Tape-Casting Apparatus for Carbon Nanostructure Sheets

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for preparing carbon nanostructure sheets, such as membrane filtration and chemical vapor deposition, face limitations in scalability, cost, and throughput, making it difficult to produce large-area, high-throughput carbon nanotube sheets for applications like lithium-ion batteries and other energy-related uses.

Innovation Solution

A tape-casting apparatus is developed, featuring a conveyor belt substrate, slurry reservoir, dispenser, and doctoring member, which allows for the scalable production of carbon nanostructure sheets with aligned carbon nanotubes and functional materials, enabling flexible and foldable sheets with tunable properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If membrane filtration method is used to prepare carbon nanotube sheets, then carbon nanotube sheets can be produced with controlled structure, but the geometric area is limited and throughput is low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure controlVSAvoidthroughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the carbon nanotube sheet production into multiple sections along the conveyor belt: a first section for receiving and aligning carbon nanotubes, and a second section for receiving additional carbon nanotubes. This segmentation allows continuous production while maintaining structural control through directed assembly in each section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Carbon nanotubes are preliminarily aligned and positioned in the first section before the sheet progresses to the second section. This preliminary action ensures proper orientation and structure is established early in the production process, enabling continuous high-throughput production without sacrificing structural control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional methods are used to prepare carbon nanotube sheets, then production can be performed with simple equipment, but scaling up to mass production is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment simplicityVSAvoidmass production capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor belt serves multiple functions: it transports the carbon nanotube sheet through the production process, provides a substrate for carbon nanotube alignment and assembly, and enables continuous production. This multi-functionality allows scaling to mass production while maintaining relatively simple equipment architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The conveyor belt enables continuous production by continuously transporting the carbon nanotube sheet through the alignment and assembly sections. This continuous action eliminates batch processing interruptions and enables scaling to mass production without proportionally increasing equipment complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If CVD process is used to grow carbon nanotubes on moving substrate, then continuous production is achieved, but sheet thickness is limited by substrate speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous productionVSAvoidsheet thickness control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The production process is segmented into multiple sections along the conveyor belt, allowing different operations to occur simultaneously at different positions. Carbon nanotubes are received and aligned in the first section while additional nanotubes are received in the second section, enabling continuous production with controlled thickness accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of controlling thickness through substrate speed in the time dimension, the invention controls thickness through the spatial arrangement and accumulation of carbon nanotubes in the vertical dimension as they are deposited onto the conveyor belt surface during continuous transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The tape-casting method produces carbon nanostructure sheets with enhanced electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and thermal properties, achieving larger geometric areas and higher throughput compared to conventional methods, suitable for various applications including energy storage, water purification, and EMI shielding.

Implementation Method 1

a tape-casting apparatus is developed, featuring a conveyor belt substrate, slurry reservoir, dispenser, and doctoring member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTape-casting:

Data Source

PatentUS11866331B2Tape-casting apparatuses for preparing carbon nanostructure sheets and carbon nanostructure sheets prepared by the same

Publication Date: 2024.01.09 KHALIFA UNIV OF SCI & TECH

AI summary

Apparatuses and methods for preparing carbon nanostructure sheets are provided. The apparatuses may include a casting body including a substrate configured to move along a first direction, a slurry reservoir configured to contain a slurry, a dispenser connected to the slurry reservoir and configured to dispense the slurry onto a surface of the substrate and a doctoring member that extends in a second direction traversing the first direction and that is positioned above the surface of the substrate. The slurry may include carbon nanostructures, and/or one or more functional materials. The doctoring member may be spaced apart from the surface of the substrate by a predetermined distance.