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 relates to a method for producing carbon nanostructures using a fluidized bed reactor. According to the method, some of the as-produced carbon nanostructures remain uncollected and are used as fluidic materials to improve the fluidity in the reactor. The method enables the production of carbon nanostructures in a continuous process. In addition, the fluidity of the catalyst and the fluidic materials in the reactor is optimized, making the production of carbon nanostructures efficient.

A transparent electrode with a transparent substrate and a composite layer disposed thereon, wherein the composite layer includes a graphene layer and a plurality of nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are embedded in the graphene layer and extend through a thickness of the graphene layer, and wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are in direct contact with the transparent substrate and a gap is present between the graphene layer and the transparent substrate.

A gas delivery system and method for delivering reactants such as a first gas through a first conduit and a second gas through at least one second conduit, for example, through a plurality of second conduits. The plurality of second conduits may each have a length, wherein at least a portion of the length is entirely disposed within the first conduit. In an implementation, the first conduit may deliver carbon monoxide and the one or more second conduits may deliver carbon monoxide doped with a catalyst such as iron pentacarbonyl. The first and second gases may be introduced into a reaction vessel such as a reactor chamber and used to form carbon nanotubes.

A preparation method of an alumina-carbon nano tube composite powder material includes the steps of using an organometallic precursor as a raw material, using metal nanoparticles formed on the surface of the alumina powder as a catalyst, and simultaneously feeding a carbonaceous gas such as methane and acetylene, so as to grow a carbon nano tube in situ, and obtain an alumina-metal nanoparticle-carbon nano tube composite powder material through a chemical vapor deposition method under a temperature condition of 400 to 800 C. Through changing various parameters such as the weight of the organic raw material, the flow or constituent of reactant gases and reaction temperature, the decomposition of the organic raw material and the generation of the metal nanoparticles and the carbon nano tube are adjusted, and the size and the microstructure of the powder are controlled.

A transparent electrode with a transparent substrate and a composite layer disposed thereon, wherein the composite layer includes a graphene layer and a plurality of nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are embedded in the graphene layer and extend through a thickness of the graphene layer, and wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are in direct contact with the transparent substrate and a gap is present between the graphene layer and the transparent substrate.

The present disclosure is directed to methods for producing a single-walled carbon nanotube in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor. The methods comprise contacting liquid catalyst droplets and a carbon source in the reactor, and forming a single walled carbon nanotube at the surface of the liquid catalyst droplets.

Methods of concurrently forming ammonia and solid carbon products include reacting a carbon oxide, nitrogen, and a reducing agent at preselected reaction conditions in the presence of a catalyst to form a solid carbon product entrained in a tail gas mixture comprising water and ammonia; separating entrained solid carbon product from the tail gas mixture; and recovering water and ammonia from the tail gas mixture. Systems for forming ammonia and solid carbon products from a gaseous source containing carbon oxides include mixing means for mixing the gaseous source with a reducing agent, reactor means for reacting at least a portion of the gaseous source with the reducing agent in the presence of a catalyst to produce the solid carbon products and a tail gas mixture comprising the ammonia, and solid separation means for separating the solid carbon products from the tail gas mixture.

A graphene structure is provided. The graphene structure includes a two-dimensional base graphene layer having a defect, and a linking material provided at the defect of the base graphene layer.

The present disclosure relates to composite articles comprising non-linear elongated nanostructures and associated systems and methods. In certain embodiments, collections of carbon nanotubes or other elongated nanostructures can be used to provide mechanical reinforcement along multiple directions within a composite article.