Carbon nanotube structures and methods of manufacture and use
AssigneeBrother International Corporation
InventorKangning Liang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making a carbon nanotube structure includes forming a plurality of carbon nanotubes and contacting the carbon nanotubes with a polymer. A solid composition is formed from the carbon nanotubes and polymer and then shaped. For example, the solid composition can be shaped into an elongated structure such as a filament, wire, rope, cable, and the like. In at least some instances, at least some, or all, of the polymer is removed from the solid composition after it is shaped.
Claims19
A method of making a carbon nanotube structure, the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes on a substrate;
- contacting the carbon nanotubes on the substrate with a polymer;
- forming a solid composition from the carbon nanotubes and the polymer on the substrate;
- removing at least a portion of the solid composition from the substrate;
- shaping the removed portion of the solid composition into a filament while substantially retaining alignment of the carbon nanotubes within the solid composition;
- removing at least a portion of the polymer after shaping the solid composition into the filament, wherein the filament retains its shape;
- coupling opposite ends of the filament to electrically conductive leads, and
- disposing the filament in a sealed envelope to form a light bulb.
A method of making a carbon nanotube structure, the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes on a substrate;
- contacting the carbon nanotubes on the substrate with a polymer;
- forming a solid composition from the carbon nanotubes and the polymer on the substrate;
- removing at least a portion of the solid composition from the substrate;
- shaping the removed portion of the solid composition while substantially retaining alignment of the carbon nanotubes within the solid composition;
- and
- removing substantially all of the polymer from the solid composition after shaping the solid composition, wherein a remaining portion of the solid composition retains its shape.
A method of making a light bulb, comprising:
- forming a filament for the light bulb by
- forming a plurality of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes on a substrate,
- contacting the carbon nanotubes on the substrate with a polymer,
- forming a solid composition from the carbon nanotubes and the polymer on the substrate,
- removing at least a portion of the solid composition from the substrate,
- shaping the carbon nanotubes in the removed portion of the solid composition into a filament while substantially retaining alignment of the carbon nanotubes within the solid composition, and
- removing substantially all of the polymer after shaping the solid composition, wherein a remaining portion of the solid composition retains its shape as a filament;
- coupling ends of the filament to a plurality of leads;
- and
- disposing the filament and leads in an envelope to form a light bulb in which the filament emits visible light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.