Claims
- 1. A nanostructured material comprising carbon nanotubes fused together to form a three-dimensional structure.
- 2. The nanostructured material of claim 1, wherein said carbon nanotubes have a scrolled tubular or non-tubular nano-structure of carbon rings.
- 3. The nanostructured material of claim 2, wherein said carbon nanotubes having a scrolled tubular or non-tubular nano-structure of carbon rings are single-walled, multi-walled, nanoscrolled or combinations thereof.
- 4. The nanostructured material of claim 2, wherein said carbon nanotubes having a scrolled tubular or non-tubular nano-structure have a morphology chosen from nanohorns, cylinders, nanospirals, dendrites, spider nanotube structures, Y-junction nanotubes, and bamboo morphology.
- 5. The nanostructured material of claim 1, wherein said carbon nanotubes comprise impregnated, functionalized, irradiated, doped, charged, coated, and bonded to one another or bound with other materials, and combinations thereof.
- 6. The nanostructured material of claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional structure further comprises at least one material chosen from polymers, ceramics, and metals.
- 7. The nanostructured material of claim 6, wherein said polymers, ceramics, and metals are in a form chosen from fibers, beads, particles, wires, sheets, foils, and combinations thereof.
- 8. The nanostructured material of claim 6, wherein said polymers are chosen from single or multi-component polymers.
- 9. The nanostructured material of claim 8, wherein said single or multi-component polymers are chosen from nylon, polyurethane, acrylic, methacrylic, polycarbonate, epoxy, silicone rubbers, natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, vulcanized rubbers, polystyrene, aramid, polyethylene, ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), poly(p-fenyl-2,6-benzobisoxazol), polypropylene, polychloroprene, polyimide, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyhydroaminoester, polyester (polyethylene terephthalate), polybutylene terephthalate, poly-paraphylene terephtalamide, polyester ester ketene, viton fluoroelastomer, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyvinylchloride.
- 10. The nanostructured material of claim 6, wherein said ceramics are chosen from at least one of the following: boron carbide, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron phosphate, beryllium oxide, spinel, garnet, lanthanum fluoride, calcium fluoride, silicon carbide, carbon and its allotropes, silicon oxide, glass, quartz, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zirconium oxide, zirconium carbide, zirconium boride, zirconium nitrite, hafnium boride, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, magnesium oxide, phosphorus oxide, cordierite, mullite, silicon nitride, ferrite, sapphire, steatite, titanium carbide, titanium nitride, titanium boride, and combinations thereof.
- 11. The nanostructured material of claim 6, wherein said metals are chosen from at least one of the following: aluminum, boron, copper, cobalt, gold, platinum, silicon, steel, titanium, rhodium, indium, iron, palladium, germanium, tin, lead, tungsten, niobium, molybdenum, nickel, silver, zirconium, yttrium, and alloys thereof.
- 12. The nanostructured material of claim 6, wherein at least one of said polymers, ceramics, and metals are grown, deposited, and/or implanted on the surface or in the interior of the carbon nanotubes to form polymer containing particles or layers, ceramic containing particles or layers, metal containing particles or layers, or a combination of any or all of these particles or layers.
- 13. The nanostructured material of claim 12, wherein said at least one ceramic containing layers or particles comprise boron carbide.
- 14. The nanostructured material of claim 1, wherein said material comprises 5, 6 and 7-membered carbon rings at the intersection of two or more carbon nanotubes.
- 15. The nanostructured material of claim 1, wherein said structure has a density ranging from 1 picogram/cm3 to 20 g/cm3.
- 16. An article comprising the nanostructured material of claim 1.
- 17. The article of claim 16, which is in the form of a fabric, ballistic material, structural support, mechanical actuator, heat sink, thermal conductor or insulator, or a membrane for fluid purification.
- 18. The article of claim 17, wherein said thermal insulator comprises a blanket, tent, clothing, or sleeping bag.
- 19. A ballistic cloth comprising a nanostructured material comprising carbon nanotubes and at least one material chosen from a polymer, ceramic, and metal fused together to form a three-dimensional structure.
- 20. A multilayer ballistic cloth comprising nanostructured material comprising at least one layer of carbon nanotubes and at least one layer of a material chosen from a polymer, ceramic, and metal fused together to form a laminated three-dimensional structure.
- 21. The ballistic cloth of claim 19, wherein said carbon nanotubes and said at least one material are present in an amount sufficient to mitigate blast forces from ballistics or explosives coming into contact with said ballistic cloth.
- 22. The multilayer ballistic cloth of claim 20, wherein said ballistic cloth comprises a component of body armor, vehicle armor, bullet-proof vests, shields, blankets, tents, sleeping bags, cargo hold containers, shipping containers, storage boxes and containers, building shielding materials, and structural components of vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, and train cars.
- 23. The article of claim 17, wherein said fabric comprises a garment or article of clothing to be worn or to cover a person, animal, vehicle, aircraft, spacecraft, train car, equipment, or structures.
- 24. A method of making a three-dimensional nanostructure, said method comprising
dispersing nanotubes in an appropriate fluid, with or without surfactants, to form a nanotube aliquot, depositing said nanotube aliquot onto a porous substrate in an amount sufficient to obtain a substantially stable interlocking monolithic structure, and fusing said carbon nanotubes together to form a three dimensional nanostructure.
- 25. The method of claim 24, wherein said dispersing comprises ultrasonication, mechanical mixing in a blender, or combinations thereof.
- 26. The method of claim 24, wherein said nanotube aliquot further comprises a support material chosen from polymers, ceramics, and metals, said support material being in a form chosen fibers, beads, particles, wires, sheets, foils, and combinations thereof, and being dispersed with said carbon nanotubes.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein said polymers are chosen from single or multi-component polymers.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein said single or multi-component polymers are chosen from nylon, polyurethane, acrylic, methacrylic, polycarbonate, epoxy, silicone rubbers, natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, vulcanized rubbers, polystyrene, aramid, polyethylene, ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), poly(p-fenyl-2,6-benzobisoxazol), polypropylene, polychloroprene, polyimide, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyhydroaminoester, polyester (polyethylene terephthalate), polybutylene terephthalate, poly-paraphylene terephtalamide, polyester ester ketene, viton fluoroelastomer, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyvinylchloride.
- 29. The method of claim 26, wherein said ceramics are chosen from at least one of the following: boron carbide, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron phosphate, beryllium oxide, spinel, garnet, lanthanum fluoride, calcium fluoride, silicon carbide, carbon and its allotropes, silicon oxide, glass, quartz, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zirconium oxide, zirconium carbide, zirconium boride, zirconium nitrite, hafnium boride, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, magnesium oxide, phosphorus oxide, cordierite, mullite, silicon nitride, ferrite, sapphire, steatite, titanium carbide, titanium nitride, titanium boride, and combinations thereof.
- 30. The method of claim 26, wherein said metals are chosen from at least one of the following: aluminum, boron, copper, cobalt, gold, platinum, silicon, steel, titanium, rhodium, indium, iron, palladium, germanium, tin, lead, tungsten, niobium, molybdenum, nickel, silver, zirconium, yttrium, and alloys thereof.
- 31. The method of claim 26, wherein said dispersing comprises ultrasonication at a level sufficient to cause ultrasonic binding of the support material alone or with the carbon nanotubes.
- 32. The method of claim 24, wherein said appropriate fluid comprises water, organic solvents, acids, or bases.
- 33. The method of claim 32, wherein said organic solvents comprise ethanol, isopropanol, methanol, or xylene.
- 34. The method of claim 24, wherein said fusing is performed by irradiative, electrical, chemical, thermal, or mechanical processing, either independently or in conjunction with one another.
- 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said irradiative processing comprises E-beam irradiation, Ultra Violet radiation, X-ray, Plasma, or other ionizing radiation.
- 36. The method of claim 34, wherein said chemical processing comprises treating the carbon nanotubes with at least one chemical chosen from acids, bases, carboxyls, peroxides, and amines for a time sufficient to facilitate fusion of said carbon nanotubes with one another.
- 37. The method of claim 34, wherein said chemical processing comprises photochemical bonding for a time sufficient to obtain chemical cross linking.
- 38. The method of claim 34, wherein said thermal processing comprises heating the nanostructure in an oven at a temperature below the melting point of the support material.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein heating is performed in vacuum, or in an atmosphere chosen from inert gases or air.
- 40. The method of claim 24, further comprising chemical or physical vapor deposition of at least one material chosen from ceramics, metals, and polymers.
- 41. The method of claim 40, wherein said polymers are chosen from single or multi-component polymers.
- 42. The method of claim 41, wherein said single or multi-component polymers are chosen from nylon, polyurethane, acrylic, methacrylic, polycarbonate, epoxy, silicone rubbers, natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, vulcanized rubbers, polystyrene, aramid, polyethylene, ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), poly(p-fenyl-2,6-benzobisoxazol), polypropylene, polychloroprene, polyimide, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyhydroaminoester, polyester (polyethylene terephthalate), polybutylene terephthalate, poly-paraphylene terephtalamide, polyester ester ketene, viton fluoroelastomer, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyvinylchloride.
- 43. The method of claim 40, wherein said ceramics are chosen from at least one of the following: boron carbide, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron phosphate, beryllium oxide, spinel, garnet, lanthanum fluoride, calcium fluoride, silicon carbide, carbon and its allotropes, silicon oxide, glass, quartz, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zirconium oxide, zirconium carbide, zirconium boride, zirconium nitrite, hafnium boride, thorium oxide, yttrium oxide, magnesium oxide, phosphorus oxide, cordierite, mullite, silicon nitride, ferrite, sapphire, steatite, titanium carbide, titanium nitride, titanium boride, and combinations thereof.
- 44. The method of claim 40, wherein said metals are chosen from at least one of the following: aluminum, boron, copper, cobalt, gold, platinum, silicon, steel, titanium, rhodium, indium, iron, palladium, germanium, tin, lead, tungsten, niobium, molybdenum, nickel, silver, zirconium, yttrium, and alloys thereof.
- 45. The method of claim 40, wherein said deposition comprises the depositing of at least material chosen from polymers, ceramic, and metals near the intersecting points of carbon nanotubes.
- 46. The method of claim 34, wherein said mechanical processing comprises at least one method chosen from hydraulic pressing, three roll pressing, mechanical grinding.
- 47. The method of claim 24, further comprising annealing the three-dimensional nanostructured material.
- 48. The method of claim 24, further comprising a process from removing non-connected or non-fused carbon nanotubes from the nanostructured material.
- 49. The method of claim 48, wherein said method said method of removing non-connected or non-fused carbon nanotubes from the nanostructured material comprises electric annealing.
- 50. A multi-step recycling method of making a three-dimensional nanostructure, said method comprising
(1) growing carbon nanotubes in a reactor; (2) fusing the grown nanotubes to form a three dimensional nanostructure; (3) applying a catalyst and growing nanotubes on or within the three-dimensional nanostructure; (4) repeating (2) to (3) for a time sufficient to achieve a desired thickness or property for said three-dimensional nanostructure.
- 51. The method of claim 50, wherein said growing comprises a catalytic CVD process.
- 52. The method of claim 51, wherein said applying the catalyst in (3) comprises Chemical Vapor Deposition or Physical Vapor Deposition of catalyst,
- 53. The method of claim 52, wherein applying the catalyst comprising depositing metal-organic catalyst particles.
- 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the metal-organic catalyst chosen from ferrocene and iron pentacarbonyl.
- 55. A continuous method of making a three-dimensional nanostructure material, said method comprising growing carbon nanotubes, in situ, and fusing said grown carbon nanotubes substantially simultaneously with said growing process.
- 56. The method of claim 55, further comprising annealing, which is performed simultaneous with or prior to said fusing.
- 57. The method of claim 56 wherein annealing is performed using a thermal or electrical process.
- 58. The method of claim 55, wherein the carbon nanotubes are grown with a gas chosen from ethanol, carbon monoxide, xylene, acetylene, and methane.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of domestic priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/474,925 filed Jun. 3, 2003, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60474925 |
Jun 2003 |
US |