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.

Provided is a semiconductor transport member that includes a semiconductor mounting member capable of expressing a strong gripping force and unlikely to cause a contaminant to adhere and remain on a semiconductor side. Also provided is a semiconductor mounting member capable of expressing a strong gripping force and unlikely to cause a contaminant to adhere and remain on a semiconductor side. The semiconductor transport member of the present invention includes: a carrying base; and a semiconductor mounting member, in which: the semiconductor mounting member includes a fibrous columnar structure; the fibrous columnar structure includes a fibrous columnar structure including a plurality of fibrous columnar objects; the fibrous columnar objects are each aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to the carrying base; and a surface of the fibrous columnar structure on an opposite side to the carrying base has a coefficient of static friction against a glass surface of 2.0 or more.

A method of manufacturing a functionalized pre-treated carbon nanotube. Atomic Layer deposition is utilized to functionalize a pre-treated carbon nanotube. The functionalized pre-treated carbon nanotube may be used in a chemiresistor, including for methane detection.

A chemical vapor deposition method for fluorine-containing carbon materials preparation provided. The claimed method comprises treating of carbons with fluorocarbons or derivatives that passes at a moderate high temperature. The fluorine-containing carbon materials show hydrophobicity, high thermal stability and can be used as catalysts support, lithium battery anodes, and hydrophobic materials or as surface precursor. Surface fluorine characterized by intensive signal in the XPS spectrum, found in a range of 685-687 eV. Obtained fluoro-containing functionalities is stable at a temperature about 1000° C.

One aspect of the disclosure is directed to a method for activation/enhancement of cell growth of a plant. The method also stimulates the production of pharmaceutically active metabolites, including alkaloids, in plant cell cultures. The method includes providing a nano-sized material contained agent, and treating the plant with the nano-sized material contained agent to allow sufficient interaction of cells of the plant with the nano-sized material so as to activate/enhance the cell growth of the plant or to stimulate the production of pharmaceutically active metabolites.

The method for producing a carbon nanotube yarn includes preparing a vertically-aligned carbon nanotube that is disposed on a substrate and is aligned vertically to the substrate; preparing a rotating body having a groove on a circumferential face; drawing a plurality of carbon nanotubes from the vertically-aligned carbon nanotube continuously and linearly to prepare a carbon nanotube single yarn, and arranging the plurality of carbon nanotube single yarns in parallel to prepare a carbon nanotube web; winding the carbon nanotube web around the circumferential face of the rotating body so as to fit in the groove; and drawing the carbon nanotube web from the rotating body.

A method termed “superacid-surfactant exchange” (S2E) for the dispersion of carbon nanomaterials in aqueous solutions. This S2E method enables nondestructive dispersion of carbon nanomaterials (including single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, and graphene) at rapidly and at large scale in aqueous solution without a requirement for expensive or complicated equipment. Dispersed carbon nanotubes obtained from this method feature long length, low defect density, high electrical conductivity, and in the case of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes, bright photoluminescence in the near-infrared.

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.

A fibrous carbon nanostructure dispersion liquid contains a solvent and fibrous carbon nanostructures having at least one absorption peak in a wavenumber region of 500 cm.sup.−1 to 600 cm.sup.−1 in a light absorption spectrum.

The invention relates to processes for making improved ultra-high performance concrete with plasma-treated inclusions and articles made from the same. The invention includes a process for producing silicon carbide and multiwalled carbon nanotubes by heating agricultural waste husks in an inert atmosphere to a temperature higher than 1300 degrees C. to obtain a mixture containing silicon carbide and MWCNTs, and treating the mixture to extract the silicon carbide and MWCNTs for use as microinclusions in ultra high performance concrete.