METHODS FOR ARRANGING NANOTUBE ELEMENTS WITHIN NANOTUBE FABRICS AND FILMS

• US 20110244121A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZEON Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Inventors: Roberts, David A., Monteiro, Michel Pires, Lin, Hao-Yu, Bengtson, Thomas R., Robinson, Karl, Manning, H. Montgomery, Rueckes, Thomas, Sen, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 9,574,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/180
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/007 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/12 by mechanical means
• 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 32/168 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43838 Ultrafine fibres, e.g. microfibres

Abstract

A method for arranging nanotube elements within nanotube fabric layers and films is disclosed. A directional force is applied over a nanotube fabric layer to render the fabric layer into an ordered network of nanotube elements. That is, a network of nanotube elements drawn together along their sidewalls and substantially oriented in a uniform direction. In some embodiments this directional force is applied by rolling a cylindrical element over the fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by passing a rubbing material over the surface of a nanotube fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by running a polishing material over the nanotube fabric layer for a predetermined time. Exemplary rolling, rubbing, and polishing apparatuses are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for arranging nanotube elements within a nanotube fabric layer, comprising:

forming a nanotube fabric layer over a material layer, said nanotube fabric layer comprising a plurality of nanotube elements; and

applying a directional force to said nanotube fabric layer to arrange at least a portion of said nanotube elements into an ordered network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force is translated over said nanotube fabric layer at least once.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said translation of said directional force imparts energy into said nanotube fabric layer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said imparted energy acts on at least one of said nanotube elements to alter the orientation of said at least one nanotube elements.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a force applied in a single direction substantially parallel to the plane of said nanotube fabric layer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a force applied in a plurality of directions substantially parallel to the plane of said nanotube fabric layer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a force applied in a linear direction along a plane parallel to said nanotube fabric layer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a force applied in an arcing direction within a plane parallel to said nanotube fabric layer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a force applied in a rotational direction within a plane parallel to said nanotube fabric layer.

10. The method of claim 1 comprising repeatedly applying said directional force for a plurality of iterations across said nanotube fabric layers.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said plurality of iterations follow substantially follow a fixed path across said nanotube fabric layer.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a rolling force.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said rolling force is applied by rolling a cylindrical element over said nanotube fabric layer.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said cylindrical element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, tungsten, chromium, manganese, magnesium, titanium, aluminum, steel, rubber, plastic, polystyrene, melamine, silicone, polycarbonate, polyethylene, porcelain, silicon oxide, alumina, silicon carbide, and wood.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said cylindrical element is pressed against said nanotube fabric layer as said cylindrical element is rolled over said nanotube fabric layer.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a rubbing force.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said rubbing force is applied by sliding a rubbing material against the surface of said nanotube fabric layer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said rubbing material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of elemental silicon, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), cellulose acetate, cellulose (e.g., rayon), polyesters, polyamides (e.g., nylons), polymeric materials, and a semi-rigid slurries of starch and water.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said nanotube fabric layer is pressed against said rubbing material as said nanotube fabric layer is slid against said rubbing material.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a polishing force.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said polishing force is applied by rotating a polishing material over said nanotube fabric layer.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said polishing material comprises one of polyester microfiber, polyamide microfiber, polyester, polyamide, styrene, polyvinylalcohol foam, cotton, wool, cellulose, and rayon.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said polishing force is applied by passing a polishing material over said unordered nanotube fabric layer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said polishing material comprises one of polyester microfiber, polyamide microfiber, polyester, polyamide, styrene, polyvinylalcohol foam, cotton, wool, cellulose, and rayon.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force comprises a cryokinetic spray.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said cryokinetic spray comprises one of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and argon (Ar).

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said cryokinetic spray is translated across said nanotube fabric layer in a linear direction.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force is applied within a roll-to-roll process.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein said material layer is rigid.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said material is selected from a group consisting of steel, aluminum, ceramic, and glass.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein said material layer is flexible.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said material is selected from a group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethylmethacrylate, polyamides, polysulfones, and polycyclic olefins.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of applying said directional force significantly reduces the roughness of at least a portion of said nanotube fabric layer.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of applying said directional force significantly reduces the friction of at least a portion of said nanotube fabric layer.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of applying said directional force reduces the size of gaps within at least a portion of said nanotube fabric layer.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force arranges nanotube elements within at least one preselected region of said nanotube fabric layer into a preselected orientation.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein a first directional force arranges a first region of nanotube elements into a first orientation and a second directional force arranges a second region of nanotube elements into a second orientation.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanotube fabric layer is formed via one of a spin coating operation, a spray coating operation, a dip coating operation, a silk screen printing operation, or a gravure printing operation.

39. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanotube elements comprises carbon nanotubes.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanotube fabric layer is a composite mixture of carbon nanotubes and other materials.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said other materials are selected from the group consisting of buckyballs, amorphous carbon, silver nanotubes, quantum dots, colloidal silver, monodisperse polystyrene beads, and silica particles

42. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing said material layer after said step of applying said directional force.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force is a mechanical force.

44. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force is transferred to said nanotube fabric layer through an interface material.

45. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanotube fabric layer is substantially free of any suspension medium.

46. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force is applied directly to said nanotube fabric layer.

47. The method of claim 1 wherein said directional force is applied to said nanotube fabric layer through an intervening material.