The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for preparing carbon nanofiber and hydrogen through continuous microwave pyrolysis. The system includes four apparatus. The melting and feeding apparatus is to heat and melt feedstocks. The microwave pyrolysis apparatus is for catalytic pyrolysis and includes a feedstock inlet, a gas outlet and a carbon outlet. The gas purification and utilization apparatus is for hydrogen purification and residual gas separation, The power generation apparatus includes a generator and a small internal combustion engine utilizing residual gas as fuel, and the generated smoke is conveyed to the melting and feeding apparatus for feedstocks melting. According to the present disclosure, a poly-generation system for co-producing high-performance carbon materials and hydrogen through plastic wastes with greatly increased energy utilization rate is formed to solve the technical problems of low product yield and high energy consumption in traditional pyrolysis.

The invention discloses equipment and preparation method for open and continuous growth of a carbon nanomaterial. The equipment comprises a metal foil tape feeding system, a CVD system and a collection system. The method includes continuously conveying a metal foil tape pretreated or not into the CVD system via the metal foil tape feeding system, depositing a required carbon nanomaterial on the surface of the metal foil tape by CVD, directly collecting by the collection system or directly post-treating the carbon nanomaterial by a post-treatment system, and even directly producing a end product of the carbon nanomaterial. All the systems in the invention are arranged in the open atmosphere rather than an air-isolated closed space. The invention can realize round-the-clock continuous operation to greatly improve the production efficiency of carbon nanomaterials.

Methods and apparatuses for continuous, large scale, commercially viable production of nanoforests. A roll-to-roll process passes a flexible substrate, including fibers and fabrics, through a furnace. Precursors are introduced in a growth zone in which a vertical or horizontal nanoforest of nanotubes or nanowires is grown on the substrate. Sensors and actuators with feedback control are provided for parameters such as substrate speed, substrate tension, furnace temperature, precursor flow rate, nanoforest thickness, and nanoforest. The furnace is preferably enclosed for environmental and safety purposes. The feed roll and take-up roll are disposed in housings can be attached to the furnace via airlocks, which enables rapid loading and unloading of the rolls using techniques well known in the industry while maintaining furnace conditions. The furnace can encompass flattening rollers and a second growth zone to enable manufacture of orthogonal nanoforests comprising a vertical nanoforest grown on a horizontal nanoforest.

Methods and apparatuses for continuous, large scale, commercially viable production of nanoforests. A roll-to-roll process passes a flexible substrate, including fibers and fabrics, through a furnace. Precursors are introduced in a growth zone in which a vertical or horizontal nanoforest of nanotubes or nanowires is grown on the substrate. Sensors and actuators with feedback control are provided for parameters such as substrate speed, substrate tension, furnace temperature, precursor flow rate, nanoforest thickness, and nanoforest. The furnace is preferably enclosed for environmental and safety purposes. The feed roll and take-up roll are disposed in housings can be attached to the furnace via airlocks, which enables rapid loading and unloading of the rolls using techniques well known in the industry while maintaining furnace conditions. The furnace can encompass flattening rollers and a second growth zone to enable manufacture of orthogonal nanoforests comprising a vertical nanoforest grown on a horizontal nanoforest.

The present invention provides methods for uniform growth of nanostructures such as nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes) on the surface of a substrate, wherein the long axes of the nanostructures may be substantially aligned. The nanostructures may be further processed for use in various applications, such as composite materials. For example, a set of aligned nanostructures may be formed and transferred, either in bulk or to another surface, to another material to enhance the properties of the material. In some cases, the nanostructures may enhance the mechanical properties of a material, for example, providing mechanical reinforcement at an interface between two materials or plies. In some cases, the nanostructures may enhance thermal and/or electronic properties of a material. The present invention also provides systems and methods for growth of nanostructures, including batch processes and continuous processes.

The present invention provides methods for uniform growth of nanostructures such as nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes) on the surface of a substrate, wherein the long axes of the nanostructures may be substantially aligned. The nanostructures may be further processed for use in various applications, such as composite materials. For example, a set of aligned nanostructures may be formed and transferred, either in bulk or to another surface, to another material to enhance the properties of the material. In some cases, the nanostructures may enhance the mechanical properties of a material, for example, providing mechanical reinforcement at an interface between two materials or plies. In some cases, the nanostructures may enhance thermal and/or electronic properties of a material. The present invention also provides systems and methods for growth of nanostructures, including batch processes and continuous processes.

A method of continuously producing carbon nanotubes and hydrogencomprising: preparing a catalyst precursor, and pre-reducing the catalyst precursor; adding a height of carbon nanotubes in a reactor as a stacked bed and electrically heating the carbon nanotubes to the reaction temperature of a vapor deposition furnace in the presence of a protective gas; putting the pre-reduced catalyst or unreduced catalyst precursor into the reactor; under the condition of stirring the solid materials in the reactor, introducing a carbon source gas, reacting same by means of the vapor deposition furnace to generate new carbon nanotubes and hydrogen, continuously discharging a part of carbon nanotubes and a part of hydrogen, and repeating these steps to achieve the continuous preparation of carbon nanotubes. The device has a high utilization rate of raw materials, can manufacture a large batch of carbon nanotubes with a high purity at one time, and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.

A method of continuously producing carbon nanotubes and hydrogencomprising: preparing a catalyst precursor, and pre-reducing the catalyst precursor; adding a height of carbon nanotubes in a reactor as a stacked bed and electrically heating the carbon nanotubes to the reaction temperature of a vapor deposition furnace in the presence of a protective gas; putting the pre-reduced catalyst or unreduced catalyst precursor into the reactor; under the condition of stirring the solid materials in the reactor, introducing a carbon source gas, reacting same by means of the vapor deposition furnace to generate new carbon nanotubes and hydrogen, continuously discharging a part of carbon nanotubes and a part of hydrogen, and repeating these steps to achieve the continuous preparation of carbon nanotubes. The device has a high utilization rate of raw materials, can manufacture a large batch of carbon nanotubes with a high purity at one time, and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.

An apparatus for continuous preparation of carbon nanotubes, based on a fluidized bed reactor. The fluidized bed reactor comprises an annular varying diameter zone, a raw material gas inlet, a catalyst feeding port, a protective gas inlet, and a pulse gas controller. The annular varying diameter zone is located at a zone from a ¼ position starting from the bottom to the top. The pulse gas controller is disposed at the arc-shaped top portion of the annular varying diameter zone. The catalyst feeding port is located at the top of the fluidized bed reactor. The raw material gas inlet and the protective gas inlet are located at the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor. The device is also provided with a product outlet and a tail gas outlet. The device has a simple structure and low cost, is easy to operate, has a high raw material utilization rate, can effectively control the problem of carbon deposition on the inner wall of a primary reactor, can manufacture high-purity carbon nanotubes, and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.

An apparatus for continuous preparation of carbon nanotubes, based on a fluidized bed reactor. The fluidized bed reactor comprises an annular varying diameter zone, a raw material gas inlet, a catalyst feeding port, a protective gas inlet, and a pulse gas controller. The annular varying diameter zone is located at a zone from a ¼ position starting from the bottom to the top. The pulse gas controller is disposed at the arc-shaped top portion of the annular varying diameter zone. The catalyst feeding port is located at the top of the fluidized bed reactor. The raw material gas inlet and the protective gas inlet are located at the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor. The device is also provided with a product outlet and a tail gas outlet. The device has a simple structure and low cost, is easy to operate, has a high raw material utilization rate, can effectively control the problem of carbon deposition on the inner wall of a primary reactor, can manufacture high-purity carbon nanotubes, and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.