# US 10,766,780 B2 · Boron nitride nanotube vibration damping > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,780 B2 - Document ID: US10766780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/204,017 - Filed: 2018-11-29 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-07 - Assignees: Bnnt, LLC - Applicants: Bnnt, LLC - Inventors: R. Roy Whitney; Thomas G. Dushatinski; Thomas W. Henneberg; Kevin C. Jordan; Diego Pedrazzoli; Jonathan C. Stevens; Michael W. Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766780B2 ## CPC - C01B 35/146: {Compounds containing boron and nitrogen, e.g. borazoles (ammonium tetrafluoborates C01B35/063; ammonium borates C01B35/12)} - C01B 21/0648: {After-treatment, e.g. grinding, purification (transformation of hexagonal into cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride C04B35/5831)} - F16F 1/3605: {characterised by their material (F16F1/362, F16F1/364, F16F1/366, F16F1/37 take precedence; composition of macromolecular compounds in general C08L)} - F16F 9/00: Springs, vibration-dampers, shock-absorbers, or similarly-constructed movement-dampers using a fluid or the equivalent as damping medium (F16F5/00 takes precedence; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; {braking devices, stops or buffers for wing-operating appliances E05F3/00, E05F5/00}) - F16F 9/306: {of the constrained layer type, i.e. comprising one or more constrained viscoelastic layers} - F16F 15/00: Suppression of vibrations in systems ({damping of non-rotary systems using inertia effect F16F7/10; prevention or isolation of vibrations in machine tools B23Q11/0032; suppression of driveline vibrations in hybrid vehicle transmissions B60W30/20} ; vehicle seat suspension devices B60N2/50; {methods or devices for protecting against, or damping of, acoustic waves, e.g. sound G10K11/16}); Means or arrangements for avoiding or reducing out-of-balance forces, e.g. due to motion ({vibration absorbing or balancing means for aircraft propellers B64C11/008, for rotorcraft rotors B64C27/001} ; testing static and dynamic balance of machines or structures G01M1/00) - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - C01P 2004/13: Nanotubes - C01P 2006/10: Solid density - C01P 2006/12: Surface area - C01P 2006/22: Rheological behaviour as dispersion, e.g. viscosity, sedimentation stability - C01P 2006/90: Other properties not specified above - F16F 1/362: made of steel wool, compressed hair, {woven or non-woven textile, or like materials} - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS ## Abstract As disclosed herein, the viscoelastic performance of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) materials may be enhanced and made into useful formats by utilizing purified BNNTs, aligned BNNTs, isotopically enhanced BNNTs, and density controlled BNNT material. Minimizing the amounts of boron particles, a-BN particles, and h-BN nanocages, and optimizing the h-BN nanosheets has the effect of maximizing the amount of BNNT surface area present that may interact with BNNTs themselves and thereby create the nanotube-to-nanotube friction that generates the viscoelastic behavior over temperatures from near absolute zero to near 1900 K. Aligning the BNNT molecular strands with each other within the BNNT material also generates enhanced friction surfaces. The transport of phonons along the BNNT molecules may be further enhanced by utilizing isotopically enhanced BNNTs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A BNNT vibration damper comprising: a cylindrical BNNT mat having a central axis and a diameter perpendicular to the central axis, wherein the cylindrical BNNT mat comprises a BNNT material displaced around the central axis and having a first nanotube alignment in a direction parallel to the central axis, and compressed in a direction parallel to the central axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material comprises a second nanotube alignment in a direction perpendicular to the central axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material comprises a BNNT buckypaper. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material comprises an enhanced concentration of at least one of 10B and 11B. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material is formed from an as-synthesized BNNT material and has a compressed density of about 1 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than the density of the as-synthesized BNNT material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material comprises at least one of a BNNT thread, a BNNT yarn, and a BNNT fabric. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material comprises a plurality of at least one of a BNNT thread, a BNNT yarn, a BNNT mat, and a BNNT fabric. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, further comprising a second cylindrical BNNT mat in a stack with the cylindrical BNNT mat. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical BNNT mat exhibits viscoelastic behavior from 77 K to 400 K. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material comprises boron particles of less than 50% by mass of the BNNT material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 1, wherein the BNNT material comprises boron particles of less than 20% by mass of the BNNT material. ### Claim 12 A BNNT vibration damper comprising: a cylindrical BNNT mat having a central axis and a diameter perpendicular to the central axis, wherein the cylindrical BNNT mat comprises a BNNT buckypaper displaced around the central axis and having a first nanotube alignment in a direction parallel to the central axis, and compressed in a direction parallel to the central axis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 12, wherein the BNNT buckypaper comprises a second nanotube alignment in a direction perpendicular to the central axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 12, wherein the BNNT buckypaper comprises an enhanced concentration of at least one of 10B and 11B. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 12, wherein the BNNT buckypaper is formed from an as-synthesized BNNT material and has a compressed density of about 1 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than the density of the as-synthesized BNNT material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 12, further comprising a second cylindrical BNNT mat in a stack with the cylindrical BNNT mat. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 12, wherein the cylindrical BNNT mat exhibits viscoelastic behavior from 77 K to 400 K. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 12, wherein the BNNT material comprises boron particles of less than 50% by mass of the BNNT material. ### Claim 19 A BNNT vibration damper comprising: a cylindrical BNNT mat having a central axis and a diameter perpendicular to the central axis, wherein the cylindrical BNNT mat comprises a BNNT buckypaper displaced around the central axis and having a first nanotube alignment in a direction parallel to the central axis and a second nanotube alignment in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, and compressed in a direction parallel to the central axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The BNNT vibration damper of claim 19, wherein the BNNT material comprises boron particles of less than 50% by mass of the BNNT material.