US Patent 7459121- Nanotube membrane fabrication

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7459121.html

Buckypaper is a membrane material formed from carbon nanotubes having potential applications as an emission material for displays and in body armor but early fabrication methods have been discontinuous and produce only small quantities. This patent from Florida State University teaches a new manufacturing method to produce larger size buckypaper with a continuous fabrication procedure. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for the continuous production of a network of nanotubes or other nanoscale fibers comprising:

making a suspension of nanoscale fibers dispersed in a liquid medium; and

filtering the suspension by moving a filter membrane through the suspension, into transitory contact with a filter element, such that the nanoscale fibers are deposited directly on the filter membrane as the fluid medium flows through the filter membrane, thereby forming a continuous membrane of the nanoscale fibers.