30 results about "Buckypaper" patented technology

Methods are provided for mechanically chopping nanotubes and other nanoscale fibrous materials. The method includes forming a macroscale article which include the nanoscale fibers, and then mechanically cutting the macroscale article into a finely divided form. In one embodiment, these steps are repeated. The nanoscale fibers may be carbon nanotubes, which optionally are aligned in the macroscale article. The macroscale article may be in the form of or include one or more buckypapers. In one embodiment, the macroscale article further includes a solid matrix material in which the nanoscale fibers are contained or dispersed. The forming step can include making a suspension of nanoscale fibers dispersed in a liquid medium and then solidifying the liquid medium to form the macroscale article. After the mechanical cutting step, the medium can be dissolved or melted to enable separation of the chopped nanoscale fibers from the medium.

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a fuel cell comprising a catalyst layer and a method of making the same. The catalyst layer can include a plurality of catalyst nanoparticles, e.g., platinum, disposed on buckypaper. The catalyst layer can have 1% or less binder prior to attachment to the membrane electrode assembly. The catalyst layer can include (a) single-wall nanotubes, small diameter multi-wall nanotubes, or both, and (b) large diameter multi-wall nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, or both. The ratio of (a) to (b) can range from 1:2 to 1:20. The catalyst layer can produce a surface area utilization efficiency of at least 60% and the platinum utilization efficiency can be 0.50 gPt / kW or less.

A composite for providing shielding against cosmic radiation, consisting essentially of carbon nanotubes, a biopolymer of lignin and a halogen as dopant.

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a fuel cell comprising a catalyst layer and a method of making the same. The catalyst layer can include a plurality of catalyst nanoparticles, e.g., platinum, disposed on buckypaper. The catalyst layer can have 1% or less binder prior to attachment to the membrane electrode assembly. The catalyst layer can include (a) single-wall nanotubes, small diameter multi-wall nanotubes, or both, and (b) large diameter multi-wall nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, or both. The ratio of (a) to (b) can range from 1:2 to 1:20. The catalyst layer can produce a surface area utilization efficiency of at least 60% and the platinum utilization efficiency can be 0.50 gPt / kW or less.

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a fuel cell comprising a gradient catalyst structure and a method of making the same. The gradient catalyst structure can include a plurality of catalyst nanoparticles, e.g., platinum, disposed on layered buckypaper. The layered buckypaper can include at least a first layer and a second layer and the first layer can have a lower porosity compared to the second layer. The gradient catalyst structure can include single-wall nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, or both in the first layer of the layered buckypaper and can include carbon nanofibers in the second layer of the layered buckypaper. The MEA can have a catalyst utilization efficiency of at least 0.35 gcat / kW or less.

Highly purified carbon nanotubes (CNT) having virtually no carbonaceous impurities (amorphous carbon) nor inorganic impurities (metal and metal oxides), and methods of their preparation are described. The purified CNT feature excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties due to the near total absence of detrimental impurities. The CNT starting material is preferably in the form of wafer, film, or buckypaper for efficient diffusion of purifying media. The highly pure CNT are prepared by heat treating a CNT starting material in a specified amount of oxygen, then treating the CNT in a solution comprising water and acid, or further heat treating the CNT in an atmosphere comprising chlorine (Cl2). Extremely low levels of inorganic impurities may be achieved by treating sequentially with a treatment solution followed by chlorine. Removal of chloride from purified CNT may be achieved by further treating the chlorine-treated material in an atmosphere comprising hydrogen (H2).

A method for making an actuator capable of dry actuation is provided. The method includes providing a first nanoscale fiber film, providing a second nanoscale fiber film, positioning a solid polymer electrolyte at least partially between and adjacent to the first nanoscale fiber film and the second nanoscale fiber film, and then affixing the solid polymer electrolyte to the first nanoscale fiber film and the second nanoscale fiber film. The nanoscale fiber films may be buckypapers, made of carbon nanotubes. The actuator is capable of dry actuation.

Highly purified carbon nanotubes (CNT) having virtually no carbonaceous impurities (amorphous carbon) nor inorganic impurities (metal and metal oxides), and methods of their preparation are described. The purified CNT feature excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties due to the near total absence of detrimental impurities. The CNT starting material is preferably in the form of wafer, film, or buckypaper for efficient diffusion of purifying media. The highly pure CNT are prepared by heat treating a CNT starting material in a specified amount of oxygen, then treating the CNT in a solution comprising water and acid, or further heat treating the CNT in an atmosphere comprising chlorine (Cl2). Extremely low levels of inorganic impurities may be achieved by treating sequentially with a treatment solution followed by chlorine. Removal of chloride from purified CNT may be achieved by further treating the chlorine-treated material in an atmosphere comprising hydrogen (H2).

Systems and methods are provided for producing continuous buckypapers. The systems may permit the in-line characterization and crosslinking of the continuous buckypapers. The systems include roll-to-roll systems in which a continuous buckypaper is created and then separated from the filter paper in an automated process.

The electrical energy generating system of the present invention comprises a piece of alignment Buckypaper, an energy generator, a thin deposition and two contacts. The alignment Buckypaper is a thin sheet made from an aggregate of carbon nanotubes. The thin deposition is formed on at least one surface of the alignment Buckypaper by electrolysis to form a semimetal material. A contact is connected with the upper surface of the alignment Buckypaper and the other contact is connected with the lower surface of the alignment Buckypaper. In use, the energy generated by the generator is inputted to the alignment Buckypaper. The energy then ionizes the molecules contained in the alignment Buckypaper. The positive charges move to the upper contact and the negative charges move to the lower contact. Such electrical energy may then be fed to a load connected with the two contacts to do work on the load.

A method, apparatus, and system for fabricating buckypaper or similar sheets of nanostructures having relatively high aspect ratios. A dispersion of nanostructures such as nanotubes is subjected to fluid dynamics / forces which promote alignment of their axes of elongation while in suspension in the flow. An agglomeration of better aligned nanostructures is isolated from the carrier fluid into a useable form. In the case of nanotubes, one form is buckypaper. One example of alignment forces is Taylor-Couette flow shear forces. One example of isolation is filtering the flowing dispersion to collect better aligned nanostructures across the filter into a sheet or film. The degree of alignment can produce anisotropic material properties that can be beneficially used in application of the sheet or film.

The invention discloses a preparation method of a carbon nanotube (CNT) enhanced SiC based nano composite material film. The preparation method comprises the following steps: dispersing CNTs, B4C micro-powder and elemental silicon powder into water to prepare a suspension liquid, taking TritonTM X-100 as a dispersing agent, then performing pressure filtration on the suspension liquid by using a pressure filtration device, soaking a CNTs Buckypaper preform obtained by virtue of pressure filtration in a thermoplastic phenolic resin solution, and then sequentially performing soft curing, hard curing and post-curing to obtain a curing sample; and then carbonizing the curing sample under the protection of nitrogen, and finally sintering to obtain the CNT enhanced SiC based nano composite material film. The nano composite material film prepared by using the method disclosed by the invention is high in CNT volume content and good in dispersion performance, has good preferred orientation in arrangement of the CNTs, has good combination between the CNTs and a matrix, and is smooth and warping-free in film surface, uniform and compact in microscopic structure, good in thermal and electrical conduction properties, good in strength and toughness, short in period and low in cost.

The invention provides a preparation method for a composite metal layer plated buckypaper composite material. The preparation method comprises the following steps that buckypaper sequentially undergoes acidification, sensitization and activation treatment, and then is added into deionized water for ultrasonic treatment, then a reducing agent is added, uniform mixing is performed to obtain a suspension liquid, then a nickel plating solution is added into the suspension liquid, and the nickel-plated buckypaper is obtained through reaction; mixed powder of tungsten oxide and molybdenum oxide is sprayed on the surface of the nickel-plated buckypaper, water-passing hydrogen is introduced after heating, and the modified nickel-plated buckypaper is obtained through reaction; the modified nickel-plated buckypaper is added into a copper plating solution, then the reducing agent is added, and a precursor of the composite metal layer plated buckypaper composite material is obtained through reaction; and the precursor is reduced under a reducing atmosphere, then sintering is performed, and the composite metal layer plated buckypaper composite material is obtained. The method is beneficial to improving the mechanical property, the electrical property and the service performance of the composite material, has the characteristics of being short in process, simple in equipment and high in safety operability, and enables continuous production to be realized easily.

The electrical energy generating system of the present invention comprises a piece of alignment Buckypaper, an energy generator, a thin deposition and two contacts. The alignment Buckypaper is a thin sheet made from an aggregate of carbon nanotubes. The thin deposition is formed on at least one surface of the alignment Buckypaper by electrolysis to form a semimetal material. A contact is connected with the upper surface of the alignment Buckypaper and the other contact is connected with the lower surface of the alignment Buckypaper. In use, the energy generated by the generator is inputted to the alignment Buckypaper. The energy then ionizes the molecules contained in the alignment Buckypaper. The positive charges move to the upper contact and the negative charges move to the lower contact. Such electrical energy may then be fed to a load connected with the two contacts to do work on the load.

The invention discloses a film removing liquid and method for removing a nitride film layer on the surface of a cobalt-based hard alloy. The film removing liquid does not contain substances such as permanganate, chlorate or hydrogen peroxide, and is composed of sodium hydroxide, sodium percarbonate, tetrasodium iminodisuccinate, sodium lignin sulfonate, graphene oxide powder, isopropanol, ethanol,and deionized water, wherein the deionized water is used as a solvent. According to the film removing liquid, a buckypaper subjected to constant potential cathode polarization treatment is used as aflexible carrier of the film removing liquid, in the film removing process, only the buckypaper absorbing the film removing liquid needs to be used for covering the surface of the nitride film layer,ultrasonic vibration is combined, effective removal of the nitride film layer can be realized, and the damage on the base body cobalt-based hard alloy is extremely weak in the film removing process.