Continuous boron nitride nanotube yarns and methods of production
AssigneeUniversity of New Hampshire
InventorsDavid S. Lashmore, Tyler Bennett
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for producing boron nitride nanotubes and continuous boron nitride nanotube yarn or tapes is provided. The apparatus includes rotating reaction tubes that allow for continuous chemical vapor deposition of boron nitride nanotubes. The rotation of the reaction tubes allows the boron nitride nanotubes to be spun into yarns or made into tapes, without post process or external rotation or spinning of the gathered nanotubes. Boron nitride nanotube yarns or tapes of great length can be produced as a result, thereby providing industry with a readily useable format for this type of material. Dopants such as carbon can be added to engineer the band gap of the nanotubes. Catalysts may be formed outside or inside the reactor.
Claims20
A method of producing boron-nitride nanotube continuous yarn, the method comprising:
- feeding a boron containing gas species and a nitrogen containing gas species, the nitrogen containing gas species and the boron containing gas species being the same or different, a carrier gas, and a catalyst or a catalyst precursor into a plurality of reaction tubes, each reaction tube having a first portion at a first temperature and a second portion at a second temperature greater than the first temperature;
- rotating the reaction tubes around a common axis while the boron, nitrogen and catalyst flow from the first portion to the second portion of each of the plurality of reaction tubes;
- growing boron-nitride nanotubes towards an end of each of the plurality of reaction tubes;
- and
- combining the boron-nitride nanotubes into a yarn as the nanotubes exit the reaction tubes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.