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US 11,623,865 B2Granted
Continuous boron nitride nanotube fibers
AssigneeBnnt, LLC
InventorsMichael W. Smith, Jonathan C. Stevens, Kevin C. Jordan, R. Roy Whitney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are apparatus, systems, and methods for the continuous production of BNNT fibers, BNNT strands and BNNT initial yarns having few defects and good alignment. BNNTs may be formed by thermally exciting a boron feedstock in a chamber in the presence of pressurized nitrogen. BNNTs are encouraged to self-assemble into aligned BNNT fibers in a growth zone, and form BNNT strands and BNNT initial yarns, through various combinations of nitrogen gas flow direction and velocities, heat source distribution, temperature gradients, and chamber geometries.
Claims18
An apparatus for producing aligned boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) fibers, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber providing a boron feedstock mounting surface, the mounting surface housing a boron feedstock and configured to support a boron melt;
- a nitrogen gas supply system containing nitrogen gas and configured to feed nitrogen gas at an elevated pressure to the chamber and to direct the gas through the chamber in a first direction;
- a heat source configured to target and supply heat to a boron feedstock on the mounting structure, wherein the heat source provides heat into the chamber sufficient to convert the boron feedstock into a boron melt;
- and
- wherein the chamber defines a growth zone region downstream of the mounting structure in the first direction, the growth zone region having a first volume and a first cross-sectional area configured to allow BNNT self-assembly in a nitrogen gas flow downstream of the feedstock mounting surface in the first direction;
- wherein the chamber defines an interference zone region downstream of the growth zone region in the first direction, the interference zone region having a second volume and a second cross-sectional area configured to allow self-assembled BNNT fibers flowing from the growth zone region to form BNNT strands, the second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area;
- wherein the chamber further defines a collection region downstream of the growth zone region and the interference zone region in the first direction, the collection region having a spooling mechanism configured to collect BNNT strands flowing from the interference zone region.
4 more elements
An apparatus for producing aligned boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) fibers, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber providing a boron feedstock mounting surface, the mounting surface housing a boron feedstock and configured to support a boron melt;
- a nitrogen gas supply system containing nitrogen gas and configured to feed nitrogen gas at an elevated pressure to the chamber and to direct the gas through the chamber in a first direction;
- a heat source configured to target and supply heat to_a boron feedstock on the mounting structure, wherein the heat source provides heat into the chamber sufficient to convert the boron feedstock into a boron melt;
- and
- wherein the chamber defines:
- a growth zone region downstream of the mounting structure in the first direction, the growth zone region having a first volume and a first cross-sectional area configured to allow BNNT self-assembly in a nitrogen gas flow downstream of the feedstock mounting surface in the first direction;
- an interference zone region downstream of the grown zone region in the first direction, the interference zone region having a second volume and a second cross-sectional area configured to allow self-assembled BNNT fibers flowing from the growth zone region to form BNNT strands;
- and
- a collection region downstream of the growth zone region and the interference zone region in the first direction, the collection region having a spooling mechanism configured to collect BNNT strands flowing from the interference zone region.
6 more elements
An apparatus for producing aligned boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) fibers, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber providing a boron feedstock mounting surface, the mounting surface housing a boron feedstock and configured to support a boron melt;
- a nitrogen gas supply system containing nitrogen gas and configured to feed nitrogen gas at an elevated pressure to the chamber and to direct the gas through the chamber in a first direction;
- a heat source for thermally exciting a boron feedstock on the mounting structure, wherein the heat source provides heat into the chamber sufficient to convert the boron feedstock into a boron melt;
- and
- wherein the chamber includes:
- a growth zone region downstream of the mounting structure in the first direction, the growth zone region having a first volume and a first cross-sectional area configured to allow BNNT self-assembly in a nitrogen gas flow downstream of the feedstock mounting surface in the first direction;
- an interference zone region downstream of the grown zone region in the first direction, the interference zone region having a second volume and a second cross-sectional area configured to allow self-assembled BNNT fibers flowing from the growth zone region to form BNNT strands, the second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area;
- a stretch zone region downstream of the interference zone region in the first direction, the stretch zone region configured for BNNT strands flowing from the interference zone to increase in length and decrease in diameter;
- and
- a collection region downstream of the stretch zone region in the first direction, the collection region having a spooling mechanism configured to collect BNNT strands flowing from the interference zone region.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.