Electroconductive container of a nanotube product

Abstract

An electroconductive container that stores a nanotube product, including a container body and a cover that opens and closes the container body in which both container body and cover are made of an electroconductive material. An electroconductive fixing member can by provided in the bottom of the container for holding a nanotube product in an immovable fashion.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an electroconductive container of a nanotube product such as a nanotube cantilever, a pair of nanotube tweezers that include nanotubes, and more particularly to an electroconductive container that is entirely formed by an electroconductive material so that a nanotube product is not charged by static electricity, the nanotube is not damaged by static electricity during storage and transportation, and as a result the nanotube product can always work normally.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] In recent years, a semiconductor cantilever that has a protruding portion formed on a cantilever portion has been proposed, and by way of using the sharp tip end of the protruding portion as a needle in an atomic force microscope (AFM), the semiconductor cantilever scans the surface of a material, thus obtaining images of uneven surfaces of a material.

[0005] In order to make this semiconductor cantilever performance even higher, the inventors have invented a nanotube cantilever, wherein a nanotube such as a carbon nanotube is fixed on the protruding portion of a semiconductor cantilever by a coating film or current fusion-bonding. Since the tip end of the nanotube protruding downward is used as a needlepoint, a high precision AFM that can obtain the image of a material surface of the section diameter of nanotube with accuracy is realized. This is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-227435 and 2000-249712.

[0006] Furthermore, the inventors have invented nanotweezers, in which a plurality of nanotubes are fixed on the protruding portion of a semiconductor cantilever by a coating film or current fusion-bonding, so that the tip end portions of the nanotube is opened and closed by electrostatic attraction or a piezo film. The nanotweezers pick up and release a nanomaterial by the tip end portions of the nanotubes; and as a result, the nanostructures can be built freely. This is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-252900.

[0007] In addition, the inventors have invented a nanomagnetic head, in which a nanotube is fixed on the protruding portion of a cantilever, and the nanotube is inserted in a nanocoil. This is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2001-331906. By using this nanomagnetic head, magnetic recording and magnetic blanking can be made for nanodomain of a material surface, so that a densification of magnetic recording is realized.

[0008] Furthermore, a material occlusion technique that uses a nanotube is proposed by other inventors. A nanotube has a comparatively big hollow inside, which can absorb various material atoms; thus nanotubes can be used as hydrogen occlusion means.

[0009] As described above, various kinds of nanotube products such as a nanotube cantilever, nanotweezers, nanomagnetic head and material occlusion nanotube exit and are proposed. Hence it is thought that various kinds of nanotube products that use nanotubes increase in the future.

[0010] As the use of nanotube products increases, problems occur in containers that store nanotube products. A nanotube in itself is a material that has an extremely high flexibility, high strength and high elasticity, but a nanotube product that is a combination of a nanotube and other members has a weakness. It is easily deformed by an electric field. In particular, deformation due to static electricity is a big problem.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the use of a conventional nanotube product container (prior art). The insulated container 22 is made of an insulation plastic, and it is used to store therein a semiconductor cantilever.

[0012] This insulated container 22 is composed of an insulated container body 24, an insulated hinge 28 and an insulated cover 26. The container is opened and closed by rotating the insulated cover 26 around the axis of the insulated hinge 28. A gel-form material is provided on the entire surface of the bottom of the insulated container body 24 so as to form an insulated gel 30.

[0013] The gel-form material is, fort instance, agar that has electrical insulation, and its surface has some degree of adhesive property. The conventional semiconductor cantilever (nanotube is not provided therein) is fixed by adhering the cantilever portion to the surface of the insulated gel 30 in a manner that the protruding portion is directed upwardly, and the thus fixed semiconductor is transported and kept in storage.

[0014] As described above, a semiconductor cantilever composed of a cantilever portion and a protruding portion is formed by semiconductors that have high strength. Therefore, even if a high electric field acts on the cantilever by collecting static electricity and static electricity discharges, the protruding portion is not deformed, and thus there is problem.

[0015] However, since nanotube products have been developed recently, a container used exclusively for nanotube products does not exist. Accordingly the nanotube products are usually stored in the conventional container that is used for semiconductor cantilevers.

[0016] In FIG. 6, a nanotube product 12 is adhesively bonded to the surface of an insulated gel 30 in a manner that its nanotube 14 is directed upwardly. Even if the insulated container 24 is turned over after the insulated cover 26 is closed, the nanotube product 12 does not fall by the adhesive force of the insulated gel 30.

[0017] In other words, even if the conventional insulated container 22 is used, any problem does not occur at all as long as the nanotube product 12 is fixed and held However, since the anti-static electricity measures are not taken for this insulated container 22 at all, there are several problems that occur frequently as described below.

[0018] FIG. 7 shows the manner of a nanotube cantilever being damaged in the conventional nanotube product container. This nanotube product 12 is the above-described nanotube cantilever, and a protruding portion 12b is projected at the tip end of the cantilever portion 12a.

[0019] The base end portion 14a of the nanotube 14 is fixed to this protruding portion 12b by a coating film or current fusion-bonding so that the tip end portion 14b protrudes upwardly from the protruding portion 12b. The AFM scan is performed by the tip end 14c of this tip end portion 14b.

[0020] Because the container 22 has electrical insulation characteristics, static electricity can easily occur on the surface. Since the gel body 30 is insulated also, and the nanotube product 12 is a semiconductor or insulator, the static electricity can occur on its any part, and it is extremely unlikely that the occurred static electricity is discharged.

[0021] Therefore, when the static electricity occurs in any part, a high electric field acts on the tip end portion 14b of the nanotube 14. In addition, when the static electricity discharge occurs, an electric shock breaks out to the nanotube 14. In such a case, according to the electron microscope observation done by the inventions, the tip end portion 14b of the nanotube distorts to bend and adheres to the protruding portion 12b, and damages occur so that the nanotube cannot be used as a nanotube cantilever.

[0022] FIG. 8 shows a pair of nanotweezers being damaged in a conventional nanotube product container. In this FIG. 8, the nanotweezers are illustrated as one example of a nanotube product 12. The base end portions 14a, 14a of two nanotubes 14, 14 are fixed to the protruding portion 12b by a coating film or fusion bonding.

[0023] Tip end portions 14b, 14b of the nanotube protrude downwardly, and their tip ends 14c, 14c are constructed so as to open and close in the right and left by electrostatic force or piezo action. The thus formed nanotweezers can function as a nano-robot that builds nanostructures by holding a nanomaterial between the tip ends 14c, 14c and releasing the nanomaterial to a particular location.

[0024] However, as shown in FIG. 7, when the nanotweezers are stored in the conventional insulated container 22, the tip end portions 14b, 14b are bonded together by a local high electric field due to the static electricity and static electricity discharge. In some cases, such a situation occurs that the integrated tip end portions distort and bend and thus adhere to the protruding portion 12b. The inventors found these damages by electron microscope observation.

[0025] In addition, though not shown in the drawings, in cases where nanotubes are merely stored in the insulated container 22, such a situation occurs that nanotubes are bonded together so as to form a dumpling shape, when local electric field caused by static electricity and a static electricity discharge occur. A similar phenomenon is observed in nanotubes that adsorb material atoms. It is necessary to take some static electricity measures for a container that stores such a nanotube product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0026] As a result, it is an object of the present invention to provide a safe and reliable container for a nanotube product which is developed not only for now but also in the future, wherein some static electricity measures are taken for such the container, so that a nanotube product stored in the container is not broken by static electricity.

[0027] The present invention is made to achieve such an object. The first form of the present invention is an electroconductive container of a nanotube product comprising an electroconductive container body and an electroconductive cover that opens and closes the opening of the electroconductive container body. When a nanotube product is set inside the electroconductive container, even though static electricity occurs on the nanotube product, the electricity is naturally emitted through the electroconductive container. In the same manner, even if static electricity occurs on the electroconductive container, the electricity flows naturally to the outside. Therefore, the local high electric field and electric shock due to static electricity discharge does not act on the nanotube, and thus nanotube products can be stored safely and reliably.

[0028] The second form of the present invention is an electroconductive container of a nanotube product comprising an electroconductive container body, an electroconductive fixing member provided in the electroconductive container body and an electroconductive cover that opens and closes the opening of the electroconductive container body. Since a nanotube product is fixed on the surface of the electroconductive fixing member, the nanotube product is stably fixed in an immobile fashion. Furthermore, even though static electricity occurs on the nanotube product, since the electricity is naturally discharged to the outside through the electroconductive container, the static electricity is not accumulated on the nanotube product. In addition, the static electricity that occurs on the electroconductive container is instantaneously emitted to the outside naturally, and the local high electric field and electric shock due to the static electricity discharge does not act on the nanotube at all. Therefore, nanotube products can be stored safely and reliably, and it is possible to prevent the static electricity failure of the nanotube assuredly.

[0029] The third form of the present invention is an electroconductive container of a nanotube product characterized in that the electroconductive container body and the electroconductive cover are made of electroconductive plastics, and the electroconductive fixing member is made of electroconductive gel, so that the nanotube product is fixed by a surface adhesive force of the electroconductive gel. A design of the plastic cantilever container used conventionally can be employed “as is”; and only the material is changed so that electroconductive plastics and electroconductive gel are used. Therefore, an electroconductive container for a nanotube product can be provided simply and at low prices.

[0030] The fourth form of the present invention is an electroconductive container of a nanotube product, wherein the nanotube product is a nanotube cantilever or a nanotube tweezers; and thus, it becomes possible to increase the market circulation characteristics of the nanotube products employed widely in the field of nanotechnology, and the present invention greatly contributes to the expansion of a nanotube cantilever and nanotube tweezers market.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective diagram showing the nanotube product container according to the present invention, the container being closed;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective diagram that shows the opened nanotube product container of the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

[0034] FIG. 4 is an explanatory perspective diagram of the nanotube product being taken out of the electroconductive container;

[0035] FIG. 5 is a simplified perspective diagram of another embodiment of the nanotube product container of the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 6 is a perspective view explaining a conventional nanotube product container being used;

[0037] FIG. 7 is a diagram of a nanotube cantilever before and after damaged in a conventional nanotube product container; and

[0038] FIG. 8 is a diagram of a pair of nanotweezers before and after damaged in a conventional nanotube product container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] In the following, embodiments of the electroconductive container of a nanotube product according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective diagram showing the closed nanotube product container of the present invention. The electroconductive container 2 comprises an electroconductive container body 4, an electroconductive cover 6 and electroconductive hinges 8 that connect the electroconductive container body 4 and the electroconductive cover 6. An electroconductive fixing member 10 is disposed in the inside bottom of the electroconductive container body 4.

[0041] For electroconductive materials that forms the electroconductive container body 4, a metal and an electroconductive macromolecule having electroconductivity in itself can be used, and other materials that have electroconductivity provided by dispersed electroconductive fillers (electroconductive fine grains such as electroconductive fine particle and electroconductive microfilament) in a semiconductor material or an insulator material can be used also.

[0042] A metal simple substance, an alloy and an intermetallic compound can be used for the above-described metal; and an electroconductive carbon material and other similar electroconductive material can be used also. For the electroconductive macromolecule, a chain electroconductive macromolecule and a two-dimensional electroconductive macromolecule whose conjugate system developed can be used. Such an electroconductive macromolecule includes those which show metallic property in itself and those which show an insulator-metal phase transition by doping a small amount of acceptor or doner.

[0043] The above-described electroconductive macromolecule includes polythiazyl, poly acetylene, poly (3-alkyl thiophen), etc. that can be shown, in concrete constitutional formula, by (SN)X, (C2H2)X, (C6H4)X, (C6H4S)X, (C6H4C2H2)X, (C4H2SC2H2)X, and electroconductivity is seen in various macromolecules.

[0044] In addition, electroconductivity can be produced freely by way of dispersing electroconductive fine grains to a semiconductor material and an insulator material and adjusting the doping concentration of the electroconductive fine grains. The electroconductive fine grains can be freely chosen from metal fine particles, carbon fine particles and other electroconductive fine particle material.

[0045] The electroconductive fixing member 10 is selected from the members that can fix the nanotube product 12 in the electroconductive container 2 in an immovable fashion, thus including, for example, a mechanism to mechanically push the nanotube product 12 immovably, a thing coated with adhesive having weak adhesion, a double-sided tape and others.

[0046] In the shown embodiment, an electroconductive gel filled flatly in the bottom of electroconductive container body 4 is used as the electroconductive fixing member 10, so that the surface of the gel acts as a fixing surface 10a of the nanotube product 12. This electroconductive gel is an agar-like material that is formed flatly and thus is, in other words, a jelly-form material or a gelatinous material. A sol-gel method can be used for such a gel formation.

[0047] In general, most gels are insulative; thus the electroconductivity can be given for such gels by dispersing the electroconductive filler at a solution stage of the starting material and revealing the electroconductivity in the process of sol-gel transition by drying. In the shown embodiment, any gel to which electroconductivity is eventually given is used.

[0048] The gel surface has a constant adhesive force. As a result, the nanotube product 12 can be fixed immovably, and it is also easy to exfoliate the nanotube product 12 from the gel surface. Of course, this exfoliating power can be arbitrarily adjusted by changing the kind of gel and adjusting the degree of dryness of the gel.

[0049] The nanotube product 12 is immovably fixed by adhering the back-face of the cantilever to the surface of the electroconductive gel and arranging the nanotube 14 so as to be directed upwardly, thus being prevented from damages.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective diagram that shows the opened nanotube product container of the present invention. The electroconductive container 2 is opened by rotating the electroconductive cover 6 about the electroconductive hinges 8. By way of putting the container in an opened state, the nanotube product 12 can be taken out.

[0051] According to the present invention, since the electroconductive container 2 is made of an electroconductive material, and the fixing member is an electroconductive fixing member 10, the static electricity does not accumulate on these elements. Therefore, a high electric field based on static electricity does not occur, and an electric shock due to static electricity discharge does not happen; and thus the nanotube product is never damaged by static electricity, and it is possible to store the nanotube product in a perfect state safely and assuredly.

[0052] FIG. 3 is a sectional diagram taken along the line 3-3 FIG. 2. When the electroconductive container 2 is handled, it is set on an electroconductive mat 13. There is sometimes a situation in which some static electricity stays on the electroconductive container 2. Such a static electricity can be removed naturally without allowing the static electricity to be discharged by way of putting the container on a grounded electroconductive mat 13. Since a high electric field and an electric shock due to discharge thus do not act on the nanotube 14, the nanotube 14 is not damaged.

[0053] As seen from FIG. 3, the back-face of nanotube product 12 is adhesively set on the fixing surface 10a, and the nanotube 14 is arranged to direct upwardly. In this arrangement, the nanotube 14 of the nanotube product 12 is not damaged and is kept safely.

[0054] FIG. 4 is an explanatory perspective diagram that shows the nanotube product being taken out of the electroconductive container. At first, both hands of an operator are put on the electroconductive mat, removing the static electricity accumulated on the operator's body. After removing the electricity, the operator holds a pair of tweezers 16 placed on the electroconductive mat 13, and the nanotube product 12 is grasped on its both sides by the tip ends 16a, 16a of the tweezers. With an operation like this, the static electricity discharge is not caused in the nanotube product, and as a result, the nanotube product 12 is treated without having the nanotube 14 damaged.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a simplified perspective diagram of another embodiment of the nanotube product container of the present invention. In this embodiment, an electroconductive double-sided tape is used as the electroconductive fixing member 10, and it is adhered to the bottom of the electroconductive container body 4. The fixing surface 10a is the adhesive surface of the electroconductive double-sided tape. Accordingly, by adjusting the adhesive force, it becomes possible to easily exfoliate the nanotube product 12.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments; and various modifications, design changes, etc. within the limits that involve no departure from the technical spirit of the present invention are included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0057] According to the first form of the present invention, the electroconductive container is comprised of an electroconductive container body and an electroconductive cover that opens and closes the electroconductive container body. Therefore, the electroconductive container is not charged by static electricity. Even though static electricity flows into the container for some reason, the static electricity is instantly grounded from the outside surface of the container, and the electric current does not pass through the nanotube product stored inside the container. Thus, the nanotube product is kept in a complete state safely and reliably. Furthermore, because the electroconductive container is not charged with static electricity, the container does not attract dusts and is kept clean advantageously.

[0058] According to the second form of the present invention, the electroconductive container of a nanotube product is comprised of an electroconductive container body, an electroconductive fixing member provided in the electroconductive container body, and an electroconductive cover that opens and closes the electroconductive container body. Even if the electroconductive container is moved, the nanotube product inside is fixed securely on the surface of the electroconductive fixing member, and it is perfectly prevented that the nanotube product is damaged by falling. In addition, the static electricity does not occur in the electroconductive container. Even though static electricity flows into the container for some reason, the static electricity is instantaneously grounded from the outside surface of the container, and thus an electric current does not pass through the nanotube product stored inside the container, and the nanotube product can be stored in a complete state safely and assuredly. At the same time, because the electroconductive container is not charged with any static electricity, the container is kept clean advantageously without adsorbing dusts.

[0059] According to the third form of the present invention, the electroconductive container body and the electroconductive cover are made of electroconductive plastics, and the electroconductive fixing member is made of an electroconductive gel. Thus, the nanotube product is assuredly fixed by the surface adhesive force of the electroconductive gel. The design of a plastic cantilever container used conventionally can be employed “as is”, and the materials used in the conventional container are only changed to the electroconductive plastics and electroconductive gel in the present invention. Accordingly, the electroconductive container of a nanotube product of the present invention can be provided simply at low costs.

[0060] According to the fourth form of the present invention, since a nanotube cantilever or nanotube tweezers developed by the inventors are adopted as the nanotube products, it is possible to expand the market of these nanotube products employed widely in the field of nanotechnology, and the present invention can contribute to market expansion of nanotube cantilevers and nanotube tweezers and to the advancement of nanotechnology.

Claims

1. An electroconductive container of a nanotube product characterized in that said electroconductive container comprises an electroconductive container body and an electroconductive cover that opens and closes an opening of said electroconductive container body, wherein said nanotube product is placed inside said electroconductive container, so that electrification of static electricity to said nanotube is prevented.

2. An electroconductive container of a nanotube product characterized in that said electroconductive container comprises an electroconductive container body, an electroconductive fixing member provided in said electroconductive container body and an electroconductive cover that opens and closes an opening of said electroconductive container body, wherein said nanotube product is fixed on a surface of said electroconductive fixing member, so that electrification of static electricity to said nanotube is prevented.

3. The electroconductive container of a nanotube product according to claim 2, wherein said electroconductive container body and said electroconductive cover are made of electroconductive plastics, and said electroconductive fixing member is made of electroconductive gel, so that said nanotube product is fixed by a surface adhesive force of said electroconductive gel.

4. The electroconductive container of a nanotube product according to claim 2, wherein said nanotube product is a nanotube cantilever which is formed by fixing said nanotube as a needle on a cantilever used for an atomic force microscope, or nanotube tweezers which are formed by fixing a plurality of nanotubes on a cantilever so that an opening and closing function is given between tip ends of said nanotubes.