Carbon nanotubes in fuels

• US 6,419,717 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyperion Catalysis International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hyperion Catalysis International Incorporated
• Inventors: Niu, Chunming, Hoch, Robert, Tennent, Howard, Moy, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Toomer, Cephia D.
• Application Number:
  US09/809,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 444/57, 443/00, 585/1, 585/14
• US Class Current: 44/457
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/00 Liquid carbonaceous fuels
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1208 elements
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 10/02 for reducing smoke development
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 10/08 for improving lubricity; for reducing wear
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 113/02 Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 125/02 Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/041 Carbon; Graphite; Carbon black
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/06 Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/063 Fibrous forms
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/02 Pour-point; Viscosity index
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/28 Anti-static
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/30 Anti-misting
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/54 Fuel economy
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/20 Metal working
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/782 Possessing nanosized physical convexity, ridge, or protrusion extending upward from the host's surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/787 Viscous fluid host/matrix containing nanomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/842 for carbon nanotubes or fullerenes

Abstract

Improved fuel compositions containing carbon nanotubes in from 0.01% to 30.0% by weight of fuel have improved bum rate and other valuable properties. Improved lubricant compositions containing carbon nanotubes in from 0.01 to 20.0% by weight of lubricant have improved viscosity and other valuable properties.

Claims

1. A liquid hydrocarbon fuel composition having improved fuel properties containing:

(a) a petroleum derivative comprising gasoline, gas oil, kerosene, diesel fuel or heavy oil; and

(b) carbon nanotubes in from about 0.1% to about 10.0% by weight of said fuel, said nanotubes having a diameter less than 0.5μ and

a length to diameter ratio of at least 5.

2. A composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said nanotubes are substantially cylindrical, graphitic carbon nanotubes of substantially constant diameter less than 0.1μ

, comprise cylindrical graphitic sheets whose c-axes are substantially perpendicular to their cylindrical axis, are substantially free of pyrolytically deposited carbon and have a length to diameter ratio from 5;

1 to 500;

1, said nanotubes being dispersed in said fuel.

3. A composition as recited in claim 1 wherein said nanotubes are substantially cylindrical, graphitic carbon nanotubes of substantially constant diameter less than 0.1μ

, comprise cylindrical graphitic sheets whose c-axes are substantially perpendicular to their cylindrical axis, are substantially free of pyrolytically deposited carbon and have a length to diameter ratio from 5;

1 to 500;

1.

4. A method of producing an improved fuel containing carbon nanotubes comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a mixture of a polymeric matrix and carbon nanotubes, said mixture containing from about 1 to about 30% by weight of carbon nanotubes; and

(b) combining the mixture formed in step (a) with a petroleum derivative comprising gasoline, gas oil, kerosene, diesel fuel or heavy oil, in such amount as to form a fuel having from about 0.1% to about 10.0% by weight of carbon nanotubes in said fuel. fuel selected from the group consisting a petroleun derivative fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, gas oil, kerosene, diesel fuel and heavy oil