Isolation and purification of single walled carbon nanotube structures
AssigneeGB Tech, Inc.
InventorsPavel Nikolaev, Sivaram Arepalli, Mark S.F. Clarke, Daniel L. Feeback
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Abstract
Disclosed are methods for isolating and purifying single wall carbon nanotubes from contaminant matrix material, methods for forming arrays of substantially aligned nanotubes, and products and apparatus comprising a plurality of nanotube structures.
Claims139
A method for separating carbon nanotubes from contaminants comprising the steps of:
- introducing nanotube-containing material including contaminants into an aqueous medium containing at least one dispersal agent to create a nanotube solution;
- agitating the solution to coat exposed surfaces of the nanotubes with dispersal agent to form a dispersed nanotube solution;
- and
- removing excess dispersal agent medium from the dispersed nanotube solution.
A method for transforming a carbon nanotube bundle comprised of a plurality of carbon nanotubes into discrete, individual carbon nanotube filaments comprising the steps of introducing the nanotube bundle into an aqueous medium containing an effective amount of a dispersal agent to substantially disperse the nanotube bundle into individual filaments in solution.
A method of producing a nanotube assembly that includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes assembled in a geometrically ordered configuration on a substrate comprising:
- introducing the plurality of carbon nanotubes into an aqueous medium containing at least one dispersal agent, the dispersal agent present in an amount effective to substantially coat the nanotubes and disperse the nanotubes into individual coated nanotubes in solution;
- depositing the medium containing the coated nanotubes on a substrate surface such that assemblies of nanotubes form on the substrate surface and the coating assists in aligning the nanotubes in a geometrically ordered configuration;
- and
- removing the excess aqueous medium from the substrate surface.
A medium for storing discrete carbon nanotubes comprising an aqueous dispersal agent solution containing nanotubes, with the nanotube surfaces being coated with a dispersal agent, the dispersal agent preventing the nanotubes from adhering to one another.
A device comprising assemblies of single wall carbon nanotubes arrayed on a substrate, with the carbon nanotubes being coated with an agent that assists in maintaining the nanotubes in a geometrically ordered configuration with respect to one another.
A method of solubilizing a carbon nanotube bundle into individual carbon nanotube filaments in an aqueous medium comprising introducing the nanotube bundle into an aqueous medium containing an effective amount of a dispersal agent to substantially disperse the nanotube bundle into individual filaments in solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.