IN-LINE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON NANOTUBES

摘要

Mass production of carbon nanotubes (CNT) are facilitated by methods and apparatus disclosed herein. Advantageously, the methods and apparatus make use of a single production unit, and therefore provide for uninterrupted progress in a fabrication process. Embodiments of control systems for a variety of CNT production apparatus are included.

主权项

1. A method of producing an aggregate of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, the method comprising:
(a) loading a base material into a controlled environment; (b) disposing a catalyst onto the base material to provide a substrate in an environment having an oxygen concentration low enough to substantially prevent oxidation of the substrate; (c) subjecting the substrate to a carbonaceous raw material gas and heating at least one of the raw material gas and the substrate for growing the aggregate onto the substrate; and (d) cooling the aggregate in an environment having an oxygen concentration low enough to substantially prevent oxidation of the aggregate during the cooling; wherein steps (a) to (d) are performed in the controlled environment comprising chambers sequentially connected in a manner that limits the exposure of the base material and any catalyst, substrate, and aggregate disposed thereon to contamination between each step.