High purity nanotube fabrics and films

• US 20050058797A1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZEON Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Inventors: Sivarajan, Ramesh, Segal, Brent M., Rueckes, Thomas, Sen, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 7,858,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/36.910
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/18 the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/821 comprising carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1376 Foam or porous material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1393 Multilayer [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

Certain spin-coatable liquids and application techniques are described, which can be used to form nanotube films or fabrics of controlled properties. A spin-coatable liquid for formation of a nanotube film includes a liquid medium containing a controlled concentration of purified nanotubes, wherein the controlled concentration is sufficient to form a nanotube fabric or film of preselected density and uniformity, and wherein the spin-coatable liquid comprises less than 1×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of metal impurities. The spin-coatable liquid is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 500 nm.

Claims

1. A nanotube film on a substrate, comprising:

an network of connected nanotubes on a substrate, wherein the nanotubes form a film of substantially uniform porosity or thickness, and wherein the film comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of metallic impurities.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of heavy metal impurities.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of group I and group II element impurities.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of transition metal impurities.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of heavy metal impurities.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of group I and group II element impurities.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of transition metal impurities.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the film is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 500 nm.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the film is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 300 nm.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein the nanotubes comprise conductive nanotubes.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises a mono-layer of nanotubes.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein the film comprises a multilayer of nanotubes.

14. A nanotube film on a substrate, comprising:

an network of connected nanotubes on a substrate, wherein the nanotubes form a film of substantially uniform porosity or thickness, and wherein the film is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 500 nm.

2. The article of claim 22, wherein the film comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of metallic impurities.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the film is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 300 nm.

16. The article of claim 14, wherein the film is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 100 nm.

17. The article of claim 14, wherein the film is substantially free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 45 nm.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the particle impurities comprise carbonaceous impurities.

19. The article of claim 14, wherein the film comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of metal impurities.

20. The article of claim 14, wherein the film comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of metal impurities.

21. The article of claim 14, wherein the nanotubes comprise conductive nanotubes.

22. The article of claim 14, wherein the film comprises a mono-layer of nanotubes.

23. The article of claim 14, wherein the film comprises a multilayer of nanotubes.

24. An assembly including a substrate and a conductive element disposed on the substrate, wherein the element comprises an electrical network of nanotubes contact other nanotubes to define a plurality of conductive pathways along the element, said nanotubes network comprising less than 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of metal impurities.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of metal impurities.

26. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of heavy metal impurities.

27. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of heavy metal impurities.

28. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of group I and group II element impurities.

29. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network comprises less than about 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm² of transition metal impurities.

30. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of group I and group II element impurities.

31. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network comprises less than about 15×

10¹⁰ atoms/cm² of transition metal impurities.

32. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes network is substantially free of particle impurities greater than about 500 nm.

33. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotubes comprise conductive nanotubes.

34. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotube network comprises a mono-layer of nanotubes.

35. The article of claim 24, wherein the nanotube network comprises a multilayer of nanotubes.