Method and apparatus for preparing a collection surface for use in producing carbon nanostructures
First Claim
1. A method including:
- (a) producing deposition conditions in a collection area above a reactant liquid containing one or more catalyst metals;
(b) maintaining the reactant liquid under conditions in which atoms of the catalyst metal escape from the reactant liquid into the collection area; and
(c) directing a carrier gas to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and flow along a collection path that passes over a collection surface in the collection area, the flow of carrier gas being maintained so that escaped atoms of catalyst metal are entrained in the carrier gas traversing the surface of the reactant liquid and are deposited on the collection surface.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes producing deposition conditions in a collection area above a reactant liquid containing one or more catalyst metals. The reactant liquid is maintained under conditions in which atoms of the catalyst metal may escape from the reactant liquid into the collection area. A suitable carrier gas is directed to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and flow along a collection path that passes over a collection surface in the collection area. This flow of carrier gas is maintained so that escaped atoms of catalyst metal are entrained in the gas traversing the surface of the reactant liquid and are deposited on the prior to or concurrently with nanocarbon structure formation at the collection surface.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method including:
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(a) producing deposition conditions in a collection area above a reactant liquid containing one or more catalyst metals;
(b) maintaining the reactant liquid under conditions in which atoms of the catalyst metal escape from the reactant liquid into the collection area; and
(c) directing a carrier gas to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and flow along a collection path that passes over a collection surface in the collection area, the flow of carrier gas being maintained so that escaped atoms of catalyst metal are entrained in the carrier gas traversing the surface of the reactant liquid and are deposited on the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method including:
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(a) liberating atoms of a catalyst metal from a reactant liquid; and
(b) entraining the liberated atoms of catalyst metal in a flow of carrier gas and directing the flow of carrier gas and entrained atoms of catalyst metal across a collection surface under deposition conditions at which the liberated atoms of catalyst metal are deposited on the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus including:
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(a) a reactant liquid vessel for containing a reactant liquid at a reactant liquid level, the reactant liquid including a quantity of at least one catalyst metal;
(b) an injection arrangement for injecting a stream of feed material into the reactant liquid vessel at a point below the reactant liquid level;
(c) a collection chamber positioned to receive effluent escaping from the reactant liquid in the reactant liquid vessel in an effluent ejection area;
(d) a collection surface forming a surface in the collection chamber, the collection surface residing at a position above the reactant liquid level and adjacent to the effluent ejection area; and
(e) a collection surface charging device operatively connected to the collection surface to produce a desired electrical charge on the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for producing carbon nanostructures, the method including:
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(a) producing a collection atmosphere in a collection area above a reactant liquid;
(b) injecting a feed material into the reactant liquid, the feed material including a quantity of a carbon-bearing compound;
(c) maintaining the molecules of the carbon-bearing compound and any reaction products in contact with the reactant liquid for a period of time sufficient to liberate carbon atoms from the molecules of the carbon-bearing compound or reaction products and place the liberated carbon atoms in an excited state;
(d) enabling the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and flow along a collection path through the collection area so that the liberated carbon atoms pass over a collection surface in the collection area under conditions in which the liberated carbon atoms are enabled to phase change to the ground state on the collection surface; and
(e) enabling hydrogen atoms that traverse the surface of the reactant liquid to flow in a direction away from the collection surface while the liberated carbon atoms pass over the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for producing carbon nanostructures, the method including:
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(a) liberating carbon atoms from carbon-bearing molecules by reduction reaction with a reactant liquid and maintaining the liberated carbon atoms in an excited state;
(b) enabling the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid;
(c) directing the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state across a collection surface under collection conditions at which the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state phase change to a ground state by carbon nanostructure self-assembly; and
(d) enabling hydrogen atoms that traverse the surface of the reactant liquid to flow in a direction away from the collection surface while the liberated carbon atoms are directed across the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method including:
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(a) directing a stream of extraneous atoms and liberated carbon atoms in an excited state into a collection area;
(b) separating at least some of the extraneous atoms from the stream of extraneous atoms and liberated carbon atoms in the excited state to produce an excited carbon atom rich stream;
(c) directing the excited carbon atom rich stream across a collection surface; and
(d) directing the extraneous atoms separated from the stream of extraneous atoms and liberated carbon atoms in the excited state in a direction away from the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification