Production apparatus for carbon nanotubes, feed unit for being part of production apparatus, and production method for carbon nanotubes

Abstract

The invention shows a production apparatus ( 10 ) for producing carbon nanotubes by the gas-phase catalysis process, comprising: a first chamber ( 14 ) having a growth region that is a region in which carbon nanotubes are formed; a first temperature adjustment device ( 16, 18 ) capable of adjusting a temperature of the growth region in the first chamber ( 14 ); a pressure adjustment device ( 23, 24 ) capable of adjusting a pressure in the first chamber ( 14 ); a first feed device ( 30 ) capable of feeding a carbon source to the growth region in the first chamber ( 14 ); and a first vaporization device (including heater ( 31 B)) capable of vaporizing a liquid (L) disposed in the production apparatus ( 10 ), wherein the first vaporization device (including heater ( 31 B)) can vaporize the liquid (L) so that at least one kind of gas-phase catalyst is fed to the growth region in the first chamber ( 14 ).

1 . A production apparatus for producing carbon nanotubes by a gas-phase catalysis process, comprising:
 a first chamber having a growth region that is a region in which carbon nanotubes are formed;   a first temperature adjustment device capable of adjusting a temperature of the growth region in the first chamber;   a pressure adjustment device capable of adjusting a pressure in the first chamber;   a first feed device capable of feeding a carbon source to the growth region in the first chamber; and   a first vaporization device capable of vaporizing a liquid disposed in the production apparatus,   wherein the first vaporization device can vaporize the liquid so that at least one kind of gas-phase catalyst is fed to the growth region in the first chamber, wherein the at least one kind of gas-phase catalyst is forming from an iron family element-containing substance and a halogen-containing substance that are contained in the liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a substrate is disposed in the growth region to allow the carbon nanotubes to be formed in an array-like form on a base surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes can be formed by a gas-phase flow reaction in the growth region. 
     
     
         4 . The production apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second chamber in which the liquid can be accommodated and of which inside communicates with inside of the first chamber,
 wherein the first vaporization device can vaporize the liquid in the second chamber.   
     
     
         5 . The production apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising a communication adjustment device capable of adjusting a degree of communication between the first chamber and the second chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid can be disposed in the first chamber. 
     
     
         7 . A feed unit capable of feeding a first liquid composed of at least one kind of a liquid that contains a gas-phase catalyst and a liquid that contains a precursor of the gas-phase catalyst, the feed unit being to be part of a production apparatus for producing carbon nanotubes by a gas-phase catalysis process, the feed unit comprising:
 a feed unit chamber capable of accommodating the first liquid;   a feed unit vaporization device capable of forming a first gas-phase material by vaporizing the first liquid in the feed unit chamber; and   a discharge device capable of discharging the first gas-phase material outside the feed unit chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The feed unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the feed unit vaporization device comprises a mechanism for heating a liquid. 
     
     
         9 . A production method for carbon nanotubes, the production method using the feed unit according to  claim 7  to obtain the carbon nanotubes formed in an array-like form on a base surface of a substrate. 
     
     
         10 . A production method for carbon nanotubes, the production method using the feed unit according to  claim 7  to obtain the carbon nanotubes as a generated substance by a gas-phase flow reaction. 
     
     
         11 . A production method for carbon nanotubes, comprising:
 a first step of feeding at least one kind of gas-phase catalyst into a first chamber, the at least one kind of gas-phase catalyst being formed from an iron family element-containing substance and a halogen-containing substance that are contained in a first liquid; and   a second step of forming the carbon nanotubes from a carbon source fed into the first chamber using a catalyst generated based on the gas-phase catalyst existing in the first chamber,   wherein the first step includes vaporization of the first liquid.   
     
     
         12 . The production method according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first step includes allowing a substrate disposed in the first chamber to exist in an atmosphere including the gas-phase catalyst; and   the second step includes forming the carbon nanotubes in an array-like form on a base surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The production method according to  claim 12 , wherein the carbon source is fed into the first chamber in a state in which the gas-phase catalyst exists in the first chamber via the first step. 
     
     
         14 . The production method according to  claim 11 , wherein a temperature of the substrate in the first step is lower than a temperature of the substrate in the second step. 
     
     
         15 . The production method according to  claim 11 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are formed as a generated substance by a gas-phase flow reaction. 
     
     
         16 . The production method according to  claim 11 , wherein an iron family element contained in the iron family element-containing substance includes iron. 
     
     
         17 . The production method according to  claim 11 , wherein the vaporization of the first liquid is performed outside the first chamber, and a vapor of the first liquid is fed into the first chamber from outside of the first chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The production method according to  claim 11 , wherein the iron family element-containing substance contained in the first liquid includes an iron-methanol complex.