US Patent 8057776 - Production of carbon nanotubes from microalgae

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8057776.html

This patent is from United Arab Emirates University and teaches a new type of carbon nanotube fabrication process using algae as the source material for the nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of forming carbon nanotubes from microalgae, comprising:

heating microalgae in an inert atmosphere to form carbon black;

mixing the carbon black with at least one auto-ignition substance; and

converting the carbon black to carbon nanotubes in a sealed chamber by heating a mixture of the carbon black and the auto-ignition substance.