Carbon nanostructures are used to prepare electrode compositions for lithium ion batteries. In one example, an anode for a Li ion battery includes three-dimensional carbon nanostructures made of highly entangled nanotubes, fragments of carbon nanostructures and/or fractured nanotubes, which are derived from the carbon nanostructures, are branched and share walls with one another. Amounts of carbon nanostructures employed can be less than or equal to 0.5 weight % relative to the weight of the electrode composition.

This disclosure relates to the technical field of carbon nanotubes, provides an ultra-long chiral carbon nanotube and a method for preparing the same. The ultra-long chiral carbon nanotube has a diameter of about 1.5 nm to 5.5 nm and has a length of about 100 mm to 650 mm, the ultra-long chiral carbon nanotube includes a double-walled carbon nanotube and a triple-walled carbon nanotube, and each layer of the ultra-long chiral carbon nanotube is semiconducting and has a helix angle greater than 10°.

The present invention discloses a method for efficiently dispersing carbon nanotubes. The method comprises mixing, in parts by mass, 1-30 parts of carbon nanotubes, 0.2-10 parts of functionalized carbon nanotubes and 400-1200 parts of a solvent, adjusting the pH of the resulting mixture to 5-9, and then ultrasonically dispersing the mixture to obtain a stably dispersed carbon nanotube dispersion; the functionalized carbon nanotube is one or more of a carboxylated carbon nanotube, a hydroxylated carbon nanotube, an aminated carbon nanotube, an acyl-chlorinated carbon nanotube, and a sulfonated carbon nanotube.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to processes and apparatus for carbon nanotube formation, and more specifically, to processes and apparatus for carbon nanotube alignment. In an embodiment, a process for aligning carbon nanotubes is provided. The process includes introducing an aqueous solution to a pressure-controlled system that includes a silanated glass element, a porous membrane, and a container. The process further includes applying a pressure differential across the porous membrane to draw the aqueous solution from the silanated glass element, through the porous membrane, and to the container at a flow rate to form a filtrate disposed within the container and a retentate disposed above the porous membrane, the retentate comprising carbon nanotubes. The process further includes optically detecting a position of a meniscus of the aqueous solution in the silanated glass element. Apparatus for forming and aligning carbon nanotubes are also disclosed.

Interlaced random networks of heterogeneous, rigid rod like particles such as metallic nanowires and carbon nanotubes are formed by various methods. The resulting combination provides characteristics that are unique and not attainable by either of the individual components on their own. In one of the embodiments, such heterogeneous networks are continuously formed on a master hot roller surface by application of the rigid rod components from separate sources and the post formed network is transferred fully or partially onto a receptor surface of a moving web directly in-contact with the master surface. In another embodiment the heterogeneous networks are formed on the said master surface or hot roller by applying formulations that are co-stabilized dispersions of heterogeneous, rigid rod like particles in a common solvent. In yet another embodiment, such heterogeneous networks are formed by contacting the receptor surface with more than one such master surface or hot roller.

Methods for characterizing a nanotube formulation with respect to one or more particular ionic species are disclosed. Within the methods of the present disclosure, this characterization provides control over the surface roughness (or smoothness) and the degree of rafting within a nanotube fabric formed form such a nanotube formulation. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a nanotube formulation roughness curve (and methods for generating such a curve) that can be used to select a utilizable range of ionic species concentration levels that will provide a nanotube fabric with a desired surface roughness (or smoothness) and degree of rafting. In some aspects of the present disclosure, such a nanotube formulation roughness curve can be used adjust nanotube formulation prior to a nanotube formulation deposition process to provide nanotube fabrics that are relatively smooth with a low degree of rafting.

A carbon based material, an optical rectenna and a semiconductor device including the same are provided. The carbon based material includes a carbon nanomaterial and a metal material bonded to the carbon nanomaterial, where the carbon nanomaterial includes a fluorine material.

An apparatus for performing aspects of manufacturing carbon nanotubes includes a nozzle configured to receive a catalyst precursor solution and a carrier gas, the nozzle including an orifice configured to nebulize the catalyst precursor solution and produce a mist including a mixture of the nebulized catalyst precursor solution and the carrier gas, the nozzle configured to inject the mist directly into a high temperature reaction zone of a reactor. The apparatus also includes an elongated tubular body having a first conduit and a second conduit, and a cooling system configured to regulate a temperature of the catalyst precursor solution and the carrier gas along the length of the tubular body. The first conduit and the second conduit extend along a length of the tubular body, and the length of the tubular body is greater than or equal to a distance from an end of the reactor to the reaction zone.

A hydrophilic graphitic material is provided that may be formed by heating a graphitic material to a temperature between about 150 C. to about 1400 C. for an extended period of time under an inert atmosphere. Annealing CNT film at 500 to 1400 removes amorphous carbon to produce purified CNT film. The purified CNT film can be further densified with the treatment of alkylphosphonic acid or alkyldiphophonic acid and heating to produce a hydrophilic, densified CNT film which is mechanically robust and does not adhere to other solid surfaces. These films can be used as filtration membranes with superior membrane fouling resistance among other uses.

A bio buckypaper synthesized with fish scales may be manufactured by mixing carrageenan with a bio waste solution to provide a first mixture, adding carbon nanotubes to the first mixture produce a second mixture, sonicating the second mixture, and evaporative-casting the second mixture to produce the bio buckypaper. In an embodiment, the carrageenan may be -carrageenan. In an embodiment, the carbon nanotubes may be single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) or multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). In an embodiment, the bio waste solution may be derived from fish scales.