# US 10,766,227 B2 · Method of manufacturing carbon nanotube composite and laminate

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- Number: US 10,766,227 B2
- Document ID: US10766227B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/945,162
- Filed: 2018-04-04
- Published: 2018-10-11
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-04-05
- Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Tomoya Tagami; Gang Xie
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766227B2

## CPC

- B32B 9/007: {comprising carbon, e.g. graphite, composite carbon}
- B32B 15/015: {the said other metal being copper or nickel or an alloy thereof}
- B32B 15/04: comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)}
- C01B 32/162: characterised by catalysts
- C01B 32/168: After-treatment
- B32B 2250/05: 5 or more layers
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- Y10T 428/12458: having composition, density, or hardness gradient
- Y10T 428/12535: with additional, spatially distinct nonmetal component
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- 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
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube composite includes: a laminate forming step of forming, on a conductive base material made of a first metal having conductivity, a buffer layer made of a second metal capable of mutual diffusion with the first metal, and forming, on the buffer layer, a catalyst layer made of seed catalyst particles which catalyze formation of carbon nanotubes; a buffer layer diffusion step of performing heat treatment on the laminate; and a carbon nanotube layer forming step of forming the carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer of the laminate by a chemical vapor deposition method, wherein the heat treatment is performed so as to form a solid phase diffusion region where the first metal and the second metal are solid-phase diffused from a surface of the conductive base material to a predetermined depth selected from depths of 850 nm or more.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube composite, comprising:
a laminate forming step of forming, on a conductive base material made of a first metal having conductivity, a buffer layer made of a second metal capable of mutual diffusion with the first metal, and forming, on the buffer layer, a catalyst layer made of seed catalyst particles which catalyze formation of carbon nanotubes;
a buffer layer diffusion step of performing heat treatment on the laminate to raise the temperature of the laminate to predetermined temperature range of 500° C. or higher and then holding the laminate at the predetermined temperature range of 500° C. or higher for a predetermined holding time; and
a carbon nanotube layer forming step of forming the carbon nanotubes on the catalyst layer of the laminate by a chemical vapor deposition method,
wherein the buffer layer diffusion step is a step of performing the heat treatment under inert gas introduction so as to form a solid phase diffusion region where the first metal and the second metal are solid-phase diffused from a surface of the conductive base material to a predetermined depth selected from depths of 850 nm or more.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube composite according to claim 1,
wherein a concentration of the second metal in the solid phase diffusion region is 1 atomic° or more.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube composite according to claim 1,
wherein the predetermined holding time is more than 1 minute.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube composite according to claim 1,
wherein the predetermined temperature range is from 500° C. to 700° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube composite according to claim 1,
wherein the first metal is copper, and
the second metal is a metal including aluminum.

### Claim 6

A laminate comprising:
a conductive base material made of a first metal having conductivity;
a buffer layer that is on the conductive base material and made of a second metal capable of mutual diffusion with the first metal;
a catalyst layer that is on the buffer layer and made of seed catalyst particles which catalyze formation of carbon nanotubes; and
a solid phase diffusion region where the first metal and the second metal are solid-phase diffused from a surface of the conductive base material to a predetermined depth selected from depths of 850 nm or more.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The laminate according to claim 6,
wherein a concentration of the second metal in the solid phase diffusion region is 1 atomic% or more.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The laminate according to claim 6,
wherein the first metal is copper, and
the second metal is a metal including aluminum.