395 results about "Carbon nanostructures" patented technology

Carbon nanostructures are mass produced from graphite. In particularly preferred aspects, graphene is thermo-chemically derived from graphite and used in numerous compositions. In further preferred aspects, the graphene is re-shaped to form other nanostructures, including nanofractals, optionally branched open-ended SWNT, nanoloops, and nanoonions.

Continuous process for the production of carbon-based nanotubes, nanofibres and nanostructures, comprising the following steps: generating a plasma with electrical energy, introducing a carbon precursor and / or one or more catalysers and / or carrier plasma gas in a reaction zone of an airtight high temperature resistant vessel optionally having a thermal insulation lining, vaporizing the carbon precursor in the reaction zone at a very high temperature, preferably 4000° C. and higher, guiding the carrier plasma gas, the carbon precursor vaporized and the catalyser through a nozzle, whose diameter is narrowing in the direction of the plasma gas flow, guiding the carrier plasma gas, the carbon precursor vaporized and the catalyses into a quenching zone for nucleation, growing and quenching operating with flow conditions generated by aerodynamic and electromagnetic forces, so that no significant recirculation of feedstocks or products from the quenching zone into the reaction zone occurs, controlling the gas temperature in the quenching zone between about 4000° C. in the upper part of this zone and about 50° C. in the lower part of this zone and controlling the quenching velocity between 103 K / s and 106 K / s quenching and extracting carbon-based nanotubes, nanofibres and other nanostructures from the quenching zone, separating carbon-based nanotubes, nanofibres and nanostructures from other reaction products.

High-surface-area carbon nanostructures coated with a smooth and conformal submonolayer-to-multilayer thin metal films and their method of manufacture are described. The preferred manufacturing process involves the initial oxidation of the carbon nanostructures followed by immersion in a solution with the desired pH to create negative surface dipoles. The nanostructures are subsequently immersed in an alkaline solution containing non-noble metal ions which adsorb at surface reaction sites. The metal ions are then reduced via chemical or electrical means and the nanostructures are exposed to a solution containing a salt of one or more noble metals which replace adsorbed non-noble surface metal atoms by galvanic displacement. Subsequent film growth may be performed via the initial quasi-underpotential deposition of a non-noble metal followed by immersion in a solution comprising a more noble metal. The resulting coated nanostructures may be used, for example, as high-performance electrodes in supercapacitors, batteries, or other electric storage devices.

An interpenetrating network assembly with a network of connected flakes of nano-scale crystalline carbon and nano-scale particles of an electroactive material interconnected with the carbon flakes is provided. The network assemblies are particularly suited for energy storage applications that use metal oxide electroactive materials and a single charge collector or a source and drain. Interpenetrating networks of graphene flakes and metal oxide nanosheets can form independent pathways between source and drain. Nano-scale conductive materials such as metal nanowires, carbon nanotubes, activated carbon or carbon black can be included as part of the conductive network to improve charge transfer.

A composite having an electroactive polymer coating on a porous carbon structure is disclosed. The composite may be used in capacitor electrodes. The composite may be made by self-limiting electropolymerization of a monomer on the carbon structure.

The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nanostructures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within polymers or other flexible materials to provide a flexible skin-like material, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a carbon nanotube / polymer composite material having a plurality of carbon nanotubes formed into a predetermined architecture, with each of the plurality of nanotubes having a desired width and length. The architecture of the plurality of nanotubes defines at least one orientation for a plurality of nanotubes, and also defines the approximate spacing between nanotubes and / or groups of nanotubes. The carbon nanotube architecture is at least partially embedded with a polymer matrix in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture. The polymer matrix may also be formed to have a desired predetermined thickness.

The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nanostructures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within polymers or other flexible materials to provide a flexible skin-like material, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a carbon nanotube / polymer composite material having a plurality of carbon nanotubes formed into a predetermined architecture, with each of the plurality of nanotubes having a desired width and length. The architecture of the plurality of nanotubes defines at least one orientation for a plurality of nanotubes, and also defines the approximate spacing between nanotubes and / or groups of nanotubes. The carbon nanotube architecture is at least partially embedded with a polymer matrix in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture. The polymer matrix may also be formed to have a desired predetermined thickness.

Carbon nanoflakes, methods of making the nanoflakes, and applications of the carbon nanoflakes are provided. In some embodiments, the carbon nanoflakes are carbon nanosheets, which are less than 2 nm thick. The carbon nanoflakes may be made using RF-PECVD. Carbon nanoflakes may be useful as field emitters, for hydrogen storage applications, for sensors, and as catalyst supports.

A method for forming nanostructured carbons comprising the steps of: generating a plasma by supplying at least a discharge gas between opposing electrodes and applying a high-frequency voltage between the electrodes under an approximately atmospheric pressure; existing a material gas for forming the nanostructured carbons with the plasma to generate an activated material gas; and exposing a substrate to the activated material gas.

There are provided a flexible nanocomposite generator and a method of manufacturing the same. A flexible nanocomposite generator according to the present invention includes a piezoelectric layer formed of a flexible matrix containing piezoelectric nanoparticles and carbon nanostructures; and electrode layers disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of both sides of the piezoelectric layer, in which according to a method for manufacturing a flexible nanocomposite generator according to the present invention and a flexible nanogenerator, it is possible to manufacture a flexible nanogenerator with a large area and a small thickness. Therefore, the nanogenerator may be used as a portion of a fiber or cloth. Accordingly, the nanogenerator according to the present invention generates power in accordance with bending of attached cloth, such that it is possible to continuously generate power in accordance with movement of a human body.

The present invention is directed to the production of nanostructures, e.g., single wall carbon nanotubes (“SWNT”) and / or multi-wall carbon nanotubes (“MWNT”), from solutions containing a polymer, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN). In particular, the invention is directed to the production of nanostructures, for example, SWNT and / or MWNT, from mixtures, e.g., solutions, containing polyacrylonitrile, polyaniline emeraldine base (PANi) or a salt thereof, an iron salt, e.g., iron chloride, and a solvent. In one embodiment, a mixture containing polyacrylonitrile, polyaniline emeraldine base or a salt thereof, an iron salt, e.g., iron chloride, and a solvent is formed and the mixture is electrospun to form nanofibers. In another embodiment, the electrospun nanofibers are then oxidized, e.g., heated in air, and subsequently pyrolyzed to form carbon nanostructures.

A shielded wire includes a carbon nanostructure (CNS)-shielding layer including a CNS material in a matrix material, the CNS-shielding layer being monolithic and disposed about a dielectric layer and a conducting wire, wherein the dielectric layer is disposed between the CNS-shielding layer and the conducting wire. An extruded thermoplastic jacket includes a CNS material, the extruded thermoplastic jacket being configured to protect at least one wire. A thermoplastic article includes a CNS-infused fiber material and a flexible thermoplastic.

The invention includes semiconductor packages having grooves within a semiconductor die backside; and includes semiconductor packages utilizing carbon nanostructures (such as, for example, carbon nanotubes) as thermally conductive interface materials. The invention also includes methods of cooling a semiconductor die in which coolant is forced through grooves in a backside of the die, and includes methods of making semiconductor packages.

This invention provides a micro-supercapacitor with high energy density and high power density. In some variations, carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, coated with a metal oxide, such as ruthenium oxide, are grown in a supercapacitor cavity that contains no separator. A lid is bonded to the cavity using a bonding process to form a hermetic seal. These micro-supercapacitors may be fabricated from silicon-on-insulator wafers according to the disclosed methods. An exemplary micro-supercapacitor is cubic with a length of about 50-100 μm. The absence of a separator translates to higher energy storage volume and less wasted space within the supercapacitor cell. The energy density of the micro-supercapacitor may exceed 150 J / cm3 and the peak output power density may be in the range of about 2-20 W / cm3, in various embodiments.

Disclosed are methods for fabricating pyrolysed carbon nanostructures. An example method includes providing a substrate, depositing a polymeric material, subjecting the polymeric material to a plasma etching process to form polymeric nanostructures, and pyrolysing the polymeric nanostructures to form carbon nanostructures. The polymeric material comprises either compounds with different plasma etch rates or compounds that can mask a plasma etching process. The plasma etching process may be an oxygen plasma etching process.

An electrode includes a substrate having a carbon nanostructure (CNS) disposed thereon and a coating including an active material conformally disposed about the carbon nanostructure and the substrate. The electrode is used in a hybrid capacitor-battery having a bifunctional electrolyte capable of energy storage.

Provided is a carbon nanostructure-metal composite nanoporous film in which a carbon nanostructure-metal composite is coated on one surface or both surfaces of a membrane support having micro- or nano-sized pores. A method for manufacturing a carbon nanostructure-metal composite nanoporous film, includes: dispersing a carbon nanostructure-metal composite in a solvent at the presence of a surfactant and coating the carbon nanostructure-metal composite on one surface or both surfaces of a membrane support; and fusing the metal on the membrane support by heating the coated membrane support. The metal in carbon nanostructure-metal composite nanoporous film melts at a low temperature since a size of a metal of the carbon nanostructure-metal composite is several nm to several-hundred nm.

A method of significantly improving carbon nanotube or carbon nanofiber yield from catalytic chemical vapor deposition of a carbon-containing gas comprising at least one hydrocarbon with the assistance of a proper amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). The catalytic particles preferably contain at least one metal from Group VIII (Fe, Co, Ni or the like) or / and one metal from Group VIb, including Mo, W, and Cr. The catalytic particles are preferably supported on oxide powders such as MgO, Al2O3, SiO, CaO, TiO, and ZrO, or a flat substrate such as, but not limited to, a Si wafer. The carbon nanotube or nanofiber product is preferably formed by exposing the catalyst to a mixture of a carbon-containing gas comprising at least one hydrocarbon with a proper amount of CO2 at a sufficiently high temperature. In an alternative embodiment, other oxygen-containing gases, such as alcohols, may be included in the mixture in addition to carbon dioxide.

Applicant's present invention comprises a method for fabricating porous carbon materials having highly ordered nanostructures comprising the steps of first, forming a precursor solution comprising a block copolymer template and a carbon precursor; second, forming a self-assembled nanostructured material from the precursor solution; third annealing the nanostructured material thereby forming a highly ordered nanostructured material; fourth, polymerizing the carbon precursor to cure the nanostructured material; and pyrolyzing the nanostructured material wherein the block copolymer template is decomposed to generate ordered carbon nanopores and the nanostructured material is carbonized to form the walls of the carbon nanopores thereby forming a porous carbon material having a highly ordered nanostructure. In addition, the present invention further comprises a porous carbon material comprising a carbon nanostructure having ordered carbon nanopores that have uniform pore sizes ranging from about 4.5 nm up to about 100 nm.

A gas accumulator for storing pressurized gases, in particular gaseous fuels such as hydrogen or the like, which gas accumulator has a sealed vessel which is provided with a valve-actuated feed line and outlet line for the pressurized gas and with a solid packing of carbon nanostructures. To increase the storage capacity of a gas accumulator of this type significantly, the particles of the carbon nanostructures are compacted to form larger coherent conglomerates having an apparent density which is increased in comparison with the apparent density of the originally loose particles. The compaction can be carried out, for example, by ordering the carbon nanostructures in their orientation to one another, or else by forming the conglomerates by pressing non-ordered carbon nanostructures. In each case, minimizing the interstices between the individual carbon nanostructures means that the amount of the carbon nanostructures which can be introduced into the vessel and thus the amount of the pressurized gas which can be stored in these can be increased.

Developed are a synthesizing method for carbon nanostructures where the generation of tar-like byproducts is reduced and carbon nanostructures are generated highly efficiently, and a unit therefor. A highly efficient material spraying type carbon nanostructure synthesizing apparatus according to the present invention is formed of a catalyst body that is placed inside a reaction tube, a heating unit that is provided in order to heat the vicinity of this catalyst body to the temperature range where carbon nanostructures are generated, a material gas supplying pipe for introducing a material gas into reaction tube which is provided in such a manner that an end of this supplying pipe is placed in proximity to catalyst body, and a preheating unit for preheating the material gas supplying pipe to a temperature range where no tar-like products are generated from a material gas. No tar-like substance is generated in the material gas supplying pipe, and the material gas is directly sprayed against the catalyst body, skipping the middle temperature range. Therefore, the probability of reaction occurring is high, and the yield in the generation of carbon nanostructures is high. Most of the material gas is consumed; thus, no tar-like substance is generated inside reaction tube.

Reflux systems and methods for purifying carbon nanostructures using same are provided. The reflux system includes a solvent flask, an extraction tube connected to the solvent flask by a siphon tube and a vapor tube each extending between the extraction tube and the solvent flask, and an energy application disposed around the bottom portion of the extraction tube. The reflux systems can be used in a one-step method of purifying carbon nanostructures that includes placing a soot sample that contains the carbon nanostructures and amorphous carbon in a filter and disposing the filter in the extraction tube.

The present invention provides a carbon-nanostructure-containing compound comprising graphene, amorphous carbon and a non-carbon non-oxygen element, and the non-carbon non-oxygen element accounts for 0.5wt%-6wt% of the compound. Through controlling of content of the non-carbon non-oxygen element in the carbon-nanostructure-containing compound, excellent far infrared effect and antibacterial bacteriostat effect can be obtained, far-infrared property normal emittance can reach 0.85 or more, and the bacteriostasis rate can reach more than 95%. At the same time, the carbon-nanostructure-containing compound can be used in a high-molecular material in a lower amount for modifying of the high-molecular material without pre-modification and activation for achievement of significant far-infrared and antibacterial bactericidal properties.

A lithium ion battery is disclosed in which the negative electrode material comprises carbon nanostructures having no dimension greater than 2 μm. The battery has a high reversible capacity of the order of 400 mAh / g to 500 mAh / g which can be maintained over a long cycle-life (at least 30 cycles). The carbon nanostructures may be mixed with graphite to improve conductivity. The carbon nanostructues may be synthesized using an AFI template material followed by calcination.

A low-k dielectric material for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, semiconductor structures using the low-k dielectric material, and methods of forming such dielectric materials and fabricating such structures. The low-k dielectric material comprises carbon nanostructures, like carbon nanotubes or carbon buckyballs, that are characterized by an insulating electronic state. The carbon nanostructures may be converted to the insulating electronic state either before or after a layer containing the carbon nanostructures is formed on a substrate. One approach for converting the carbon nanostructures to the insulating electronic state is fluorination.