etc. described and / or illustrated herein, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the above” are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements / components / etc. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are used to indicate an open-ended inclusion and mean that additional elements / components / etc. may exist in addition to those listed. Furthermore, the terms “first” and “second” in the claims and specification are used only as illustrative marks and are not intended to limit the numerical scope of the subject matter.

[0105] Although the nozzle assembly of the carbon nanotube film proposed in this invention has been described according to different specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications can be made to the implementation of the invention within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A nozzle assembly for a carbon nanotube thin film, characterized in that, include: A housing having an inner cavity, the housing having a connector at the slurry inflow end with an inlet channel, and an end plate at the slurry outflow end, the end plate closing one opening of the inner cavity and having an outlet channel; and The inner liner is disposed in the inner cavity. The inner liner has a main channel that runs through the axis. The two ends of the main channel are respectively connected to the inlet channel and the outlet channel. The main channel has at least two converging channels that are connected sequentially along the axis. A distribution plate is provided at the connection of two adjacent converging channels. The distribution plate has multiple through holes for connecting adjacent channels. In the direction of slurry flow, the converging flow channel is a frustum-shaped cone with a gradually narrowing cross section. For any two adjacent converging flow channels, the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the rear end of the former are the same as the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the front end of the latter, and are also the same as the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the distribution plate between them.

2. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end plate is made of tantalum metal and has a lithium tantalate film coated on its surface.

3. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the connector, inner liner, and distribution plate is made of tantalum metal and has a lithium tantalate film coated on its surface.

4. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, A distribution plate is provided at the connection between the inlet channel and the adjacent convergent channel, and the distribution plate has multiple through holes.

5. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main channel has at least three convergent channels, and the distribution plate has at least three.

6. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the flow direction of the slurry, for any two adjacent converging channels, the tilt angle of the frustum-shaped channel corresponding to the latter is less than or equal to the tilt angle of the frustum-shaped channel corresponding to the former.

7. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the direction of slurry flow, for any two adjacent converging channels, the axial length of the latter is greater than or equal to the axial length of the former.

8. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the converging flow channel has multiple grooves arranged circumferentially along the converging flow channel and extending axially through the converging flow channel. The width of the grooves gradually decreases in the direction of slurry flow.

9. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-section of the convergent flow channel is circular or a regular polygon.

10. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The housing includes a body and a cover plate. The body is tubular, and the cover plate is detachably disposed at one end opening of the body. The connector is disposed on the cover plate, and the end plate is disposed at the other end opening of the body. The body, cover plate, and end plate together form an inner cavity for accommodating the inner liner.

11. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 10, characterized in that, A first sealing gasket is provided between the cover plate and the body; wherein, a first notch is provided around the end of the inner liner facing the cover plate, the first notch and the inner wall of the body together form an annular first sealing groove, and the first sealing gasket is accommodated in the first sealing groove.

12. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 10, characterized in that, A second sealing gasket is provided between the end plate and the body; wherein, a second notch is provided around the end of the inner liner facing the end plate, the second notch and the inner wall of the body together form an annular second sealing groove, and the second sealing gasket is accommodated in the second sealing groove.

13. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, In the direction of slurry flow, the inlet channel is a truncated cone with a gradually narrowing cross section, and the inclination angle of the truncated cone corresponding to the inlet channel is 1° to 5°.

14. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, In the direction of slurry flow, the cross-section of the outlet channel is rectangular, and the ratio of the length of the short side of the rectangle corresponding to the outlet channel to the axial length of the outlet channel is less than or equal to 0.1, and the length of the long side of the rectangle corresponding to the outlet channel is greater than or equal to 2cm.

15. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of through holes in the distribution plate accounts for 50% to 70% of the total cross-sectional area of ​​the distribution plate.

16. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, A filter screen is provided between the connector and the adjacent distribution plate. The filter screen has a mesh size of 800 to 1500 and a pore size of 10 μm to 50 μm.

17. The nozzle assembly for the carbon nanotube film according to claim 16, characterized in that, The filter screen is made of tantalum metal and has a lithium tantalate film coated on its surface.

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