US Patent 7955535 - MWNT macroscale films

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7955535.html

This patent from the University of Florida teaches a method of forming flexible films of multiwall carbon nanotubes without requiring chemical bonding agents. Claim 1 reads:


1. A method for making a macroscale film, comprising the steps of:

forming a suspension which comprises a mixture of (i) single wall nanotubes (SWNTs) and (ii) multiwall nanotubes (MWNTs) or carbon nanofibers (CNFs), or both MWNTs and CNFs, dispersed in a liquid, wherein the weight ratio of SWNTs to MWNTs, CNFs, or both MWNTs and CNFs in the suspension is 1:3; and

removing the liquid to form a macroscale film which comprises MWNTs, CNFs or a combination thereof, interspersed with SWNTs.

US Patent 7862766 - Electron beam functionalization of nanoscale fibers

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7862766.html

Functionalization of nanotube films is used to strengthen the films but can be time consuming using conventional techniques. This patent from Florida State University Research Foundation teaches a more rapid approach using electron beam irradiation. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of functionalizing a nanoscale fiber film material, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a nanoscale fiber film material which comprises a plurality of nanoscale fibers; and

(b) irradiating the nanoscale fiber film material with a controlled amount of radiation, wherein the step of irradiating the nanoscale fiber film material comprises applying an electron beam to the nanoscale fiber film,

wherein the electron beam applies a dose of electrons in the range from about 10 ×1015 to about 300×1015 e/cm2.

US Patent 7803262 - Alignment of nanotubes using magnetic nanoparticles

http://ip.com/patent/US7803262

The alignment of carbon nanotubes is important to optimizing the strength as well as the electrical and thermal conductivity of nanotube composites. Several techniques have been developed to achieve this alignment based on the use of fluid flow and electrostatic fields. This patent from Florida State University teaches another method based on the application of a magnetic field on magnetic nanoparticles attached to the nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for aligning carbon nanotubes, the method comprising:

adding magnetic nanoparticles to the carbon nanotubes dispersed in a fluid medium to form a dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes;

adsorbing the magnetic nanoparticles directly to the carbon nanotubes dispersed in the fluid medium to form a magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite dispersed in the fluid medium; and

placing the magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite dispersed in the fluid medium between magnets to expose the magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite in the fluid medium to a magnetic field effective to align the nanotubes of the magnetic particle-carbon nanotube composite dispersed in the fluid medium.

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.