Title: Carbon nanotubes on a substrate

Abstract

The present invention includes carbon nanotubes whose hollow cores are 100% filled with conductive filler. The carbon nanotubes are in uniform arrays on a conductive substrate and are well-aligned and can be densely packed. The uniformity of the carbon nanotube arrays is indicated by the uniform length and diameter of the carbon nanotubes, both which vary from nanotube to nanotube on a given array by no more than about 5%. The alignment of the carbon nanotubes is indicated by the perpendicular growth of the nanotubes from the substrates which is achieved in part by the simultaneous growth of the conductive filler within the hollow core of the nanotube and the densely packed growth of the nanotubes. The present invention provides a densely packed carbon nanotube growth where each nanotube is in contact with at least one nearest-neighbor nanotube. The substrate is a conductive substrate coated with a growth catalyst, and the conductive filler can be single crystals of carbide formed by a solid state reaction between the substrate material and the growth catalyst. The present invention further provides a method for making the filled carbon nanotubes on the conductive substrates. The method includes the steps of depositing a growth catalystmore » onto the conductive substrate as a prepared substrate, creating a vacuum within a vessel which contains the prepared substrate, flowing H2/inert (e.g. Ar) gas within the vessel to increase and maintain the pressure within the vessel, increasing the temperature of the prepared substrate, and changing the H2/Ar gas to ethylene gas such that the ethylene gas flows within the vessel. Additionally, varying the density and separation of the catalyst particles on the conductive substrate can be used to control the diameter of the nanotubes. « less

Inventors:

Gao, Yufei ^[1]; Liu, Jun ^[2]

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1. Kennewick, WA
2. West Richland, WA

Issue Date:

Tue Mar 26 00:00:00 EST 2002

Research Org.:

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

874304

Patent Number(s):

6361861

Assignee:

Battelle Memorial Institute (Richland, WA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES

B82Y30/00 - Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
B82Y40/00 - Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS

C01B2202/08 - Aligned nanotubes
C01B2202/34 - Length
C01B2202/36 - Diameter
C01B32/162 - characterised by catalysts

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

Y10S427/102 - Fullerene type base or coating
Y10S977/742 - Carbon nanotubes, CNTs
Y10S977/842 - for carbon nanotubes or fullerenes
Y10S977/843 - Gas phase catalytic growth, i.e. chemical vapor deposition

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

Y10T428/12438 - Composite
Y10T428/2913 - Rod, strand, filament or fiber
Y10T428/2918 - including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel]

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC06-76RL01830

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

carbon; nanotubes; substrate; hollow; cores; 100; filled; conductive; filler; uniform; arrays; well-aligned; densely; packed; uniformity; nanotube; indicated; length; diameter; array; alignment; perpendicular; growth; substrates; achieved; simultaneous; core; provides; contact; nearest-neighbor; coated; catalyst; single; crystals; carbide; formed; solid; reaction; material; method; steps; depositing; prepared; creating; vacuum; vessel; contains; flowing; h2inert; gas; increase; maintain; pressure; increasing; temperature; changing; h2ar; ethylene; flows; additionally; varying; density; separation; particles; control; gas flow; single crystal; substrate coated; conductive filler; /428/423/