Apparatus and method for producing aligned carbon-nanotube aggregates

A method for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate on a base material having a catalyst on a surface thereof, the method comprising:

• a formation step of causing an environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a reducing gas and heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas, the formation step being executed in a formation unit;
• a growth step of synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by causing the environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a raw material gas containing a catalyst activation material and by heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas, the growth step being executed in a growth unit.

A method for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate on a base material having a catalyst on a surface thereof, the method comprising:

• a formation step of causing an environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a reducing gas and heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas, the formation step being executed in a formation unit which has a formation furnace;
• a growth step of synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by causing the environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a raw material gas and by heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas, the growth step being executed in a growth unit which has a growth furnace,
• a step of providing means for preventing gas from mixing in order to prevent gas from the formation furnace from mixing with gas from the growth furnace, wherein means for preventing gas from mixing is provided in a connecting section through which the formation unit and transfer unit have their respective furnaces spatially connected.

A method for producing an aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate on a base material having a catalyst on a surface thereof, the method comprising:

• a formation step of causing an environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a reducing gas and heating at least either the catalyst or the reducing gas, the formation step being executed in a formation unit which has a formation furnace;
• a growth step of synthesizing the aligned carbon-nanotube aggregate by causing the environment surrounding the catalyst to be an environment of a raw material gas and by heating at least either the catalyst or the raw material gas, the growth step being executed in a growth unit which has a growth furnace,
• a step of preventing gas from mixing in order to prevent gas from the formation furnace from mixing with gas from the growth furnace, wherein the gas is prevented from mixing by providing a connecting section through which the formation unit and transfer unit have their respective furnaces spatially connected.