Ropes of single-wall carbon nanotubes

• US 7,070,754 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rice University
• Original Assignee: Rice University
• Inventors: Smalley, Richard E., Rinzler, Andrew G., Nikolaev, Pavel, Colbert, Daniel T., Thess, Andreas, Guo, Ting
• Primary Examiner(s): HENDRICKSON, STUART L
• Application Number:
  US10/426,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20060008407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 423/447.2, 977/DIG.1, 428/367
• US Class Current: 423/447.2
• 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 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/02 Single-walled nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/22 Electronic properties
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/36 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/162 characterised by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/903 Microfiber, less than 100 micron diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/743 having specified tube end structure, e.g. close-ended shell or open-ended tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/75 Single-walled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/751 with specified chirality and/or electrical conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/842 for carbon nanotubes or fullerenes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/844 Growth by vaporization or dissociation of carbon source using a high-energy heat source, e.g. electric arc, laser, plasma, e-beam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/938 Field effect transistors, FETS, with nanowire- or nanotube-channel region
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/50 FELT FABRIC
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/624 Microfiber is carbon or carbonaceous

Abstract

This invention provides a method of making single-wall carbon nanotubes by laser vaporizing a mixture of carbon and one or more Group VIII transition metals. Single-wall carbon nanotubes preferentially form in the vapor and the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyzed growth of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more single-wall carbon nanotubes are fixed in a high temperature zone so that the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyze further growth of the single-wall carbon nanotube that is maintained in the high temperature zone. In another embodiment, two separate laser pulses are utilized with the second pulse timed to be absorbed by the vapor created by the first pulse.

Claims

1. A single-wall carbon nanotube rope comprising 50 to 5000 single-wall carbon nanotubes of which greater than 10% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

2. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 1, wherein more than 50% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

3. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 2, wherein more than 90% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

4. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 3, wherein the rope comprises 100 to 500 single-wall carbon nanotubes.

5. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 4, wherein the average diameter of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the rope is 13.8 Å

±

0.3 Å

.

6. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 4, wherein the average diameter of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the rope is 13.8 Å

±

0.2 Å

.

7. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 6, wherein the 2-D triangular lattice constant is 17 Å

.

8. A single-wall carbon nanotube rope comprising at least 50 single-wall carbon nanotubes of which greater than 10% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

9. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 8, wherein more than 50% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

10. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 9, wherein more than 90% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

11. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 10, wherein the rope comprises at least 100 single-wall carbon nanotubes.

12. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 11, wherein the average diameter of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the rope is 13.8 Å

±

0.3 Å

.

13. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 11, wherein the average diameter of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the rope is 13.8 Å

±

0.2 Å

.

14. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 13, wherein the 2-D triangular lattice constant is 17 Å

.

15. A single-wall carbon nanotube rope comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes of which greater than 50% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

16. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 15, wherein more than 90% of the single-wall carbon nanotubes are (n, n) single-wall carbon nanotubes.

17. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 15, wherein the rope comprises 100 to 500 single-wall carbon nanotubes.

18. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 15, wherein the average diameter of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the rope is 13.8 Å

±

0.3 Å

.

19. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 15, wherein the average diameter of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the rope is 13.8 Å

±

0.2 Å

.

20. The single-wall carbon nanotube rope of claim 15, wherein the 2-D triangular lattice constant is 17 Å

.