Methods for the production of aligned carbon nanotubes and nanostructured material containing the same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a scaled method for producing substantially aligned carbon nanotubes by depositing onto a continuously moving substrate, (1) a catalyst to initiate and maintain the growth of carbon nanotubes, and (2) a carbon-bearing precursor. Products made from the disclosed method, such as monolayers of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes, and methods of using them are also disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for producing substantially aligned carbon nanotubes, said method comprising depositing onto a continuously moving substrate,
 (1) a catalyst to initiate and maintain the growth of carbon nanotubes, and   (2) a carbon-bearing precursor,   growing nanotubes inside of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor at conditions that promote the growth of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes on the catalyst support material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-bearing precursor is preheated by a delivery manifold prior to being introduced into the CVD reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said continuously moving substrate is a flexible ribbon, ridged cylindrical, or ring. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the moving substrate comprises platinum, palladium, iridium, iron, cobalt, nickel, chromium, carbon, silicon, aluminum, magnesium carbon, combinations, alloys or oxides thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said moving substrate comprises fibers, fabrics, mesh, sheets, wafers, cylinders, or ring plates. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depositing a catalyst promotion material prior to depositing said catalyst material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the catalyst promotion material comprises sulfur, water vapor, hydrogen gas, deuterium gas, oxygen, fluorine, helium, argon, ammonium, nitrogen or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said depositing at least one of (1) or (2) is performed using laminar flow conditions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-bearing precursors is comprised of CH 4 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 2 , CO 2 , CO, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said CVD reactor includes at least one technique chosen from, plasma, physical vapor deposition, electromagnetic fields, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially aligned carbon nanotubes are comprised of hollow multi-walled nanotubes, bamboo multi-walled nanotubes, double-walled nanotubes, single-walled nanotubes, nano-spirals, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substantially aligned carbon nanotubes form at least a monolayer of carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said conditions that promote the growth of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes include a temperature ranging from 600 to 1,100 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said conditions that promote the growth of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes include the deposition of carbon bearing precursor at a flow rate per unit substrate surface ranging from 10 ml/(cm 2  min) to 400 ml/(cm 2  min). 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is comprised of iron, cobalt, nickel, platinum, lead, palladium, copper, gold, or any combination or alloy thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises a particle having diameter ranging from 0.7 nm and 50 nm. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said continuously moving substrate is moving at a speed sufficient to produce said carbon nanotubes to a length ranging from 100 um to 20 cm. 
     
     
         20 . A method for producing substantially aligned carbon nanotubes, said method comprising depositing onto a semi-continuous or continuously moving substrate:
 (1) a catalyst to initiate and maintain the growth of carbon nanotubes, said catalyst comprising iron, cobalt, nickel, platinum, lead, palladium, copper, gold, or any combination or alloy thereof; and   (2) a carbon-bearing precursor at a flow rate per unit substrate surface ranging from 10 ml/(cm 2  min) to 400 ml/(cm 2  min),   growing nanotubes inside of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor at a temperature ranging from 600 to 1,100 degrees Celsius,   wherein said substrate comprises a flexible or rigid tape, wire, ribbon, cylindrical, or ring substrate of platinum, palladium, iridium, iron, cobalt, nickel, chromium, carbon, silicon, aluminum, magnesium carbon, combinations, alloys or oxides thereof.