ENHANCED CARBON NANOTUBE

• US 20100040529A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SNU R&DB Foundation (Seoul National University)
• Original Assignee: SNU R&DB Foundation (Seoul National University)
• Inventors: Jang, Eui Yun, Kim, Yong Hyup
• Granted Patent: US 8,673,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/447.200
• 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 32/174 Derivatisation; Solubilisation; Dispersion in solvents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2918 including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel]

Abstract

Techniques for manufacturing an enhanced carbon nanotube (CNT) assembly are provided. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing an enhanced CNT assembly comprises preparing a metal tip, preparing a CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution, forming a CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly by using the prepared metal tip and CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution, and growing the CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an enhanced carbon nanotube (CNT) assembly, comprising:

preparing a metal tip;

preparing a CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution;

forming a CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly by using the metal tip and the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution; and

growing the CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal tip is fabricated from tungsten.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal tip has an apex of a conical shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition metal includes any one of Ni, Co and Fe.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal tip is prepared using an electrochemical etching method.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution comprises:

preparing purified CNT powders and transition-metal powders;

dispersing the purified CNT powders into a solvent;

combining the transition-metal powders with the solvent including the purified CNT powders; and

performing a sonication treatment upon the solvent including the purified CNT powders and the transition-metal powders.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the solvent includes any one of water, organic solution and N,N-DMF (dimethyl formamide).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the CNT composite assembly comprises:

dipping the metal tip into the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution; and

withdrawing the metal tip from the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

maintaining the metal tip immersed in the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution for a predetermined time.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein withdrawing the metal tip from the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution comprises withdrawing the metal tip from the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution at a predetermined withdrawal velocity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly comprises CNTs and particles of a transition metal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the enhanced CNT assembly has a form selected from the group consisting of a rope, a ribbon, a film, a fiber and a strand.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein growing the CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly comprises growing the CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly using a chemical vapor deposition method.

14. A method of manufacturing an enhanced carbon nanotube (CNT) assembly, comprising:

forming a CNT composite assembly comprising CNTs and particles of a transition metal; and

growing the CNT composite assembly,

wherein the growth of the CNT composite assembly is facilitated by the particles of the transition metal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the CNT composite assembly comprises:

dipping a metal tip into a CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution; and

withdrawing the metal tip from the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining the metal tip immersed in the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution for a predetermined time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein withdrawing the metal tip from the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution comprises withdrawing the metal tip from the CNT plus transition-metal colloidal solution at a predetermined withdrawal velocity.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the enhanced CNT assembly has a form selected from the group consisting of a rope, a ribbon, a film, a fiber and a strand.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein growing the CNT composite assembly comprises growing the CNT composite assembly using a chemical vapor deposition method.

20. (canceled)

21. An enhanced carbon nanotube (CNT) assembly comprising a CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly, wherein the CNT plus transition-metal composite assembly is grown through a chemical process.

22. The enhanced CNT assembly of claim 21, wherein the chemical process includes a chemical vapor deposition process.