Porous substrates, articles, systems and compositions comprising nanofibers and methods of their use and production

• US 7,553,371 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ONED Material Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nanosys Incorporated (Shoei Electronic Materials, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardev, Veeral Dilip, Casillas, Carlos Guillermo, Niu, Chunming, Freeman, William P., Leon, Francisco, Goldman, Jay L., Pereira, Cheri X. Y., Dubrow, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Kunemund; Robert M
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAO, G NAGESH
• Application Number:
  US11/331,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20090143227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 977/742, 977/749, 977/753, 117/90
• US Class Current: 117/90
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0208 Single-component fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0216 Bicomponent or multicomponent fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/025 comprising nanofibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0407 comprising particulate additives, e.g. adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0421 Rendering the filter material hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0428 Rendering the filter material hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0492 on fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/064 The fibres being mixed
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/065 More than one layer present in the filtering material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0654 Support layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/10 Filtering material manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1216 Pore size
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/1225 Fibre length
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/083 of organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/086 of inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/2065 the material being fibrous
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/44 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 2 or 12 of the Periodic Table; Zincates; Cadmates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/45 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 3 or 13 of the Periodic Table; Aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/46 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 4 or 14 of the Periodic Table; Titanates; Zirconates; Stannates; Plumbates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/49 : Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 8, 9,10 or 18 of the Periodic Table; Ferrates; Cobaltates; Nickelates; Ruthenates; Osmates; Rhodates; Iridates; Palladates; Platinates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/83 : with metals; with metal-generating compounds, e.g. metal carbonyls; Reduction of metal compounds on textiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/52 : Physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 : Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/749 : Modified with dissimilar atoms or molecules substituted for carbon atoms of the cnt, e.g. impurity doping or compositional substitution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/753 : with polymeric or organic binder

Abstract

Porous and/or curved nanofiber bearing substrate materials are provided having enhanced surface area for a variety of applications including as electrical substrates, semipermeable membranes and barriers, structural lattices for tissue culturing and for composite materials, production of long unbranched nanofibers, and the like.

Claims

1. A method of producing a vapor absorbing fabric, the method comprising:

providing a porous activated carbon fabric substrate that comprises a plurality of apertures disposed therethrough, the substrate comprising an overall surface area that includes an interior wall surface area of the plurality of apertures; and

providing a plurality of nanocrystals attached to at least a portion of the overall surface area of the activated carbon fabric substrate, which nanocrystals absorb or decompose at least one non-organic gas, wherein the nanocrystals comprise ZnO, CuO, Cu₂O, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, MgO, FeO, Fe₂O₃, MnO₂, Mn_xO_y, or Zn, thereby producing the vapor absorbing fabric.