Simple method for producing superhydrophobic carbon nanotube array

• US 9,115,424 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Aria, Adrianus I., Beizai, Masoud, Gharib, Morteza
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, BRET P
• Application Number:
  US13/081,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20110250376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 427/248.1, 427/294
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2202/06 Multi-walled nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2202/08 Aligned nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/158 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/159 single-walled
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/168 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/17 Purification
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0605 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5853 Oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 Deposition of carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23993 Composition of pile or adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

Efficient methods for producing a superhydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT) array are set forth. The methods comprise providing a vertically aligned CNT array and performing vacuum pyrolysis on the CNT array to produce a superhydrophobic CNT array. These methods have several advantages over the prior art, such as operational simplicity and efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for producing a superhydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT) array, the method comprising:

synthesizing a vertically aligned CNT array with a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process; and

performing vacuum pyrolysis on the CNT array to produce the superhydrophobic CNT array,

wherein the vacuum-pyrolysis removes contamination and wherein an outer surface of the superhydrophobic CNT array is at least 85% free from oxygen-containing impurities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the CNT array is at least 95% free from oxygen-containing impurities.