Method and Installation for the Manufacture of Carbon Nanotubes
AssigneeUniversite de Liege, Interface Entreprises-Universite
InventorsJean-Paul Pirard, Christophe Bossuot, Patrick Kreit
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Abstract
Method for the manufacture of carbon nanotubes by thermal decomposition of at least one gaseous hydrocarbon (14) in the presence of a solid catalyst in a reactor (4) into which the catalyst is introduced via an inlet lock chamber (17) flushed by an inert gas (21, 22, 25, 26) and from which the carbon nanotubes are withdrawn via an outlet lock chamber (37) which is flushed with a flow of inert gas (39, 40).
Claims20
-16. (canceled)
An installation for the production of carbon nanotubes, comprising a tubular reactor inclined relative to a horizontal surface, a first device for admitting a gaseous reagent to the reactor, a second device for charging the reactor with a pulverulent catalyst, a third device for withdrawing the carbon nanotubes and the pulverulent catalyst from the reactor, and a device for heating the gaseous reagent and catalyst in the reactor;
- the second device comprises a first lock chamber isolated by two valves and provided with connections to an inert gas circuit;
- the third device comprises a second lock chamber isolated by two valves and provided with connections to an inert gas circuit;
- and wherein the first and second lock chambers provide an inert atmosphere in the reactor from a point of admitting the gaseous reagent and charging of the pulverulent catalyst to a point of withdrawing the carbon nanotubes and the pulverulent catalyst.
An installation for the production of carbon nanotubes comprising:
- i) a tubular reactor inclined relative to a horizontal surface on which said tubular reactor is located,
- ii) a first device in connection with the reactor for admitting a gaseous reagent to the reactor,
- iii) a second device in connection with the reactor for charging the reactor with a pulverulent catalyst,
- iv) a third device in connection with the reactor for withdrawing the carbon nanotubes from the reactor, and
- v) a fourth device surrounding at least a part of the reactor for heating the reactor,
- vi) wherein the second device includes a) a lock chamber isolated by two valves and provided with connections to an inert gas circuit, the lock chamber in connection with a hopper via one of the two valves and with an enclosure via the other of the two valves, and b) a powder distributor, the powder distributor in connection with the enclosure such that the pulverulent catalyst is discharged into the reactor by gravity, and the powder distributor controlling a feed rate of the pulverulent catalyst to the reactor,
- vii) wherein the third device includes another lock chamber isolated by two valves and provided with connections to an inert gas circuit,
- viii) wherein the first device and the second device have openings into the reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.