Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies

• US 7,048,903 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rice University
• Original Assignee: Rice University
• Inventors: Smalley, Richard E., Liu, Jie, Rinzler, Andrew G., Nikolaev, Pavel, Colbert, Daniel T., Hafner, Jason H., Smith, Kenneth A., Guo, Ting, Dai, Hongjie, Thess, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hendrickson, Stuart L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNN, COLLEEN P
• Application Number:
  US10/000,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20020084410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 423/447.1, 423/447.2, 423/447.3, 423/445.R
• US Class Current: 423/447.1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 35/00 Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/02 Single-walled nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/06 Multi-walled nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/08 Aligned nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/24 Thermal properties
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/34 Length
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/154 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/162 characterised by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/174 Derivatisation; Solubilisation; Dispersion in solvents
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/12 Nanotube tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/16 Probe manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/007 with reproducing by means directly associated with the tip of a microscopic electrical probe as defined in G11B9/14 details of heads G11B9/1409; disposition or mounting of heads G11B9/1418
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/1409 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/025 using fullerenes, e.g. C60, or nanotubes, e.g. carbon or silicon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/81 Array wherein the array conductors, e.g. word lines, bit lines, are made of nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2201/30469 Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/70 : Nanostructure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/75 : Single-walled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/789 : in array format
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/843 : Gas phase catalytic growth, i.e. chemical vapor deposition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/845 : Purification or separation of fullerenes or nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249977 : Specified thickness of void-containing component [absolute or relative], numerical cell dimension or density
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2918 : including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel]

Abstract

Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.

Claims

1. A dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes in a liquid comprising an aqueous detergent solution.

2. A dispersion of single-wall carbon nanotubes in a liquid comprising a solvent selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene, and combinations thereof.

3. A single-wall carbon nanotube coated with a coating material, wherein the coating material has a nanometer-scale thickness.

4. The nanotube according to claim 3 wherein said coating material has a substantially uniform nanometer-scale thickness.

5. The nanotube according to claim 3 wherein said coating material comprises a polymer.

6. The nanotube according to claim 3 wherein said coating material comprises a fluorescent species.

7. The nanotube according to claim 3 wherein said coating material electrically insulates said nanotube.

8. The nanotube according to claim 3 wherein said coating material is applied from the vapor phase.

9. The nanotube according to claim 3 wherein said coating material is applied in the liquid phase.

10. The nanotube according to claim 3 wherein said coating material comprises metal, polyimide, poly(para-xylene), cyanoacrylate, methacrylate, silicon, silicon dioxide, or a combination thereof.

11. A rope or bundle of single-wall carbon nanotubes wherein the rope or bundle is coated with a coating material of nanometer-scale thickness.

12. The rope or bundle according to claim 11 wherein said coating material has a substantially uniform nanometer-scale thickness.

13. The rope or bundle according to claim 11 wherein said coating material comprises a polymer.

14. The rope or bundle according to claim 11 wherein said coating material comprises a fluorescent species.

15. The rope or bundle according to claim 11 wherein said coating material electrically insulates said rope or bundle.

16. The rope or bundle according to claim 11 wherein said coating material is applied from the vapor phase.

17. The rope or bundle according to claim 11 wherein said coating material is applied in the liquid phase.

18. The rope or bundle according to claim 11 wherein said coating material comprises metal, polyimide, poly(para-xylene), cyanoacrylate, methacrylate, silicon, silicon dioxide, or a combination thereof.

19. A tubular carbon molecule comprising from about 10² to 10⁶ carbon atoms arranged as a substantially defect-free cylindrical graphene sheet having two ends, and having bonded to at least one end at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of alkyl;

acyl;

aryl;

aralkyl;

halogen;

substituted thiol;

unsubstituted thiol;

substituted amino;

unsubstituted amino;

hydroxy; and

OR′

;

wherein R′

is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, acyl, aryl, aralkyl, halogen, substituted thiol, unsubstituted thiol, substituted amino, unsubstituted amino, a linear carbon chain, and a cyclic carbon chain, wherein the cylindrical graphene sheet is doped with non-carbon atoms.

20. The molecule of claim 19, wherein at least one end of the cylindrical graphene sheet is closed by a fullerene cap.

21. The molecule of claim 20, wherein bonded to at least one fullerene cap is a plurality of said at least one substituent.

22. The molecule of claim 19, wherein bonded to at least one end of said molecule is a plurality of said at least one substituent.

23. The molecule of claim 19, wherein said linear carbon chain or said cyclic carbon chain or both is substituted with at least one heteroatom.

24. The molecule of claim 19, wherein said linear carbon chain or said cyclic carbon chain or both is substituted with at least one of the group consisting of ═

O, ═

S, hydroxy, an aminoalkyl, an amino acid, and a peptide comprising at least 2 and no more than 8 amino acids.

25. The molecule of claim 19 wherein said graphene sheet has a configuration corresponding to a (n,n) single-wall carbon nanotube.

26. The molecule of claim 19 wherein said molecule has a length of at least about 5 nm and no more than about 1000 nm.

27. The molecule of claim 19 wherein up to about 12 substituents are bonded at or near one or both ends of the molecule.

28. The molecule of claim 19 wherein up to about 20 substituents are bonded at or near an open end of the molecule.

29. The molecule of claim 20 wherein up to about 30 substituents are bonded at or near a closed end of the molecule.

30. The molecule of claim 20 further comprising at least one endohedral species residing in the space within the tubular carbon molecule.

31. The molecule of claim 30 wherein said endohedral species is selected from the group consisting of metal atoms, fullerene molecules, small molecules, and combinations thereof.

32. The molecule of claim 30 wherein said endohedral species is optically-active or magnetically-active.

33. The molecule of claim 31 comprising a (10,10) single-wall carbon nanotube containing at least one endohedral species selected from the group consisting of C₆₀, C₇₀, and mixtures thereof.