초록 ▼

The present invention provides apparatus and methods for growing fullerene nanotube forests, and forming nanotube films, threads and composite structures therefrom. In some embodiments, an interior-flow substrate includes a porous surface and one or more interior passages that provide reactant gas t

The present invention provides apparatus and methods for growing fullerene nanotube forests, and forming nanotube films, threads and composite structures therefrom. In some embodiments, an interior-flow substrate includes a porous surface and one or more interior passages that provide reactant gas to an interior portion of a densely packed nanotube forest as it is growing. In some embodiments, a continuous-growth furnace is provided that includes an access port for removing nanotube forests without cooling the furnace substantially. In other embodiments, a nanotube film can be pulled from the nanotube forest without removing the forest from the furnace. A nanotube film loom is described. An apparatus for building layers of nanotube films on a continuous web is described.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for producing a continuous nanotube film from a first nanotube forest on a first substrate and from a second nanotubes forest on a second substrate; a puller mechanism configured to attach to nanotubes in the first nanotube forest on the first substrate and to pull a first length of

1. An apparatus for producing a continuous nanotube film from a first nanotube forest on a first substrate and from a second nanotubes forest on a second substrate; a puller mechanism configured to attach to nanotubes in the first nanotube forest on the first substrate and to pull a first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate; anda splicer mechanism, wherein the apparatus pulls the first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate, the splicer mechanism splices the first length of nanotube film to nanotubes of the second substrate, and continues to pull the nanotube film such that, spliced to and continuous with the first length of nanotube film, a film of nanotubes is pulled from the second nanotube forest on the second substrate. 2. An apparatus for producing a continuous nanotube film from a first nanotube forest on a first substrate and from a second nanotube forest on a second substrate; a puller mechanism configured to pull a first length of nanotube film from the first substrate;a splicer mechanism, wherein the apparatus pulls the first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate, the splicer mechanism splices the first length of nanotube film to nanotubes of the second substrate, and continues to pull the nanotube film such that, spliced to and continuous with the first length of nanotube film, a film of nanotubes is pulled from the second substrate;a furnace;a reaction chamber positioned within the furnace and configured to hold the first substrate and the second substrate each positioned within the reaction chamber, the reaction chamber having an access port that allows access to the first substrate and the second substrate from outside the reaction chamber, wherein the first substrate includes a growth surface on which the first nanotube forest can be synthesized and the second substrate includes a growth surface on which the second nanotube forest can be synthesized; anda gas-supply system that supplies a carbon-bearing precursor gas to the first substrate and to the second substrate, wherein the apparatus is configured to use the carbon-bearing precursor gas to grow the first nanotube forest on the first substrate while the first substrate is positioned in the reaction chamber and to grow the second nanotube forest on the second substrate while the second substrate is positioned in the reaction chamber. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a layering mechanism configured to build up a plurality of layers of nanotube films such that the first nanotube film is placed against another nanotube film at a non-parallel orientation. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: a vacuum mechanism configured to apply a vacuum to the plurality of layers of nanotube films while building up the plurality of layers. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to harvest nanotubes from a first area of the first substrate while nanotubes are simultaneously grown on a second area of the first substrate that is not being harvested. 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the puller mechanism includes a vacuum-activated puller bar. 7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the puller mechanism includes a puller bar having an adhesive-coating. 8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the puller mechanism pulls the first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate while the first nanotube forest on the first substrate is in the reaction chamber. 9. An apparatus for producing a nanotube film, the apparatus comprising: a furnace;a reaction chamber;a gas-supply system that supplies a carbon-bearing precursor gas;means for using the carbon-bearing precursor gas for growing a first nanotube forest on a first substrate positioned within the reaction chamber having an access port, and for growing a second nanotube forest within the reaction chamber, wherein the reaction chamber is positioned in the furnace;means for pulling a first nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate;means for splicing the first nanotube film to nanotubes of the second nanotube forest; andmeans for continuing pulling the first nanotube film such that, spliced to the first nanotube film, a film of nanotubes is pulled from the second nanotube forest. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: means for building up a plurality of layers of nanotube films by placing the first nanotube film against another nanotube film at an acute angle. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: means for applying a vacuum to the plurality of layers of nanotube films while building up the plurality of layers. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: means for harvesting nanotubes from a first area of the first substrate while simultaneously growing nanotubes on a second area of the first substrate that is not being harvested. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for pulling of the first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate includes means for holding the first film to a pulling mechanism with a vacuum. 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second nanotube forest is also grown on the first substrate. 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a first portion of the first nanotube forest is grown on a first portion of the first substrate and harvested by pulling a first portion of the first nanotube film, and the second nanotube forest is grown on the first portion of the first substrate after the first portion of the first nanotube forest has been harvested from the first portion of the first substrate and while the first nanotube film is being pulled from the first nanotube forest on another portion of the first substrate. 16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second nanotube forest is grown on a second substrate that is not the first substrate. 17. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: means for layering a plurality of layers of nanotube films such that the first nanotube film is placed against another nanotube film at a non-parallel orientation. 18. An apparatus for producing a continuous nanotube film from a first nanotube forest on a first substrate and from a second nanotube forest on the first substrate; a puller mechanism configured to attach to nanotubes in the first nanotube forest on the first substrate and to pull a first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate; anda splicer mechanism, wherein the apparatus pulls the first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate, the splicer mechanism splices the first length of nanotube film to nanotubes of the second nanotube forest, and continues to pull the nanotube film such that, spliced to and continuous with the first length of nanotube film, a film of nanotubes is pulled from the second nanotube forest. 19. An apparatus for producing a continuous nanotube film from a first nanotube forest on a first substrate and from a second nanotube forest on the first substrate; a puller mechanism configured to pull a first length of nanotube film from the first substrate;a splicer mechanism, wherein the apparatus pulls the first length of nanotube film from the first nanotube forest on the first substrate, the splicer mechanism splices the first length of nanotube film to nanotubes of the second nanotube forest, and continues to pull the nanotube film such that, spliced to and continuous with the first length of nanotube film, a film of nanotubes is pulled from the second nanotube forest;a furnace;a reaction chamber positioned within the furnace and configured to hold the first substrate positioned within the reaction chamber, the reaction chamber having an access port that allows access to the first substrate from outside the reaction chamber, wherein the first substrate includes a growth surface on which a first nanotube forest can be synthesized and a growth surface on which a second nanotube forest can be synthesized; anda gas-supply system that supplies a carbon-bearing precursor gas to the first substrate, wherein the apparatus is configured to use the carbon-bearing precursor gas to grow the first nanotube forest and the second nanotube forest on the first substrate while the first substrate is positioned in the reaction chamber. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a layering mechanism configured to build up a plurality of layers of nanotube films such that the first length of nanotube film is placed against another nanotube film at a non-parallel orientation. 21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a layering mechanism configured to build up a plurality of layers of nanotube films such that the first nanotube film is placed against another nanotube film at a non-parallel orientation; anda vacuum mechanism configured to apply a vacuum to the plurality of layers of nanotube films while building up the plurality of layers. 22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a layering mechanism configured to build up a plurality of layers of nanotube films on a continuous web. 23. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a roller mechanism configured to build up a plurality of layers of nanotube films such that the first nanotube film is placed against another nanotube film at a parallel orientation. 24. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first nanotube forest is on a first face of the first substrate, wherein the second nanotube forest is on a first face of the second substrate, wherein a second face of the first substrate has a third nanotube forest, and wherein the apparatus is configured to splice the nanotube film pulled from the second nanotube forest to nanotubes of the third nanotube forest. 25. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a layering mechanism configured to build up a plurality of layers of nanotube films on a continuous web. 26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the puller mechanism includes a vacuum-activated puller bar. 27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the puller mechanism includes a puller bar having an adhesive-coating.