System and Method For Producing Carbon Nanotubes

• US 20080305031A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Kumho Petrochemical Co Limited (Korea Kumho Petrochemical)
• Original Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Ho-Soo, Kim, Hyung-Seok, Kim, Sung-Soo, Jang, Suk-Won, Choi, Suk-Min
• Granted Patent: US 8,916,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/447.7
• 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 32/162 characterised by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment

Abstract

A system for producing carbon nanotubes includes a reaction chamber in which a process is performed for producing a carbon nanotube on a synthetic substrate; a station part disposed at one side of the reaction chamber and provided with a first transporter for loading/unloading the synthetic substrate to/from the reaction chamber; a first transporter installed inside the station part for loading/unloading synthetic substrates to/from the reaction chamber; a substrate accommodating part in which a substrate to be loaded to the reaction chamber is accommodated or a synthetic substrate unloaded from the reaction chamber waits; a retrieve part for drawing out a synthetic substrate from the substrate accommodating part to retrieve a carbon nanotube produced on the synthetic substrate; a catalyst coating unit configured for coating a synthetic substrate with a catalyst before the synthetic substrate is accommodated in the substrate accommodating part of the station part; and a second transporter for transporting a synthetic substrate between the retrieve part and the substrate accommodating part and between the catalyst coating unit and the substrate accommodating part.

Claims

1. A system for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising:

a reaction chamber in which a process is performed for producing a carbon nanotube on a synthetic substrate;

a station part disposed at one side of the reaction chamber and provided with a first transporter for loading/unloading the synthetic substrate to/from the reaction chamber; and

a substrate accommodating part in which the synthetic substrate to be loaded to the reaction chamber is accommodated or the synthetic substrate unloaded from the reaction chamber waits.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the station part comprises:

a chamber isolated from the outside to prevent the synthetic substrate unloaded from the reaction chamber from contacting oxygen.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the station part further comprises:

a gas supply member configured for supplying inert gas to an internal space of the reaction chamber.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate accommodating part comprises:

a cassette having first supports in which synthetic substrates to be loaded to the reaction chamber are accommodated and second supports in which synthetic substrates unloaded from the reaction chamber are accommodated.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first supports are stacked on the second supports are stacked, and spaces of the second supports are larger than those of the first supports.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein a height of the cassette is adjustable.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a catalyst coating unit configured for coating a top surface of the synthetic substrate with a catalyst before the synthetic substrate is accommodated in the substrate accommodating part of the station part.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the catalyst coating unit comprises:

a catalyst storage tank having an output hole configured for supplying a pre-determined amount of catalyst to a top surface of the synthetic substrate; and

a brush unit for brushing the catalyst so that the catalyst supplied to the top surface of the synthetic substrate has a uniform thickness on an entire surface of the synthetic substrate.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the catalyst storage tank comprises:

a fixed-amount supply part for a preset amount of catalyst to the top surface of the synthetic substrate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the fixed-amount supply part offers a fixed-amount space where the preset amount of catalyst is dipped into an upper portion of the output hole of the catalyst storage tank and includes a top shield plate and a bottom shield plate which are movable;

and

wherein when the top shield plate is opened, the dipped catalyst is supplied to the top surface of the synthetic substrate through the output hole.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the brush unit comprises:

a guide rail installed in a length direction of the synthetic substrate;

a movable body installed to be movable along the guide rail; and

a coating brush disposed over the stage for brushing the catalyst so that the catalyst has a uniform thickness on an entire surface of the synthetic substrate and slidably travels by means of the movable body,

wherein a height of the coating brush is adjustable.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a retrieve part configured for receiving the synthetic substrate that is processed and is waiting in the substrate accommodating part and retrieving a carbon nanotube synthesized on the synthetic substrate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the retrieve part comprises:

a retrieve container in which a carbon nanotube retrieved from a synthetic substrate is stored; and

a retrieve unit for brushing the carbon nanotube from the top surface of the synthetic substrate to the retrieve container.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the retrieve unit comprises:

a retrieve brush for brushing the carbon nanotube on the top surface of the synthetic substrate while slidably traveling from one end to the other end of the top surface of the synthetic substrate.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first gate valve configured for connecting the station part with the reaction chamber; and

a heat shielding member installed between the first gate valve and the reaction chamber to prevent a heat inside the reaction chamber from being transferred to the first gate valve.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber comprises:

a reaction tube configured for offering a space in which a synthetic substrate is accommodated, the reaction tube having front and rear ends each being connected with a flange;

a sealing member provided between the flange and the reaction tube;

a heating unit for heating the reaction tube to a predetermined temperature; and

a cooling member for cooling the sealing member,

wherein the heating unit comprises;

a central heater for heating a central region of the reaction tube;

an edge heater for heating an edge region adjacent to the front and rear ends of the reaction tube; and

a heater controller for independently controlling the central heater and the edge heater.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the edge heater comprises:

a first heater for heating the edge region of the reaction tube adjacent to the flange connected with the front end of the reaction tube; and

a second heater for heating the edge region of the reaction tube adjacent to the flange connected with the rear end of the reaction tube,

wherein the heater controller independently controls the first heater and the second heater.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transporter comprises:

a blade configured for supporting the synthetic substrate; and

an arm fixedly coupled with the blade and linearly movable by means of a driver,

wherein the blade comprises;

a plate; and

a plurality of protrusions protruding upwardly from the plate to contact the synthetic substrate.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transporter comprises:

a blade configured for the synthetic substrate;

an arm fixed coupled with the blade and linearly movable by means of a driver; and

a cooling member for cooling the arm to prevent a thermal deformation of the arm when the arm goes into the reaction chamber.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber comprises:

a reaction tube configured for offering a space in which a synthetic substrate is accommodated, the reaction tube having front and rear ends each being connected with a flange;

a heating unit for heating the reaction tube to a predetermined temperature; and

a support frame provided into the reaction tube for supporting the synthetic substrate, the support frame including a plurality of frames provided to protrude inwardly toward the reaction tube from an inner wall of the reaction tube and spaced apart from each other in an up-and-down direction for supporting a plurality of synthetic substrates.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber comprises:

a reaction tube where a carbon nanotube is produced;

a heating unit for heating the reaction tube;

a gas supply pipe configured for supplying a source gas into the reaction tube; and

a heater member for heating a source gas before the source gas is supplied into the reaction tube.

22. A system for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising:

a reaction chamber in which a process is performed for producing a carbon nanotube on a synthetic substrate;

a station part connected to one side of the reaction chamber and has a internal space that is isolated from the outside to prevent the synthetic substrate unloaded from the reaction chamber from contacting oxygen;

a first transporter installed inside the station part for loading/unloading synthetic substrates to/from the reaction chamber;

a substrate accommodating part in which the substrate to be loaded to the reaction chamber is accommodated or the synthetic substrate unloaded from the reaction chamber waits;

a retrieve part for drawing out the synthetic substrate from the substrate accommodating part to retrieve a carbon nanotube produced on the synthetic substrate;

a catalyst coating unit configured for coating a top surface of a synthetic substrate with a catalyst before the synthetic substrate is accommodated in the substrate accommodating part of the station part; and

a second transporter for transporting the synthetic substrate between the retrieve part and the substrate accommodating part and between the catalyst coating unit and the substrate accommodating part.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the substrate accommodating part comprises:

a cassette having first supports in which synthetic substrates to be loaded to the reaction chamber are accommodated and second supports in which synthetic substrates unloaded from the reaction chamber are accommodated.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein spaces of the second supports are larger than those of the first supports.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the station part comprises:

a chamber isolated from the outside to prevent the synthetic substrate unloaded from the reaction chamber from contacting oxygen; and

a gas supply member configured for supplying inert gas to an internal space of the chamber.

26. The system of claim 22, the system further comprising:

a first gate valve configured for connecting the station part with the reaction chamber; and

a heat shielding member installed between the first gate valve and the reaction chamber to prevent a heat inside the reaction chamber from being transferred to the first gate valve.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the station part includes:

a first region, disposed to be adjacent to the reaction chamber, where the substrate accommodating part is disposed; and

a second region, disposed to be collinear with the reaction chamber at an opposite position to the reaction chamber on the basis of the first region, where the first transporter is disposed,

wherein the first region includes;

an upper region disposed to be collinear with the reaction chamber and the substrate accommodating part; and

a lower region extending from the upper region in a perpendicular direction to the collinear direction,

wherein the substrate accommodating part comprises;

a cassette provided for accommodating synthetic substrates and movable between the upper region and the lower region.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the catalyst coating unit, the second transporter, and the retrieve part are disposed outside the station part,

wherein the second transporter is disposed to be opposite to the lower region on the basis of the upper region of the first region and disposed between the catalyst coating unit and the retrieve part.

29. A method for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising:

coating a synthetic substrate with a catalyst;

loading the substrate coated with the catalyst to a reaction chamber;

supplying a source gas to the reaction chamber to synthesizing a carbon nanotube with the synthetic substrate;

unloading the processed substrate from the reaction chamber;

cooling the unloaded synthetic substrate below a predetermined temperature; and

retrieving the carbon nanotube from the cooled synthetic substrate.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein cooling the unloaded synthetic substrate is done under an inert gas ambience to prevent the unloaded synthetic substrate from contacting oxygen.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein after the processed synthetic substrate is unloaded from the reaction chamber, the synthetic substrate coated with the catalyst is loaded to the reaction chamber at once to synthesize a carbon nanotube inside the reaction chamber.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the synthetic substrate unloaded from the reaction chamber is accommodated in a cassette disposed at a space of an inert gas ambience, and

the synthetic substrate coated with the catalyst waits at the cassette while the carbon nanotube is synthesized in the reaction chamber.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein coating a synthetic substrate with a catalyst comprises:

supplying a predetermined amount of catalyst to a top surface of the synthetic substrate; and

brushing the supplied catalyst to have a uniform thickness on an entire surface of the synthetic substrate.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein retrieving the carbon nanotube comprises:

brushing the carbon nanotube on the top surface of the synthetic substrate to be stored in a retrieve container.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein a plurality of synthetic substrate are processed inside the reaction chamber at the same time while being loaded/unloaded to/from the reaction chamber one after another.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein cooling the reaction chamber is conducted by means of a natural cooling method.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the source gas is supplied to the reaction chamber after being heated outside the reaction chamber.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein when the synthetic substrate is unloaded from the reaction chamber, an arm of a transporter going into the reaction chamber is cooled.