A process for treatment of nanoparticles of mineral filler for obtaining 5 processed nanoparticles for use in polymerization in the presence of nanopartciles which includes the steps of (a) drying a mineral filler with an inert gas for remove catalyst poisons; (b) mixing the mineral filler dried obtained in step (a) with a swelling agent in a liquid state or near a critical state or in the supercritical state; (c) subjecting the swelling agent of the 10 mixture obtained in step (b) to an endoenthalpic or isoentalphic phase change by altering the conditions of the temperature and/or pressure; (d) subjecting the nanoparticles of the mixture obtained in step (c) to contact of scavenging agent to react with catalyst poisons; then the mixture obtained in step (d) can be dried in a step (e) with an inert gas to remove sub-products 15 from scavenging agent and catalyst poisons to obtain the treated nanoparticles.

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 resistive heating element for use in or manufacturing of a component of an aircraft or spacecraft. The resistive heating element includes a sheet made from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) having a length of at least about 5 μ.Math.η, and formed as a nonwoven or composite polymer sheet, having good uniformity. The sheet is made with a basis weight between 1 and 50 grams per square meter (gsm), to provide a resistance value, inversely related to the basis weight, of at least about 0.01 ohms per square (Ω/□), and up to about 100 Ω/□. The CNTs can have an aspect ratio of at least about 1000:1, and at least about 10,000:1 or 100,000:1. The resistance value of the sheet can be controlled by the basis weight of CNTs, the diameter of the CNTs, and the length of CNTs, as well as chemical and mechanical treatments.

Material compositions are provided that may comprise, for example, a vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) array, a conductive layer, and a carbon interlayer coupling the VACNT array to the conductive layer. Methods of manufacturing are provided. Such methods may comprise, for example, providing a VACNT array, providing a conductive layer, and bonding the VACNT array to the conductive layer via a carbon interlayer.

A nonlimiting example method of forming highly spherical carbon nanomaterial-graft-polyolefin (CNM-g-polyolefin) particles may comprising: mixing a mixture comprising: (a) a CNM-g-polyolefin comprising a polyolefin grafted to a carbon nanomaterial, (b) a carrier fluid that is immiscible with the polyolefin of the CNM-g-polyolefin, optionally (c) a thermoplastic polymer not grafted to a CNM, and optionally (d) an emulsion stabilizer at a temperature greater than a melting point or softening temperature of the polyolefin of the CNM-g-polyolefin and the thermoplastic polymer, when included, and at a shear rate sufficiently high to disperse the CNM-g-polyolefin in the carrier fluid; cooling the mixture to below the melting point or softening temperature to form the CNM-g-polyolefin particles; and separating the CNM-g-polyolefin particles from the carrier fluid.

A method for constructing a solar rectenna array by growing carbon nanotube antennas between lines of metal, and subsequently applying a bias voltage on the carbon nanotube antennas to convert the diodes on the tips of the carbon nanotube antennas from metal oxide carbon diodes to geometric diodes. Techniques for preserving the converted diodes by adding additional oxide are also described.

The present invention provides a method for producing a carbon nanotube sheet that is excellent in light transmittance and conductivity, and the carbon nanotube sheet. The method includes firstly modifying of modifying a free-standing unmodified carbon nanotube sheet in which a plurality of carbon nanotubes are aligned in a predetermined direction. The firstly modifying includes performing a densification process of bringing the unmodified carbon nanotube sheet into contact with either one of or both of vapor and liquid particles of a liquid substance to produce a modified carbon nanotube sheet that contains the carbon nanotubes which are mainly aligned in a predetermined direction, and that includes a high density portion where the carbon nanotubes are assembled together and a low density portion where density of the carbon nanotubes is relatively lower than density in the high density portion.

Nano filtering and pumping systems and methods of use thereof for nanoscale gaseous materials by utilizing materials having nanosized perforations through the materials. The perforations generally have an inner diameter similar to that of nanotubes, and in some embodiments, carbon nanotubes are disposed within the perforations. Such materials can partially organize molecules in random motion to move either some selectively or all of them, to create pressure differences and hence motive forces, or cause air flow into pressurized area. Because air is a cloud of particles separated by vacuum, the systems and method in air can be used to create motive force pushing any form of vehicle, lifting force for any form of air vehicle, air compression, power source for any form of machine, conveyor or generator, using the solar energy stored in the air in the form of heat, 24 hours a day, worldwide.

A method for constructing a solar rectenna array by growing carbon nanotube antennas between lines of metal, and subsequently applying a bias voltage on the carbon nanotube antennas to convert the diodes on the tips of the carbon nanotube antennas from metal oxide carbon diodes to geometric diodes. Techniques for preserving the converted diodes by adding additional oxide are also described.

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.