Synthetic Carbon Nanotubes
Reference Number: 05-17
Inventor: Duy H. Hua
Description:
Carbon nanotubes represent the ultimate carbon fiber, having the highest thermal conductivity, exceptional mechanical properties and the highest tensile strength of any material. However, existing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) have several limiting features including non-uniformity of size (requiring expensive sorting), and a cap at one or both ends.
Applications
Potential applications include the following uses:
- Semiconductor materials
- As components in the areas of electron field emissions source, scanning probes
- As components of electrochemical energy storage systems, and hydrogen storage systems
- High tensile strengths fibers
- Electronic computer circuits
- Miniature cathode ray tubes (CRT) of thin high-brightness low energy low-weight displays
- Biological uses
Advantages
- Carbon nanotubes can be metallic (n=m; a armchair nanotubes) or semiconductor (n&m are not equal; chiral nanotubes)
- SWNT can be synthesized with uniform and pre-determined sizes
- Synthesized SWNT are less expensive than those produced and sorted via traditional methods
- Nanotubes may be open or closed at one end or both ends as needed
- Heteroatoms can be incorporated into the SWNT
Patent Status
- U.S. Application No. 12/063,101 filed on February 6, 2008
Interested parties should contact:
National Institute for Strategic Technology Acquisition and
Commercialization (NISTAC)
2005 Research Park Circle Manhattan, KS 66502
Tel: 785-532-3900 Fax: 785-532-3909
E-Mail: nistac@ksu.edu