Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for producing carbon nanotube aggregates to improve the contact efficiency between a source gas and catalysts, thereby enabling the efficient production of high-quality CNT aggregates. A method for producing carbon nanotube aggregates according to the disclosure is a method including a growth step of growing the carbon nanotube aggregates on substrates with catalysts on surfaces. In the growth step, a source gas supply step of forming a substrate layer by stacking the substrates at a lower portion of a growth furnace configured to perform the growth step, and supplying a source gas to the substrate layer through a plurality of gas injection ports arranged at the lower portion of the growth furnace, and an in-growth furnace stir and conveyance step of mechanically stirring and/or conveying the substrate layer are performed at least in part in an overlapping manner.

Abstract: A production method for growing a carbon nanotube assembly on a substrate having a catalyst on a surface thereof. In this production method, in each of a formation unit that carries out a formation step of reducing a catalyst on the substrate and a growth unit that carries out a growth step of growing a carbon nanotube assembly, the substrate is continuously being conveyed using conveyance units that convey the substrate by screw rotations. In carrying out the formation step and the growth step, these steps are carried out while the gas environments in these steps are prevented from mixing with each other.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention for producing aligned carbon nanotube aggregates is an apparatus for producing aligned carbon nanotube aggregates, the apparatus being configured to grow the aligned carbon nanotube aggregate by: causing a catalyst formed on a surface of a substrate to be surrounded by a reducing gas environment constituted by a reducing gas; heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas; causing the catalyst to be surrounded by a raw material gas environment constituted by a raw material gas; and heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas, at least either an apparatus component exposed to the reducing gas or an apparatus component exposed to the raw material gas being made from a heat-resistant alloy, and having a surface plated with molten aluminum.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention for producing aligned carbon nanotube aggregates is an apparatus for producing aligned carbon nanotube aggregates, the apparatus being configured to grow the aligned carbon nanotube aggregate by: causing a catalyst formed on a surface of a substrate to be surrounded by a reducing gas environment constituted by a reducing gas; heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas; causing the catalyst to be surrounded by a raw material gas environment constituted by a raw material gas; and heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas, at least either an apparatus component exposed to the reducing gas or an apparatus component exposed to the raw material gas being made from a heat-resistant alloy, and having a surface plated with molten aluminum.

Abstract: There is provided a cutting method for cutting a work by rotating a rotary tool with a circular cutting edge around an axis while a cutting fluid is supplied thereto. Cutting is performed by means of the rotary tool which is rotated in the same rotational direction as an outflow direction of chips, and the rotary tool is rotated at a rotational speed of the rotary tool at which a circumferential speed of the cutting edge is higher than an outflow speed of the chips. Thus, the area of direct solid contact between the rotary tool and the chips is reduced with the aid of a dynamic pressure effect, and the abrasion of the rotary tool is suppressed.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention for producing aligned carbon nanotube aggregates is an apparatus for producing aligned carbon nanotube aggregates, the apparatus being configured to grow the aligned carbon nanotube aggregate by: causing a catalyst formed on a surface of a substrate to be surrounded by a reducing gas environment constituted by a reducing gas; heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas; causing the catalyst to be surrounded by a raw material gas environment constituted by a raw material gas; and heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas, at least either an apparatus component exposed to the reducing gas or an apparatus component exposed to the raw material gas being made from a heat-resistant alloy, and having a surface plated with molten aluminum.

Abstract: There is provided a cutting method for cutting a work by rotating a rotary tool with a circular cutting edge around an axis while a cutting fluid is supplied thereto. Cutting is performed by means of the rotary tool which is rotated in the same rotational direction as an outflow direction of chips, and the rotary tool is rotated at a rotational speed of the rotary tool at which a circumferential speed of the cutting edge is higher than an outflow speed of the chips. Thus, the area of direct solid contact between the rotary tool and the chips is reduced with the aid of a dynamic pressure effect, and the abrasion of the rotary tool is suppressed.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate is an apparatus for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate on a base material having a catalyst on a surface thereof, the apparatus including: a formation unit that processes a formation step of causing an environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a reducing gas and heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas; a growth unit that processes a growth step of synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by causing the environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a raw material gas and by heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas; and a transfer unit that transfers the base material at least from the formation unit to the growth unit.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate is an apparatus for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate on a base material having a catalyst on a surface thereof, the apparatus including: a formation unit that processes a formation step of causing an environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a reducing gas and heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas; a growth unit that processes a growth step of synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by causing the environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a raw material gas and by heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas; and a transfer unit that transfers the base material at least from the formation unit to the growth unit.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate is an apparatus for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate on a base material having a catalyst on a surface thereof, the apparatus including: a formation unit that processes a formation step of causing an environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a reducing gas and heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas; a growth unit that processes a growth step of synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by causing the environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a raw material gas and by heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas; and a transfer unit that transfers the base material at least from the formation unit to the growth unit.

Abstract: A double tube from which a balloon catheter having a high rigidity and a low fluid resistance can be easily produced by means of an extruder or the like, an apparatus for producing the double tube, a balloon catheter produced by using the double tube, and a process for producing the balloon catheter are provided. The double tube comprises an outer tube having a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end, and an inner tube which is provided within the outer tube and has a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end, wherein a longitudinal member in the strip form is provided as a connecting member which continuously connects the inner surface of the outer tube to the outer surface of the inner tube in the axial direction. A balloon catheter can be easily produced by using this double tube.