CARBON NANOTUBES, A METHOD OF PREPARING THE SAME AND AN ELEMENT USING THE SAME

• US 20100080749A1
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Haung, Liping, LI, Yongming, Kajiura, Hisashi, Wei, Dacheng, Liu, Yunqi, Zhang, Hongliang, Wang, Yu
• Granted Patent: US 8,124,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/447.300
• 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 2202/30 Purity
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/36 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/162 characterised by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/842 for carbon nanotubes or fullerenes

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes, a method for preparing the same and an element using the same are provided. The method for preparing carbon nanotubes includes synthesizing carbon nanotubes from carbon source using an arc-discharge method in the presence of catalysts and promoter, wherein the promoter contains an element capable of reducing the surface energy of carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes with high purity and narrow diameter distribution can thus be prepared.

Claims

1. A method for preparing carbon nanotubes comprising synthesizing carbon nanotubes from a carbon source using an arc-discharge process in presence of a catalyst and a promoter, wherein the promoter contains an element simple substance capable of reducing a surface energy of carbon nanotubes growth sites in the catalyst.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the promoter is selected from the group consisting of Se, Te, Ge and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the promoter is Se.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of a lanthanum metal oxide, a transition metal, a mixture of nickel and a rare earth element, and mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of Y—

Ni alloy, Fe—

Ni alloy, Fe—

Co alloy, Co—

Ni alloy, Rh—

Pt alloy and Ce—

Ni alloy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the promoter and the catalyst ranges from greater than 0 to 0.1:

1.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the weight ratio of the promoter and the catalyst ranges from 0.01 to 0.03:

1.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the weight ratio of the promoter and the catalyst ranges from 0.02 to 0.03:

1.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon source is graphite.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the carbon source and the catalyst ranges from 0.5 to 10:

1.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a weight ratio of the carbon source and the catalyst ranges from 1 to 5:

1.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the carbon source, catalyst and promoter is 3.4:

1;

0.02, and wherein the carbon source is graphite, the catalyst is Y—

Ni alloy and the promoter is Se.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes are single-walled carbon nanotubes.

14. A carbon nanotube material comprising a carbon nanotube source material synthesized from a carbon source using an arc-discharge process in presence of a catalyst and a promoter, wherein the promoter contains an element single substance capable of reducing a surface energy of carbon nanotube growth sites in the catalyst.

15. The carbon nanotube material of claim 14, wherein the carbon nanotube material is carbon nanotubes.

16. The carbon nanotube material of claim 14, wherein the carbon nanotubes have a purity up to greater than 99% and a diameter distribution ranging from about 1.47 nm to about 1.53 nm.

17. The carbon nanotube material of claim 14, wherein the carbon nanotube material is an element of carbon nanotubes selected from the group consisting of conductive film of carbon nanotubes, field emission source, transistor, conductive wire, spin conduction device, nano-electro-mechanic system (NMES), nano cantilever, quantum computing device, lighting emitting diode, solar cell, surface-conduction electron-emitter display, filter, drug delivery system, space elevator, thermal conductive material, nano nozzle, energy storage system, fuel cell, sensor, and catalyst support material.