Patents by Inventor Andrew G. Rinzler
Andrew G. Rinzler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20030075682Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: April 24, 2003Inventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20030066960Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: April 10, 2003Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20030010910Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulable or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: January 16, 2003Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20020159943Abstract: A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate is disclosed The method includes the steps of heating the mixture under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove the amorphous carbon, followed by recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes. A method for producing tubular carbon molecules of about 5 to 500 nm in length is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of cutting single-wall nanotube containing-material to form a mixture of tubular carbon molecules having lengths in the range of 5-500 nm and isolating a fraction of the molecules having substantially equal lengths. The nanotubes may be used, singularly or in multiples, in power transmission cables, in solar cells, in batteries, as antennas, as molecular electronics, as probes and manipulators, and in composites.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: October 31, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020150524Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for producing composites of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a method of producing a composite material that includes a matrix and a carbon nanotube material embedded within said matrix. In another embodiment, a method of producing a composite material containing carbon nanotube material is disclosed. This method includes the steps of preparing an assembly of a fibrous material; adding the carbon nanotube material to the fibrous material; and adding a matrix material precursor to the carbon nanotube material and the fibrous material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: October 17, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020136683Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming arrays of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, the present invention involves forming a macroscopic molecular array of tubular carbon molecules, said method comprising the step of assembling subarrays of up to 106 single-wall carbon nanotubes into a composite array.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: September 26, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020136681Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for producing single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) catalyst supports and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, SWNTs or SWNT structures can be employed as the support material. A transition metal catalyst is added to the SWNT. In a preferred embodiment, the catalyst metal cluster is deposited on the open nanotube end by a docking process that insures optimum location for the subsequent growth reaction. The metal atoms may be subjected to reductive conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: September 26, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020127162Abstract: A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate is disclosed. The method includes the steps of heating the mixture under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove the amorphous carbon, followed by recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes. A method for producing tubular carbon molecules of about 5 to 500 nm in length is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of cutting single-wall nanotube containing-material to form a mixture of tubular carbon molecules having lengths in the range of 5-500 nm and isolating a fraction of the molecules having substantially equal lengths The nanotubes may be used, singularly or in multiples, in power transmission cables, in solar cells, in batteries, as antennas, as molecular electronics, as probes and manipulators, and in composites.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020127169Abstract: A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate is disclosed. The method includes the steps of heating the mixture under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove the amorphous carbon, followed by recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes. A method for producing tubular carbon molecules of about 5 to 500 nm in length is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of cutting single-wall nanotube containing-material to form a mixture of tubular carbon molecules having lengths in the range of 5-500 nm and isolating a fraction of the molecules having substantially equal lengths. The nanotubes may be used, singularly or in multiples, in power transmission cables, in solar cells, in batteries, as antennas, as molecular electronics, as probes and manipulators, and in composites.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020109087Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20020109086Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20020102196Abstract: This invention relates generally to compositions and articles of manufacturing comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Tubular single-wall carbon nanotube molecules are useful for making electrical connectors for devices such as integrated circuits or semiconductor chips used in computers because of the high electrical conductivity and small size of the carbon molecule. SWNT molecules are also useful as components of electrical devices where quantum effects dominate at room temperatures, for example, resonant tunneling diodes. The metallic carbon molecules are useful as antennas at optical frequencies, and as probes for scanning probe microscopy such as are used in scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) and atomic force microscopes (AFM). Tubular carbon molecules may also be used in RF shielding applications, e.g., to make microwave absorbing materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: August 1, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020102201Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material. (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: August 1, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20020096634Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment, A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: July 25, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20020098135Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, a macroscopic molecular array is provided comprising at least about 106 single-wall carbon nanotubes in generally parallel orientation and having substantially similar lengths in the range of from about 5 to about 500 nanometers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: July 25, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020092983Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material. (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: July 18, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20020092984Abstract: Macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices made from nanotube assemblies are disclosed The article of manufacture comprises a macroscopic mounting element capable of being manipulated or observed in a macroscale environment, and a nanoscale nanotube assembly attached to the mounting element. The article permits macroscale information to be provided to or obtained from a nanoscale environment. A method for making a macroscopically manipulable nanoscale devices comprises the steps of (1) providing a nanotube-containing material; (2) preparing a nanotube assembly device having at least one carbon nanotube for attachment; and (3) attaching said nanotube assembly to a surface of a mounting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2001Publication date: July 18, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
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Publication number: 20020094311Abstract: This invention relates generally to cutting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, the present invention provides for preparation of homogeneous populations of short carbon nanotube molecules by cutting and annealing (reclosing) the nanotube pieces followed by fractionation. The cutting and annealing processes may be carried out on a purified nanotube bucky paper, on felts prior to purification of nanotubes or on any material that contains single-wall nanotubes. In one embodiment, oxidative etching with concentrated nitric acid is employed to cut SWNTs into shorter lengths. The annealed nanotubes may be disbursed in an aqueous detergent solution or an organic solvent for the fractionation. Closed tubes can also be derivatized to facilitate fractionation, for example, by adding solubilizing moieties to the end caps.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: July 18, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020090331Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for growing carbon fiber from single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) molecular arrays. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a macroscopic molecular array of at least about 106 tubular carbon molecules in generally parallel orientation and having substantially similar lengths in the range of from about 50 to about 500 nanometers. The hemispheric fullerene cap is removed from the upper ends of the tubular carbon molecules in the array. The upper ends of the tubular carbon molecules in the array are then contacted with a catalytic metal. A gaseous source of carbon is supplied to the end of the array while localized energy is applied to the end of the array in order to heat the end to a temperature in the range of about 500° C. to about 1300° C. The growing carbon fiber is continuously recovered.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: July 11, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
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Publication number: 20020090330Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for growing single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) from seed molecules. The supported or unsupported SWNT seed materials can be combined with a suitable growth catalyst by opening SWNT molecule ends and depositing a metal atom cluster. In one embodiment, a suspension of seed particles containing attached catalysts is injected into an evaporation zone to provide an entrained reactive nanoparticle. A carbonaceous feedstock gas is then introduced into the nanoparticle stream under conditions to grow single-wall carbon nanotubes. Recovery of the product produced can be done by filtration, centrifugation and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: July 11, 2002Applicant: William Marsh Rice UniversityInventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess