Product Patents (Class 423/447.2)
  • Patent number: 7250569
    Abstract: High solubility of pristine single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes using electron donors as solubilizers has been observed. The resulting carbon nanotube solution can be readily diluted with other organic solvents, such as acetone, toluene and methanol. SEM after solvent evaporation clearly shows that nanotubes are still present after being subjected to this procedure. Electronic absorption of these solutions is observed in both the UV and visible region. Strong light emission (=0.30) was observed at 561 nm for dilute solutions of aniline-dissolved carbon nanotubes diluted with acetone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: New York University School of Medicine
    Inventors: Yi Sun, Stephen Wilson
  • Patent number: 7247670
    Abstract: A nanostructure having at least one nanotube and at least one chemical moiety non-covalently attached to the at least one nanotube. At least one dendrimer is bonded to the chemical moiety. The chemical moiety may include soluble polymers, soluble oligomers, and combinations thereof. A method of dispersing at least one nanotube is also described. The method includes providing at least one nanotube and at least one chemical moiety to a solvent; debundling the nanotube; and non-covalently attaching a chemical moiety to the nanotube, wherein the non-covalently attached chemical moiety disperses the nanotube. A method of separating at least one semi-conducting carbon nanotube is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Roland Lucien Malenfant, Walter Vladimir Cicha, Pierre-Andre Bui, Davide Louis Simone
  • Patent number: 7244408
    Abstract: There is provided shorte nanotubes and nanoparticles. The nanotubes are in general terms shorter than conventionally produced nanotubes. An improved apparatus for production of the fullerenes and nanocarbons is also disclosed wherein a moveable contactor is attached to a first electrode within a sealable chamber, and is spaced from the second electrode such that an electric discharge can pass between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Rosseter Holdings Limited
    Inventor: Vladislav Andreevitch Ryzhkov
  • Patent number: 7204970
    Abstract: The present invention discloses the process of supplying high pressure (e.g., 30 atmospheres) CO that has been preheated (e.g., to about 1000° C.) and a catalyst precursor gas (e.g., Fe(CO)5) in CO that is kept below the catalyst precursor decomposition temperature to a mixing zone. In this mixing zone, the catalyst precursor is rapidly heated to a temperature that results in (1) precursor decomposition, (2) formation of active catalyst metal atom clusters of the appropriate size, and (3) favorable growth of SWNTs on the catalyst clusters. Preferably a catalyst cluster nucleation agency is employed to enable rapid reaction of the catalyst precursor gas to form many small, active catalyst particles instead of a few large, inactive ones. Such nucleation agencies can include auxiliary metal precursors that cluster more rapidly than the primary catalyst, or through provision of additional energy inputs (e.g., from a pulsed or CW laser) directed precisely at the region where cluster formation is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Ken A. Smith, Daniel T. Colbert, Pavel Nikolaev, Michael J. Bronikowski, Robert K. Bradley, Frank Rohmund
  • Patent number: 7205069
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to membranes comprising an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) wherein the membrane is nanoporous. In one embodiment, the membrane comprises a substantially two-dimensional array of a homogeneous population of single-walled nanotubes aggregated in substantially parallel orientation to form a monolayer extending in directions substantially perpendicular to the orientation of the individual nanotubes. Using single-wall carbon nanotubes of the same type and structure provides a homogeneous array. By using different single-wall carbon nanotubes, either a random or ordered heterogeneous structure can be produced by employing successive reactions after removal of previously masked areas of a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice Univeristy
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 7192642
    Abstract: The invention relates to a film comprising greater than 80 wt % single-wall carbon nanotubes wherein the tensile modulus is at least about 6 GPa at 0.2% strain and the conductivity of the film is at least about 70,000 S/m. The tensile modulus is typically about 8 GPa at 0.2% strain. The method for making the film comprises preparing a solution of single-wall carbon nanotubes in a superacid, such as oleum containing approximately 20 to 30% sulfur trioxide, under a dry, oxygen-free atmosphere. The solution is placed on a surface in a moisture-containing atmosphere, wherein the solution absorbs moisture and acid leaches out. The film is washed to further remove acid, dried, and, optionally, subjected to a heat treatment. Besides free-standing films, coatings of single-wall carbon nanotubes can be made on a variety of surfaces including polymers, glass, metals, and ceramics. The surfaces can be flat planes, fibers or contour shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Sreekumar T. Veedu, Satish Kumar
  • Patent number: 7161285
    Abstract: A fabrication method for an emitter includes the steps of forming on a glass substrate a CNT film which contains a plurality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and constitutes an emitter electrode, forming a gate electrode via an insulating film on the CNT film, forming a plurality of gate openings in the gate electrode and the insulating film, and aligning upright the CNTs in the gate opening. The upright alignment generates a stable uniform emission current and provides excellent emission characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Okamoto, Kazuo Konuma, Yoshinori Tomihari, Fuminori Ito, Yuko Okada
  • Patent number: 7160532
    Abstract: A method for forming a carbon nanotube array using a metal substrate includes the following steps: providing a metal substrate (11); oxidizing the metal substrate to form an oxidized layer (21) thereon; depositing a catalyst layer (31) on the oxidized layer; introducing a carbon source gas; and thus forming a carbon nanotube array (61) extending from the metal substrate. Generally, any metallic material can be used as the metal substrate. Various carbon nanotube arrays formed using various metal substrates can be incorporated into a wide variety of high power electronic device applications such as field emission devices (FEDs), electron guns, and so on. Carbon nanotubes formed using any of a variety of metal substrates are well aligned, and uniformly extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the metal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liang Liu, ShouShan Fan
  • Patent number: 7161286
    Abstract: A carbon nanotube-based device (40) includes a substrate (10), a number of catalytic nano-sized particles (131) formed on the substrate, and an aligned carbon nanotube array (15) extending from the alloy catalytic nano-sized particles. The aligned carbon nanotube array progressively bends in a predetermined direction. A method for making the carbon nanotube-based device includes the steps of: providing a substrate; depositing a layer of catalyst on the substrate; depositing a layer of catalyst dopant material on the catalyst layer, for varying a reaction rate of synthesis of the aligned carbon nanotube array; annealing the catalyst and the catalyst dopant material in an oxygen-containing gas at a low temperature; and exposing the nano-sized particles and catalyst dopant material to a carbon-containing source gas at a predetermined temperature such that the aligned carbon nanotube array grows from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liang Liu, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 7157183
    Abstract: A proton conductor mainly contains a carbonaceous material derivative, such as, a fullerene derivative, a carbon cluster derivative, or a tubular carbonaceous material derivative in which groups capable of transferring protons, for example, —OH groups or —OSO3H groups are introduced to carbon atoms of the carbonaceous material derivative. The proton conductor is produced typically by compacting a powder of the carbonaceous material derivative. The proton conductor is usable, even in a dry state, in a wide temperature range including ordinary temperature. In particular, the proton conductor mainly containing the carbon cluster derivative is advantageous in increasing the strength and extending the selection range of raw materials. An electrochemical device, such as, a fuel cell, that employs the proton conductor is not limited by atmospheric conditions and can be of a small and simple construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Hinokuma, Björn Pietzak, Constance Gertrud Rost, Masafumi Ata
  • Patent number: 7150911
    Abstract: An electrical insulating vapor grown carbon fiber containing a vapor grown carbon fiber having a fiber diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 ?m, wherein the surface thereof is partially or entirely coated with an electrical insulating material and a method of producing thereof is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Showa Denko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Morita, Hitoshi Inoue, Ryuji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7150864
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for growing carbon nanotubes using a catalyst system that preferentially promotes the growth of single- and double-wall carbon nanotubes, rather than larger multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Ropes of the carbon nanotubes are formed that comprise single-wall and/or double-wall carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Jason H. Hafner, Daniel T. Colbert, Ken A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7147831
    Abstract: A carbon nanotube-based device includes a substrate (10); a catalyst layer (13) disposed on the substrate, the catalyst layer comprising a number of nano-sized catalyst particles (131), a size of the catalyst particles decreasing along a given direction; and an array of aligned carbon nanotubes (14) extending from the catalyst layer in an arc toward the given direction. A method for making the carbon nanotube based device includes the steps of: (1) providing a substrate; (2) forming a catalyst layer on the substrate, a thickness of the catalyst layer decreasing along a given direction; (3) annealing the treated substrate in air to form nano-sized catalyst particles; (4) introducing a carbon source gas; and (5) forming an array of carbon nanotubes extending from the catalyst particles using a chemical vapor deposition method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liang Liu, Shou-shan Fan
  • Patent number: 7138345
    Abstract: A carbon fiber reinforced substrate comprising a fabric composed of carbon fiber bundles and a first resin adhering to the fabric. Each of the carbon fiber bundles comprises numerous continuous carbon filaments, has the tensile modulus of 210 GPa or more, and has the fracture strain energy of 40 MJ/m3 or more. The amount of the first resin adhering to the fabric is in a range from 1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said fabric. A preform comprising a laminate composed of plural layers of the carbon fiber reinforced substrate, wherein the layers are integrated by means of the first resin. A composite comprising the preform impregnated with a matrix resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Eisuke Wadahara, Akira Nishimura, Ikuo Horibe
  • Patent number: 7135160
    Abstract: A method for separating single-wall carbon nanotubes from an aqueous slurry comprises adding a water-immiscible organic solvent to an aqueous slurry comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes, isolating at least some of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the solvent, and removing the solvent from the single-wall carbon nanotubes to form dried single-wall carbon nanotubes. A spheroidal aggregate of single-wall carbon nanotubes is formed wherein the aggregate is approximately spherical and has a diameter in a range of about 0.1 and about 5 mm, and wherein the aggregate contains at least about 80 wt % single-wall carbon nanotubes. The spheroidal aggregates of single-wall carbon nanotubes are easily handled in industrial processes and are redispersable to single-wall carbon nanotubes and/or ropes of single-wall carbon nanotubes. This invention can also be applied to multi-wall carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Carbon NanoTechnologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuemei Yang, Martin Grosboll, Eduardo Vega, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7128888
    Abstract: A proton conductor, a method for manufacturing the same, and an electrochemical device using the proton conductor are provided. The proton conductor includes a carbon derivative which has a carbon material selected from the group consisting of a fullerene molecule, a cluster consisting essentially of carbon, a fiber-shaped carbon and a tube-shaped carbon, and mixtures thereof; and at least a proton dissociative group, the proton dissociative group being bonded to the carbon material via a cyclic structure of tricyclic or more. The method includes the steps of obtaining the carbon derivative, hydrolyzing the derivative with alkali hydroxide, subjecting the hydrolyzed product to ion exchange, and forming a group with proton-dissociating properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yong Ming Li, Koichiro Hinokuma
  • Patent number: 7122165
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of functionalizing the sidewalls of a plurality of carbon nanotubes with oxygen moieties, the method comprising: exposing a carbon nanotube dispersion to an ozone/oxygen mixture to form a plurality of ozonized carbon nanotubes; and contacting the plurality of ozonized carbon nanotubes with a cleaving agent to form a plurality of sidewall-functionalized carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Stanislaus S. Wong, Sarbajit Banerjee
  • Patent number: 7097820
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to carbon fiber produced from single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) molecular arrays. In one embodiment, the carbon fiber which comprises an aggregation of substantially parallel carbon nanotubes comprises more than one molecular array. Another embodiment of this invention is a large cable-like structure with enhanced tensile properties comprising a number of smaller separate arrays. In another embodiment, a composite structure is disclosed in which a central core array of metallic SWNTs is surrounded by a series of smaller circular non-metallic SWNT arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
  • Patent number: 7081429
    Abstract: Provided are a gas decomposing unit and an electrode for a fuel cell capable of stably supporting a gas decomposing catalyst. A gas decomposing unit and an electrode for a fuel cell each including: a carbon nanotube structure having a mesh structure in which functional groups bonded to plural carbon nanotubes are chemically bonded to mutually cross-link the plural carbon nanotubes; and a gas decomposing catalyst supported on the carbon nanotube structure. A method of manufacturing a gas decomposing unit characterized by including: an applying step of applying, to the surface of a substrate, a solution containing plural carbon nanotubes to which functional groups are bonded; a cross-linking step of chemically bonding the functional groups to build a mesh structure in which the plural carbon nanotubes mutually cross-link; and a supporting step of forming the carbon nanotube structure supporting a gas decomposing catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Kishi, Kazunori Anazawa, Chikara Manabe, Masaki Hirakata, Taishi Shigematsu, Miho Watanabe, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Takashi Isozaki, Shigeki Ooma, Shinsuke Okada
  • Patent number: 7071406
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 7071258
    Abstract: A nano-scaled graphene plate material and a process for producing this material. The material comprises a sheet of graphite plane or a multiplicity of sheets of graphite plane. The graphite plane is composed of a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms and the plate has a length and a width parallel to the graphite plane and a thickness orthogonal to the graphite plane with at least one of the length, width, and thickness values being 100 nanometers or smaller. The process for producing nano-scaled graphene plate material comprises the steps of: a). partially or fully carbonizing a precursor polymer or heat-treating petroleum or coal tar pitch to produce a polymeric carbon containing micron- and/or nanometer-scaled graphite crystallites with each crystallite comprising one sheet or a multiplicity of sheets of graphite plane; b). exfoliating the graphite crystallites in the polymeric carbon; and c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Nanotek Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Bor Z. Jang, Wen C. Huang
  • Patent number: 7070754
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of making single-wall carbon nanotubes by laser vaporizing a mixture of carbon and one or more Group VIII transition metals. Single-wall carbon nanotubes preferentially form in the vapor and the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyzed growth of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more single-wall carbon nanotubes are fixed in a high temperature zone so that the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyze further growth of the single-wall carbon nanotube that is maintained in the high temperature zone. In another embodiment, two separate laser pulses are utilized with the second pulse timed to be absorbed by the vapor created by the first pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew G. Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 7067098
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, a homogeneous population of SWNT molecules is used to produce a substantially two-dimensional array made up of single-walled nanotubes aggregated in substantially parallel orientation to form a monolayer extending in directions substantially perpendicular to the orientation of the individual nanotubes. Using SWNT molecules of the same type and structure provides a homogeneous array. By using different SWNT molecules, either a random or ordered heterogeneous structure can be produced by employing successive reactions after removal of previously masked areas of a substrate. Tn one embodiment, SWNT molecules may be linked to a substrate through a linker moiety such as —S—, —S—(CH2)n,-NH-, SiO3(CH2)3NH- or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley
  • Patent number: 7063753
    Abstract: Present invention provides enabling techniques of integrating novel nanotube elements into semiconductor devices, particularly in transistors, as gate channels or/and as interconnects. This is done in a series of process steps, which consist of fabricating magnetic-core-containing nanotubes of selected size (diameter and length), filtration of nanotube powders, preparing nanotube precursor in aqueous chemicals to form colloidal solutions of proper concentration, dispersing nanotube-containing solutions onto wafer surface, and finally positioning nanotubes at desired locations by magnetic means to complete nanotube device structure. The key to this invention is to provide miniature nanotubes with tangible physical properties, in this case, magnetic properties, so that they can be aligned, filtered, and precisely directed to desired locations for device application. Such processes enable nanotubes to be compatible with typical semiconductor wafer processing technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Inventors: Yingjian Chen, Xiaozhong Dang
  • Patent number: 7060241
    Abstract: An electrically conductive film is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the film includes a plurality of single-walled nanotubes having a particular diameter. The disclosed film demonstrates excellent conductivity and transparency. Methods of preparing the film as well as methods of its use are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Eikos, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul J. Glatkowski
  • Patent number: 7052643
    Abstract: Heat treatment is performed on preforms placed in an enclosure accompanied by sweeping with an inert gas under reduced pressure, and with a gaseous effluent being exhausted continuously via a first effluent outlet connected to an effluent exhaust circuit. At the end of the heat treatment, the first gaseous effluent outlet is closed so as to isolate the effluent exhaust circuit from the enclosure, sweeping of the enclosure with the inert gas is interrupted, and the heat-treated preforms are left in the enclosure and are subjected to densification by admitting a reagent gas into the enclosure via at least one reagent gas admission duct opening out into the enclosure, with gaseous effluent being exhausted via a second effluent outlet separate from the first, said second outlet being closed during the heat treatment step. Advantageously, metal, in particular sodium, contained in the gaseous effluent exhausted from the enclosure during the heat treatment step is neutralized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Messier-Bugatti
    Inventor: Eric Sion
  • Patent number: 7048903
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley, Jie Liu, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 7048999
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for producing self-assembled objects comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a three-dimensional structure of derivatized single-wall nanotube molecules that spontaneously form. It includes several component molecule having multiple derivatives brought together to assemble into the three-dimensional structure. In another embodiment, objects may be obtained by bonding functionally-specific agents (FSAs) groups of nanotubes into geometric structures. The bond selectivity of FSAs allow selected nanotubes of a particular size or kind to assemble together and inhibit the assembling of unselected nanotubes that may also be present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Wiiliam Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 7048904
    Abstract: A carbon fiber having catalytic metal supported thereon according to the present invention is a carbon fiber in which a number of hexagonal carbon layers in the shape of a cup having no bottom are stacked. At least part of edges of the hexagonal carbon layers is exposed at an outer surface or inner surface of the carbon fiber. Catalytic metal is supported on the exposed edges of the hexagonal carbon layers. The edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are further exposed by removing a deposited layer formed on the outer surface or inner surface of the carbon fiber. The exposed edges of the hexagonal carbon layers have an extremely high activity and are suitable as a support for catalytic metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignees: GSI Creos Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yanagisawa, Morinobu Endo
  • Patent number: 7045108
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a long carbon nanotube yarn includes the following steps: (1) providing a flat and smooth substrate; (2) depositing a catalyst on the substrate; (3) positioning the substrate with the catalyst in a furnace; (4) heating the furnace to a predetermined temperature; (5) supplying a mixture of carbon containing gas and protecting gas into the furnace; (6) controlling a difference between the local temperature of the catalyst and the furnace temperature to be at least 50° C.; (7) controlling the partial pressure of the carbon containing gas to be less than 0.2; (8) growing a number of carbon nanotubes on the substrate such that a carbon nanotube array is formed on the substrate; and (9) drawing out a bundle of carbon nanotubes from the carbon nanotube array such that a carbon nanotube yarn is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: KaiLi Jiang, Shoushan Fan, QunQing Li
  • Patent number: 7037622
    Abstract: A hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material is provided. The hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material is obtained by heating a carbonaceous material at lower than about 800° C. before hydrogen is stored under the pressure of hydrogen of about 50 atmospheric pressure or higher. The present invention also provides hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material that is obtained by hydrogen storage in the hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material under the pressure of hydrogen of about 50 atmospheric pressure or higher. This hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material is used for a battery or a fuel cell. The hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material is heated at lower than about 800° C. before the hydrogen is stored under the pressure of hydrogen of about 50 atmospheric pressure or higher, so that the hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material whose hydrogen storage capacity is greatly enhanced can be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Eisuke Negishi, Masashi Shiraishi, Hisashi Kajiura
  • Patent number: 7026432
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a conductive composition comprises blending a polymer precursor with a single wall carbon nanotube composition; and polymerizing the polymer precursor to form an organic polymer. The method may be advantageously used for manufacturing automotive components, computer components, and other components where electrical conductivity properties are desirable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanjay Gurbasappa Charati, Dibakar Dhara, Mark Elkovitch, Soumyadeb Ghosh, Nitin Mutha, Srinivasan Rajagopalan, Abbas Alli Shaikh
  • Patent number: 7018602
    Abstract: A carbon fiber for a field electron emitter has a coaxial stacking morphology of truncated conical tubular graphene layers, each of which includes a hexagonal carbon layer and has a large ring end and a small ring end at opposite ends in the axial direction. The edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on at least part of the large ring ends. Since all the exposed edges function as electron emission tips, a large amount of emission current can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignees: GSI Creos Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yanagisawa, Morinobu Endo
  • Patent number: 7018601
    Abstract: A carbon fiber product according to the present invention is a carbon fiber product in which one to several hundreds of hexagonal carbon layers in the shape of a bottomless cup are stacked. Edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on at least part of an outer surface or inner surface. The exposed part of the edges of the hexagonal carbon layers have a high degree of activity and excel in adhesion to base materials such as resins. Therefore, this carbon fiber product is suitable as a material for composites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignees: GSI Creos Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yanagisawa, Morinobu Endo
  • Patent number: 7018600
    Abstract: In an expanded carbon fiber product according to the present invention, a number of hexagonal carbon layers in the shape of a cup having no bottom are stacked. At least part of edges of the hexagonal carbon layers is exposed at an outer surface or inner surface of the expanded carbon fiber product. At least part of gaps between the hexagonal carbon layers is larger than the gaps between the hexagonal carbon layers at the time of vapor growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignees: GSI Creos Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yanagisawa, Morinobu Endo
  • Patent number: 7014951
    Abstract: A hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material is provided. The present invention relates to a hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material obtained by storing hydrogen in a carbonaceous material heated at more than about 230° C. under pressure in a reducing atmosphere, a battery and a fuel cell using same. The carbonaceous material is heated at more than about 230° C. under pressure in a reducing atmosphere so that its surface can be efficiently cleaned and an area where the surface of the carbonaceous material comes into contact with hydrogen atoms or hydrogen molecules is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Kajiura, Masashi Shiraishi, Eisuke Negishi, Masafumi Ata
  • Patent number: 7014829
    Abstract: A carbon fiber in which hexagonal carbon layers in the shape of a bottomless cup are stacked. At least part of edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on an outer surface and an inner surface of the carbon fiber. The exposed large ring end has an armchair edge, a zigzag edge, and a chiral edge on the circumference. This carbon fiber has a high degree of activity on the exposed edges of the hexagonal carbon layers and the surfaces of the carbon fiber. Therefore, the carbon fiber can be used as various types of filters and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: GSi Creos Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yanagisawa, Shunji Higaki
  • Patent number: 7013708
    Abstract: Nanotubes and nanotube-based devices are implemented in a variety of applications. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a nanotube is doped with an impurity atom and used to detect the presence of a particular molecular species as a function of the particular molecular species bonding to the impurity atom. In one implementation, the doped nanotube responds electrically to the bonding of the particular molecular species to the impurity atom. With this approach, nanotubes such as single-walled carbon nanotubes can be doped to respond selectively to one or more types of molecular species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Kyeongjae Cho, Shu Peng
  • Patent number: 7014952
    Abstract: A hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material is provided. The hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material is obtained by heating a carbonaceous material in a gas atmosphere including hydrogen gas and substantially including no reactive gas as impurity gas to store hydrogen. According to the present invention, since the surface of the carbonaceous material can be cleaned and hydrogen can be stored in the carbonaceous material in the same gas atmosphere and a hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material can be produced by controlling a heating process time in the gas atmosphere including the hydrogen gas and substantially including no reactive gas as the impurity gas. This can facilitate the use of the hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material as applied to devices, systems, processes and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Shiraishi, Hisashi Kajiura, Eisuke Negishi, Masafumi Ata
  • Patent number: 7011884
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing carbon nanotubes with an integrally attached outer graphitic layer is disclosed. The graphitic layer improves the ability to handle and manipulate the nanometer size nanotube device in various applications, such as a probe tip in scanning probe microscopes and optical microscopes, or as an electron emitting device. A thermal chemical vapor deposition reactor is the preferred reaction vessel in which a transition metal catalyst with an inert gas, hydrogen gas and a carbon-containing gas mixture are heated at various temperatures in a range between 500° C. and 1000° C. with gases and temperatures being adjusted periodically during the reaction times required to grow the nanotube core and subsequently grow the desired outer graphitic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Chow, Dan Zhou, Stephen Kleckley
  • Patent number: 7008725
    Abstract: A hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material is provided. The present invention provides a hydrogen-storing carbonaceous material obtained by heating a carbonaceous material at more than about 50° C. under the atmosphere of reducing gas, a hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material obtained by hydrogen storage in the carbonaceous material heated at more than about 50° C. under the atmosphere of reducing gas, and a battery or a fuel cell using the hydrogen-stored carbonaceous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Kajiura, Masashi Shiraishi, Eisuke Negishi, Masafumi Ata
  • Patent number: 6998171
    Abstract: A fine carbon fiber having a multilayer structure having stacked cylindrical carbon sheets and a center axis having a hollow structure. The fine carbon fiber has an outer diameter of 2 to 300 nm and an aspect ratio of 10 to 15,000, and at least one cylindrical carbon sheet layer among the multiple layers is folded at an end part of the carbon fiber and continued to another cylindrical carbon sheet. The folded and continued cylindrical carbon sheets form a cylindrical structure opened at the end part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Showa Denko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Morita, Hitoshi Inoue, Yutaka Suhara
  • Patent number: 6986876
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 6979709
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to carbon fiber produced from single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) molecular arrays. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a macroscopic carbon fiber comprising at least 106 signal-wall carbon nanotubes in generally parallel orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew G. Rinzler, Jason H. Hafner, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 6969504
    Abstract: The present invention concerns electrical conductors comprising armchair single-wall carbon nanotubes. Such electrical conductors made by the invention are metallic, i.e., they will conduct electrical charges with a relatively low resistance. The amount of armchair single-wall carbon nanotubes in the electrical conductor can be greater than 10%, greater than 30%, greater than 50%, greater than 75%, and greater than 90%, of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the electrical conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard E. Smalley, Daniel T. Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew G. Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 6969503
    Abstract: A carbon fiber has a coaxial stacking morphology of truncated conical tubular graphene layers, wherein each of the graphene layers includes a hexagonal carbon layer and has a large ring end at one end and a small ring end at the other end in the axial direction. When the carbon fiber is subjected to a heat treatment in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, the large ring ends of each two of the hexagonal carbon layers are linked by layer link sections in at least one of groups of the hexagonal carbon layers arranged in an axial direction, and an outer surface is closed to have a multi-semiring structure in cross section. When the carbon fiber is then subjected to a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere, the layer link sections are released, whereby the edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed at the large ring ends in a regularly arranged manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: GSI Creos Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yanagisawa, Shunji Higaki
  • Patent number: 6960334
    Abstract: Straight, nano-scale-order amorphous carbon tubes having a long-term stable ability for storing various kinds of gases and being stable in shape, and a novel process for producing said carbon tubes with high purity, high yield and high mass-productivity are provided. The amorphous nano-scale carbon tubes are prepared by subjecting a heat-decomposable resin having a decomposition temperature of 200 to 900° C. to an excitation treatment in the presence of a metal powder and/or a metal salt, or by subjecting a carbon material containing —C?C— and/or ?C? to a heat-treatment at 3000° C. or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Company Limited
    Inventors: Hisaji Matsui, Ryoichi Nishida, Hitoshi Nishino, Chiharu Yamaguchi, Haruyuki Nakaoka, Kazuhiro Takezaki, Katsuhiro Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6939525
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming arrays of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention involves forming an array from more than one separately prepared molecular arrays or templates to prepare a composite structure. The multiple arrays can be the same or different with respect to the SWNT type or geometric arrangement in the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Daniel T. Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason H. Hafner, Andrew G. Rinzler, Richard E. Smalley, Jie Liu, Kenneth A. Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Patent number: 6936565
    Abstract: Compositions including modified carbide-containing nanorods and/or modified oxycarbide-containing nanorods and/or modified carbon nanotubes bearing carbides and oxycarbides and methods of making the same are provided. Rigid porous structures including modified oxycarbide-containing nanorods and/or modified carbide containing nanorods and/or modified carbon nanotubes bearing modified carbides and oxycarbides and methods of making the same are also provided. The compositions and rigid porous structures of the invention can be used either as catalyst and/or catalyst supports in fluid phase catalytic chemical reactions. Processes for making supported catalyst for selected fluid phase catalytic reactions are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Hyperion Catalysis International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Ma, David Moy
  • Patent number: 6936653
    Abstract: The invention relates to a composite comprising a weight fraction of single-wall carbon nanotubes and at least one polar polymer wherein the composite has an electrical and/or thermal conductivity enhanced over that of the polymer alone. The invention also comprises a method for making this polymer composition. The present application provides composite compositions that, over a wide range of single-wall carbon nanotube loading, have electrical conductivities exceeding those known in the art by more than one order of magnitude. The electrical conductivity enhancement depends on the weight fraction (F) of the single-wall carbon nanotubes in the composite. The electrical conductivity of the composite of this invention is at least 5 Siemens per centimeter (S/cm) at (F) of 0.5 (i.e. where single-wall carbon nanotube loading weight represents half of the total composite weight), at least 1 S/cm at a F of 0.1, at least 1×10?4 S/cm at (F) of 0.004, at least 6×10?9 S/cm at (F) of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Carbon NanoTechnologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth O. McElrath, Kenneth A. Smith, Thomas M. Tiano, Margaret E. Roylance