US Patent 7247290 - Coagulation spun SWNT fiber

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7247290.html

In order to use single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in a composite product not only do problems related to the SWNT manufacture have to be minimized but problems related to post-processing such as sorting, orienting and otherwise processing the manufactured SWNTs need to be resolved. This patent from Honeywell teaches a particular post-processing method resulting in a SWNT spun structure with improved alignment and less swelling than prior art methods. Claim 1 reads:

1. A coagulation spun structure comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes containing no binding agent or carbonaceous impurities, the structure swelling by less than about 10% in diameter when immersed in water and being produced by forming a uniform suspension in liquid of single-wall carbon nanotubes made from carbon monoxide at a pressure of at least 10 atmospheres, coagulation spinning the suspension to form the structure, submitting the structure to tension, and annealing the structure under a state of tension.