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.

This method improves a carbon nanotube growth environment. In this method of manufacturing carbon nanotubes, the supply amount of catalyst activating material supplied in a carbon nanotube growing step is adjusted to the supply amount of catalyst activating material supplied at the time of maximum concentration of a gas component among multiple measurements made in the growing step, the gas component being at least one selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methane, and ethane.

This method improves a carbon nanotube growth environment. In this method of manufacturing carbon nanotubes, the supply amount of catalyst activating material supplied in a carbon nanotube growing step is adjusted to the supply amount of catalyst activating material supplied at the time of maximum concentration of a gas component among multiple measurements made in the growing step, the gas component being at least one selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methane, and ethane.

The present invention provides: a film that comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes having shapes which enable the characteristics thereof to be sufficiently exhibited; and a process for producing the film. The film, which comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes, has portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are densely present and portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are sparsely present, the dense portions forming a pseudo-honeycomb structure in a surface of the film.

A method for producing carbon nanotubes and/or fibers, such as carbon nanotubes, involves sparging a gas (such as carbon dioxide) through a liquid hydrocarbon (such as crude oil) in the presence of an effective amount of metal oxide particles (such as MgO, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, CeO.sub.2, and/or SiO.sub.2 nanoparticles having a size in the range from about 2 nm to about 10 microns, and which may have a bimodal particle size distribution) at a temperature in a range of between about 70 to about 350° C. to produce carbon nanotubes and fibers having a size range of from about 50 nm to about 20 microns.

Methods of forming carbon nanotubes and structures and devices including carbon nanotubes are disclosed. Methods of forming the carbon nanotubes include patterning a surface of a substrate with polymeric material, removing portions of the polymeric material to form exposed substrate surface sections, and forming the carbon nanotubes on the exposed substrate sections.

A method of producing a composite product is provided. The method includes providing a fluidized bed of metal oxide particles in a fluidized bed reactor, providing a catalyst or catalyst precursor in the fluidized bed reactor, providing a carbon source in the fluidized bed reactor for growing carbon nanotubes, growing carbon nanotubes in a carbon nanotube growth zone of the fluidized bed reactor, and collecting a composite product comprising metal oxide particles and carbon nanotubes.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a carbon nanotube aggregate whose bulk density is easily controllable. Therefore, the present invention provides a carbon nanotube aggregate suitable for use in various fields.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a carbon nanotube aggregate whose bulk density is easily controllable. Therefore, the present invention provides a carbon nanotube aggregate suitable for use in various fields.

Systems and methods for the fabrication of elongated carbon-based nanostructures on metallic substrates, including aluminum-containing substrates, are generally described. Inventive articles comprising elongated carbon-based nanostructures and metallic substrates are also described. Also described herein are articles that absorb a relatively large percentage of electromagnetic radiation over relatively broad ranges of wavelengths.