Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing carbon nanohorns includes a production chamber configured to irradiate a solid carbon material with a laser beam to produce a product containing carbon nanohorns; and a separation mechanism configured to separate the product produced in the production chamber into a lightweight component and a heavyweight component. The heavyweight component includes carbon nanohorn aggregate with high purity, and high-purity carbon nanotubes can be obtained by collecting the heavyweight component.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing carbon nanohorns includes a production chamber configured to irradiate a solid carbon material with a laser beam to produce a product containing carbon nanohorns; and a separation mechanism configured to separate the product produced in the production chamber into a lightweight component and a heavyweight component. The heavyweight component includes carbon nanohorn aggregate with high purity, and high-purity carbon nanotubes can be obtained by collecting the heavyweight component.

Abstract: A plume (109) is generated by irradiating a side face of a graphite rod (101) with a laser beam (103) to vaporize carbon. The vaporized carbon is introduced to a carbon nanohorn recovery chamber (119) through a recovery pipe (155), and the vaporized carbon is recovered as a carbon nanohorn assembly (117). A cooling tank (150) including liquid nitrogen (151) is arranged in the recovery pipe (155). While the cooling tank (150) controls the plume (109) at a low temperature, the cooling tank (150) cools the carbon vapor when the carbon vapor passes through the recovery pipe (155). The cooled carbon vapor is recovered as the carbon nanohorn assembly (117) which is controlled in the desired shape and dimensions.

Abstract: Methane or hydrogen are adsorbed by passing the substance through one or more openings provided in a wall part of a carbon-nanohorn aggregate. The carbon-nanohorn aggregate forms a self-locking carbon adsorbent. The substance passes through the one or more openings in one limited direction from the outside to the inside of the carbon nanohorn aggregate in isothermal or isobaric adsorption.

Abstract: In a nanocarbon-producing device (173), a plane mirror (169) and a parabolic mirror (171) are arranged in a production chamber (107). Light, emitted from a laser light source (111), transmitted through a ZnSe window (133) is reflected at the plane mirror (169) and the parabolic mirror (171), collected at the parabolic mirror (171), and then irradiated onto the surface of a graphite rod (101).

Abstract: Plural carbon nanohorn aggregates are mechanically mixed, and catalysts are supported on surfaces of the mixed carbon nanohorn aggregates. Alternatively gas is adsorbed on the surfaces of the mixed carbon nanohorn aggregates.

Abstract: A surface of a graphite target (139), irradiated with a laser beam (103), is formed in a plane. The graphite target (139) is held by a target holding unit (153) on a target supply plate (135). A plate holding unit (137) moves the target supply plate (135) in a translational manner, which allows an irradiation position of the laser beam (103) and the surface of the graphite target (139) to be relatively moved. A transportation pipe (141) communicated with a nanocarbon collecting chamber (119) is provided toward a direction in which a plume (109) is generated, and a generated carbon nanohorn aggregates (117) is collected in the nanocarbon collecting chamber (119).

Abstract: A plume (109) is generated by irradiating a side face of a graphite rod (101) with a laser beam (103) to vaporize carbon. The vaporized carbon is introduced to a carbon nanohorn recovery chamber (119) through a recovery pipe (155), and the vaporized carbon is recovered as a carbon nanohorn assembly (117). A cooling tank (150) including liquid nitrogen (151) is arranged in the recovery pipe (155). While the cooling tank (150) controls the plume (109) at a low temperature, the cooling tank (150) cools the carbon vapor when the carbon vapor passes through the recovery pipe (155). The cooled carbon vapor is recovered as the carbon nanohorn assembly (117) which is controlled in the desired shape and dimensions.

Abstract: In a nanocarbon manufacturing apparatus (183), a spray (181) is provided at a side face of a nanocarbon recovery chamber (119), and a mist (195) is sprayed on the entire nanocarbon recovery chamber (119) from the spray (181).

Abstract: In a production chamber (107), a cylindrical graphite rod (101) is fixed to a rotation device (115), enabling the graphite rod (101) to rotate around its longitudinal axis and to move right and left along its longitudinal axis. The lateral surface of the graphite rod (101) is irradiated with laser light (103) from a laser light source (111), and a nanocarbon recovering chamber (119) is installed in the direction of generation of plume (109). The pulse width of the laser light (103) is from 0.5 sec. to 1.25 sec.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing nano-carbon including a laser source (111) which irradiates light to a surface of a graphite rod (101) and a nano-carbon recovery chamber (119) which recovers carbon vapor as nano-carbon, evaporated from the graphite rod (101) by irradiating light, has a contact surface being in contact with the surface of the graphite rod (101) and a holding roller (131) which movably holds the graphite rod (101) by frictional force generated between the contact surface and the surface of the graphite rod (101). The graphite rod (101) rotates and moves by the frictional force generated between the contact surface of the holding roller (131) and the surface of the graphite rod (101), thereby driving the holding roller (131) so that an irradiation position of the light irradiated to the surface of the graphite rod (101) covers over almost the entire area of the surface of the graphite rod (101).

Abstract: Nanocarbon is produced stably in a large amount. In a production chamber (107), a graphite rod (101) having a cylindrical shape is fixed to a rotation apparatus (115) and is made capable of rotating with its axis being in the length direction of the graphite rod (101) and movable to the right or the left in the length direction. A side surface of the graphite rod (101) is irradiated with a laser beam (103) from a laser light source (111). A nanocarbon collecting chamber (119) is disposed in the direction of generation of plumes (109) so as to collect the generated carbon nanohorn aggregates 117.

Abstract: A production method and a production apparatus for stable mass production of nanocarbon are provided. In a production chamber (107), a graphite rod (101) having a cylindrical shape is fixed to a rotation apparatus (115), and is made to be capable of rotating with the length direction of the graphite rod (101) serving as an axis, and also moving to the right or the left in the length direction. The side surface of the graphite rod (101) is irradiated with a laser beam (103) from a laser light source (111), and a nanocarbon collecting chamber (119) is disposed in the direction of generation of plumes (109). On the other hand, the surface irradiated with the laser beam (103) among the side surfaces of the graphite rod (101) is speedily rotated by the rotation apparatus (115) and is flattened by a cutting tool (105). Cut dusts of the graphite rod (101) generated by the cutting tool (105) are collected into a cut graphite collecting chamber (121) and separated from the generated carbon nanohorn aggregates (117).

Abstract: The invention relates to a new self-locking carbon adsorbent comprising a carbon nanohorn aggregate provided with an opening in the wall part thereof, wherein a substance to be adsorbed passes through the opening in one limited direction from the outside to inside of the carbon nanohorn in isothermal or isobaric adsorption, whereby the self-blocking carbon adsorbent is made to be useful, for example, for storing methane gas and can store various gases at room temperature at a high density.

Abstract: A particular material comprising an atom other than carbon is carried around or inside the carbon nanohorn.

Abstract: A novel carbon nanohorn adsorbent which does not necessitate a high-temperature treatments lightweight and chemically stable, and can selectively adsorb molecules based on the molecular sieve effect; and a process for producing the adsorbent. The process comprises oxidizing a single-wall carbon nanohorn aggregate while controlling oxidative conditions to thereby obtain the carbon nanohorn adsorbent, which have, in the tubular parts, pores having a regulated diameter.