SOLID CARBON PRODUCTS COMPRISING CARBON NANOTUBES AND METHODS OF FORMING SAME

• US 20190322056A1
• Filed: 11/29/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seerstone LLC
• Original Assignee: Seerstone LLC
• Inventors: Noyes, Dallas B.
• Application Number:
  US16/204,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20190322056A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/006 Pressing and sintering powders, granules or fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/24 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0014 Catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/00 Carbon; Compounds thereof C01B21/00, C01B23/00 take precedence; percarbonates C01B15/10; carbon black C09C1/48
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/05 Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/158 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/159 single-walled
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/40 Electric properties
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/90 Other properties not specified above
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5288 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6021 Extrusion moulding
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/604 Pressing at temperatures other than sintering temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/656 characterised by specific heating conditions during heat treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6562 Heating rate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/658 Atmosphere during thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/666 Applying a current during sintering, e.g. plasma sintering [SPS], electrical resistance heating or pulse electric current sintering [PECS]
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/77 Density
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/645 Pressure sintering
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/83 : Carbon fibres in a carbon matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/04 : mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon

Abstract

Methods of forming solid carbon products include disposing a plurality of nanotubes in a press, and applying heat to the plurality of carbon nanotubes to form the solid carbon product. Further processing may include sintering the solid carbon product to form a plurality of covalently bonded carbon nanotubes. The solid carbon product includes a plurality of voids between the carbon nanotubes having a median minimum dimension of less than about 100 nm. Some methods include compressing a material comprising carbon nanotubes, heating the compressed material in a non-reactive environment to form covalent bonds between adjacent carbon nanotubes to form a sintered solid carbon product, and cooling the sintered solid carbon product to a temperature at which carbon of the carbon nanotubes do not oxidize prior to removing the resulting solid carbon product for further processing, shipping, or use.

Claims

1. A sintered solid carbon product comprising a metal and a plurality of carbon nanotubes, wherein at least some of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are covalently bonded to other carbon nanotubes of the plurality.

2. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes define a plurality of voids therebetween having a median minimum dimension of less than about 100 nm.

3. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product has a bulk density of greater than approximately 1.3 g/cm³.

4. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product comprises a projectile-resistant material.

5. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product comprises an electrically conductive material.

6. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product has an electrical conductivity of at least approximately 1×

10⁵ S/m.

7. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product has an electrical conductivity of at least approximately 1×

10⁷ S/m.

8. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product comprises an electrode.

9. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises a catalyst residual selected from the group consisting of the elements of Groups 5 through 10 of the periodic table.

10. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein at least some of the carbon nanotubes contain a metal within growth tips of the carbon nanotubes.

11. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product has a bulk density of less than approximately 2.2 g/cm³.

12. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, further comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic and a lubricant, wherein the at least one material is interspersed in a continuous matrix surrounding and in contact with the plurality of carbon nanotubes.

13. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product comprises a structural member.

14. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product has a thermal conductivity of at least approximately 400 W/m·

K.

15. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product has a thermal conductivity of at least approximately 2000 W/m·

K.

16. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 1, wherein the sintered solid carbon product has a thermal conductivity of at least approximately 4000 W/m·

K.

17. A sintered solid carbon product comprising a metal and a plurality of carbon nanostructures, wherein the carbon nanostructures comprise carbon atoms bonded into a hexagonal lattice, wherein at least some of the plurality of carbon nanostructures are covalently bonded to other carbon nanostructures of the plurality.

18. The sintered solid carbon products of claim 17, wherein at least some of the plurality of carbon nanostructures comprise multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

19. The sintered solid carbon product of claim 17, wherein at least some of the plurality of carbon nanostructures comprise nanobuds attached to carbon nanotubes.

20. The sintered solid carbon products of claim 17, wherein at least some of the plurality of carbon nanostructures comprise single-wall carbon nanotubes.