Nanomesh article and method of using the same for purifying fluids
AssigneeSeldon Technologies, LLC
InventorsChristopher H. Cooper, Alan G. Cummings, Mikhail Y. Starostin, Charles P. Honsinger
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are articles for removing contaminants from a fluid, such as a liquid or gas, the article comprising carbon nanotubes, which comprise at least one molecule or cluster attached thereto or located therein, wherein the carbon nanotubes are present in the article in an amount sufficient to reduce the concentration of contaminants in fluid that come into contact with the article. A method of making the nanomesh material used in such articles is also disclosed, as are methods of purifying fluids using these articles.
Claims72
An article for removing contaminants from a fluid, said article comprising carbon nanotubes, at least one of which comprises at least one molecule or cluster attached thereto or located therein,
- wherein the carbon nanotubes are present in the article in an amount sufficient to reduce the concentration of contaminants in fluid that comes into contact with the article and are in the form of an assembled nanomesh in which the carbon nanotubes are connected or attached to other carbon nanotubes, to fibers, to particles, or any combination thereof.
A method of reducing the amount of contaminants in a fluid, said method comprising:
- (a) contacting a fluid with an article comprising carbon nanotubes, a majority of which comprise at least one molecule or cluster attached thereto or located therein,
- wherein the carbon nanotubes are present in the article in an amount sufficient to reduce the concentration of at least one contaminant in fluid that comes into contact with the article and are in the form of an assembled nanomesh in which the carbon nanotubes are connected or attached to other carbon nanotubes, to fibers, to particles, or any combination thereof, and
- (b) removing at least one contaminant from the fluid.
A method of preparing a nanomesh material comprising carbon nanotubes, said method comprising:
- (a) treating the carbon nanotubes by exposing the carbon nanotubes to at least one chemical, radiative or mechanical treatment;
- (b) rinsing the carbon nanotubes in at least one solvent chosen from aqueous, inorganic, and organic solvents;
- (c) forming a suspension of carbon nanotubes by mixing said carbon nanotubes with at least one solvent chosen from aqueous, inorganic, and organic solvents, said suspension optionally containing fibers, particles or combinations thereof,
- wherein one or more carbon nanotubes comprise at least one molecule or cluster attached thereto or located therein;
- and
- (d) depositing the suspension onto a porous substrate to form a nanomesh layer of carbon nanotubes on the porous substrate, wherein the carbon nanotubes are connected or attached to other carbon nanotubes, to said fibers, to said particles, or any combination thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.