# US 10,479,688 B2 · Systems and methods of manufacturing nanotube structures

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- Number: US 10,479,688 B2
- Document ID: US10479688B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/809,802
- Filed: 2015-07-27
- Published: 2015-11-19
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2004-04-27
- Applicants: Steven Sullivan
- Inventors: Steven Sullivan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479688B2

## CPC

- C01B 32/16: Preparation
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- D01F 9/12: Carbon filaments; Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture thereof
- B29K 2105/162: {Nanoparticles}
- C01B 2202/34: Length
- Y10T 156/1038: Hollow cylinder article
- Y10T 156/12: Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
- Y10T 428/2975: Tubular or cellular
- Y10T 428/298: Physical dimension
- Y10T 428/2982: Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A tube manufacturing system is provided that is capable of manufacturing tube structures that are on the nanoscale and larger. The system provides for control as to the structure and atomic makeup of the feed sheet material used and provides motive force to the sheet material being used to continuously advance the sheet material through the various system components. After the tube structures are formed, they may be used in providing a source material for manufacturing macroscopic objects thus increasing the level of performance and capabilities of such objects due to the engineered properties of the tube structures formed within this system and method of manufacturing. Processes for manufacturing of nanotubes are also disclosed, as are nanotubes manufactured by the processes and system of the invention.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a reservoir holding an aqueous volume of graphite feed stock material;
a rotating drum partially submerged within the aqueous volume of graphite feed stock material in the reservoir;
an ionizing radiation emitter adjacent to the drum and configured to emit ionizing radiation onto a portion of the graphite feed stock which is on the rotating drum as it rotates out of the aqueous volume in the reservoir, to remove non-carbon atoms from the graphite feed stock onto which the ionizing radiation is emitted by ionizing them into a gas.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the ionizing radiation emitter is a laser.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the graphite feed stock material comprises liquid trichlorobenzene or dichlorobenzene.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the graphite feed stock is peptized by tannin, forming an aqueous solution or a dispersion in oil.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the aqueous solution or dispersion in oil comprises deflocculated graphite.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a starter substrate placed on an outer surface of the drum.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the starter substrate comprises biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate.

### Claim 8

A method, comprising:
holding an aqueous volume of graphite feed stock material in a reservoir;
rotating a drum partially submerged within the aqueous volume of graphite feed stock material in the reservoir;
as a portion of an outer surface of the drum rotates out of the aqueous volume of graphite feed stock material in the reservoir, emitting ionizing radiation onto a portion of the graphite feed stock which is deposited on the portion of the outer surface of the drum and ionizing non-carbon atoms in the portion of the graphite feed stock into a gas to remove them.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein emitting ionizing radiation comprises directing a laser beam.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising initially peptizing the graphite feed stock by tannin to form an aqueous solution or a dispersion in oil.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the aqueous solution or the dispersion in oil consists of deflocculated graphite.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising placing a starter substrate on the outer surface of the drum.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the starter substrate comprises biaxialy oriented polyethylene terephthalate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the graphite feed stock material comprises liquid trichlorobenzene or dichlorobenzene.