Substrate carriers and articles formed from compositions comprising carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Substrate containers formed from improved compositions comprise a polymer and carbon nanotubes to provide enhanced characteristics. In some embodiments, the carbon fibers, e.g., nanotubes, can be mechanically blended or incorporated into the polymer, while in some embodiments carbon nanotubes also may be covalently bonded to the polymer to form corresponding covalent materials. In particular, the polymer can be covalently bonded to the side walls of the carbon nanotubes to form a composite with particularly desirable mechanical properties. The processing of the nanotubes can be facilitated by the dispersion of the nanotubes in an aqueous solution comprising a hydrophylic polymer, such as ethyl vinyl acetate. A dispersion of nanotubes can be combined with a polymer in an extrusion process to blend the materials under high shear, such as in an extruder.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of forming a substrate carrier, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an amount of single wall carbon nanotubes, an amount of thermoplastic polymer, and a multiple screw extruder having a length, wherein the multiple screw extruder comprises a proximal end and a distal end, one or more delivery hoppers at the proximal end and a die at the distal end, the multiple screws extending between the first hopper and the die;   extrusion compounding the amount of single wall carbon nanotubes and the thermoplastic polymer together to produce an extruded composition by dispersion mixing, wherein the dispersion mixing is by:
 contemporaneously adding the amount of single wall carbon nanotubes and the thermoplastic polymer into the one or more delivery hoppers at the proximal end; or 
 adding the thermoplastic polymer into the one or more hoppers at the proximal end and adding the amount of single wall carbon nanotubes into a distal hopper at a location equal to or greater than half the length of an extruder; and 
   injecting the extruded composition into a mold for a substrate carrier component to form the substrate carrier.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the dispersion mixing is by contemporaneously adding the amount of single wall carbon nanotubes and the thermoplastic polymer into the one or more delivery hoppers at the proximal end. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide (PEI), Polyimide (PI), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polyetherketone (PEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), tetrafluoroethylene/per-fluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer (PFA), Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), tetrafluoroethylene/per-fluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer (PFA), polycarbonate and mixtures, blends and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the polymer comprises liquid crystal polymer. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the amount of single wall carbon nanotubes essentially consist of single carbon nanotubes and ropes of single wall carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the dispersion mixing is done free of solvents. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the storage modulus of the extruded composition does not increase with further extrusion compounding and is substantially invariant.