Nano-extraction method and nano-condensation methods for guest molecules incorporation into single-wall carbon nanotube

• US 20050271807A1
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Iljima, Sumio, Yudasaka, Masako, Ajima, Kumiko
• Application Number:
  US10/895,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20050271807A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/212
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/00 Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents using liquid sorbents B01D11/00; ion exchange processes or materials, sorbent materials in general B01J, e.g. sorbents for chromatography B01J20/281; for investigating or analysing materials G01N30/00; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/205 Carbon nanostructures, e.g. nanotubes, nanohorns, nanocones, nanoballs carbon nanotubes per se C01B32/15
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/02 Single-walled nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/156 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/178 Opening; Filling

Abstract

The objects of this patent application are to provide a new nano-extraction method for guest molecules to be incorporated into single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) comprising: putting guest molecules in solvent, wherein the guest molecules have a poor affinity to the solvent and a strong affinity to single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) and the attractive force between the guest molecules and SWNT is greater than that between the guest molecules and solvent molecules and that between the solvent molecules and SWNT, ultrasonicating the solution including the solvent and quest molecules, adding single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) or single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with opened tips and wall-holes in the solution, and leaving the SWNT-guest molecules-solvent mixture until becoming stable with the guest molecules incorporated into SWNT at room temperature, and a nano-condensation method for guest molecules to be incorporated into single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) comprising: dropping saturated solution including solvent and guest molecules having a strong affinity to the solvent and a strong affinity to single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) onto SWNT or SWNTs placed on a grid disk laid on filtration paper for sucking up the excess solution as quickly as possible.

Claims

1. A nano-extraction method for guest molecules to be incorporated into single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT), comprising:

putting guest molecules in solvent, wherein the guest molecules have a poor affinity to the solvent and a strong affinity to single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) and the attractive force between the guest molecules and SWNT is greater than that between the guest molecules and solvent molecules and that between the solvent molecules and SWNT,

ultrasonicating the solution including the solvent and guest molecules,

adding single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) or single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with opened tips and wall-holes in the solution,

and leaving the SWNT-guest molecules-solvent mixture until becoming stable with the guest molecules incorporated into SWNT at room temperature.

2. A nano-extraction method according to claim 1, wherein the guest molecules are any one of fullerenes, metal-containing fullerenes and fullerenes with chemical modification by isomers or functional group.

3. A nano-extraction method according to claim 2, wherein the guest molecules are C₆₀s.

4. A nano-extraction method according to any one of claims 1 or 3, wherein the solvent is ethanol.

5. A nano-condensation method for guest molecules to be incorporated into single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) comprising:

dropping saturated solution including solvent and guest molecules having a strong affinity to the solvent and a strong affinity to single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) onto SWNT or SWNTs placed on a grid disk laid on filtration paper for sucking up the excess solution as quickly as possible.

6. A nano-condensation method according to claim 5, wherein the grid disk is made of metal and coated with amorphous-carbon (a-C).

8. A nano-condensation method according to any one of claims 5 or 7, wherein the guest molecules are any one of fullerenes, metal-containing fullerenes and fullerenes with chemical modification by isomers or functional group.

9. A nano-condensation method according to claim 8, wherein the guest molecules are C₆₀s.

10. A nano-condensation method according to any one of claims 5 or 9, wherein the solvent is toluene.

7. A nano-condensation method for guest molecules to be incorporated into single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) comprising:

dropping saturated solution including solvent and guest molecules having a strong affinity to the solvent and a strong affinity to single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) onto SWNT or SWNTs placed on a hot plate whose temperature is controlled to dry the solution instantly and not to sublime or evaporate the guest molecules and SWNTs.