Systems and methods of manufacturing nanotube structures

Abstract

A tube manufacturing system is provided that is capable of manufacturing tube structures that are on the nanoscale and larger. The system provides for control as to the structure and atomic makeup of the feed sheet material used and provides motive force to the sheet material being used to continuously advance the sheet material through the various system components. After the tube structures are formed, they may be used in providing a source material for manufacturing macroscopic objects thus increasing the level of performance and capabilities of such objects due to the engineered properties of the tube structures formed within this system and method of manufacturing. Processes for manufacturing of nanotubes are also disclosed, as are nanotubes manufactured by the processes and system of the invention.

1 . A system for producing nanotubes, said system comprising: 
 a device that applies mechanical stress to a sheet of material that is suitable for use in formation of nanotubes;    a device that cleaves the sheet of material; and    a device that supplies or removes the sheet of material.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the three devices are the same device.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device that applies mechanical stress comprises two rollers adjacent to each other, the rollers having generally complementary surface geometries such that material passing between the two surfaces is mechanically deformed to mimic the geometries of the two surfaces.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device that cleaves the sheet of material comprises two rollers, each comprising its own respective surface, each of said rollers adjustably mounted to the device such that they can be positioned in close enough proximity to each other to cause cleavage of the sheet of material.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device that supplies or removes the sheet of material comprises two rollers adjacent to each other, the rollers having generally complementary surface geometries such that material passing between the two surfaces is mechanically deformed to mimic the geometries of the two surfaces.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a device that forms the sheet material into generally tubular or rounded forms.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a device that aligns the material before it enters the device that applies stress to the material or the device that cleaves the material.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fusing device that causes fusion of cleaved material into nanotubes.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a device for storing or holding cleaved material or nanotubes.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a device for making graphene.  
     
     
         11 . A process of making a nanotube, said process comprising: 
 providing at least one material suitable for formation into nanotubes,    subjecting the material to stress to deform it,    cleaving the material,    forming the material into a generally round or tubular shape, and    fusing the material to itself or one or two other materials to form a nanotube.    
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the material is graphene.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the stress is mechanical stress.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein cleaving the material comprises applying sufficient mechanical pressure to cause covalent bonds in a graphene material to break.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein forming the material into a generally round or tubular shape comprises feeding a graphene sheet between two rollers having at least a portion of their respective surfaces represent a generally round shape, 
 wherein each of said rollers comprises a complementary shape to the other roller at one or more points along the roller, such that the two surfaces work in concert to form the material into a generally round or tubular shape, and    wherein cleaving and forming occur at the same or essentially the same time.    
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein forming the material into a generally round or tubular shape is performed after cleaving the material.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein fusing occurs spontaneously.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the process is a continuous process.  
     
     
         19 . A nanotube having a length of at least 1 meter.  
     
     
         20 . The nanotube of  claim 19 , wherein the nanotube has a length of at least 10 meters.