Method for forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes in an electric field and compositions thereof

US7087207B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• William Marsh Rice University · US

Inventors

• Richard E. Smalley · Houston, US
• Daniel T. Colbert · Houston, US
• Hongjie Dai · Sunnyvale, US
• Jie Liu · Houston, US
• Andrew G. Rinzler · Newberry, US
• Jason H. Hafner · Houston, US
• Kenneth A. Smith · Houston, US
• Ting Guo · Davis, US
• Pavel Nikolaev · Houston, US
• Andreas Thess · Aspenhausiedlung, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 7, 2003
• Grant date: Aug 8, 2006
• Expiry date: Oct 28, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/30
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in an electric field and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, a purified bucky paper of single-wall carbon nanotubes is used as the starting material. Upon oxidative treatment of the bucky paper surface, many tube and/or rope ends protrude up from the surface of the paper. Disposing the resulting bucky paper in an electric field results in the protruding tubes and or ropes of single-wall carbon nanotubes aligning in a direction substantially perpendicular to the paper surface. These tubes tend to coalesce to form a molecular array. In another embodiment, a molecular array of SWNTs can be made by “combing” the purified bucky paper starting material with a sharp microscopic tip to align the nanotubes.