US Patent 8133465 - Polymer-CNT composite for use as a sensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8133465.html

This patent from the University of Dayton teaches using carbon nanotubes to form gas sensors with improved environmental stability. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of making a sensor comprising:

forming aligned carbon nanotubes on the surface of a substrate;

wherein said nanotubes are aligned perpendicularly with respect to said substrate;

partially coating said aligned carbon nanotubes from the top down along their length with a polymer to form a composite film;

removing said composite film from said substrate; and

attaching at least two electrodes to said film.

US Patent 7921727 - Structural monitoring with carbon nanofiber grid

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7921727.html

This patent is from the University of Dayton teaches a way to use carbon nanofiber ink to monitor the structural integrity of structures used in aircraft, turbine blades, bridges, satellites, and ships. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensing system for monitoring the structural health of a structure comprising:

a sensor comprising a conductive ink containing from about 4 to about 12% by weight vapor grown carbon nanofibers having a high aspect ratio and at least one polymeric resin; and

a data acquisition system;

wherein said sensor is applied in the form of a grid pattern directly to the surface of said structure.

US Patent 7777478 - Touch and auditory nanotube sensors

http://ip.com/patent/US7777478

Touch sensors are critical to a variety of portable electronic devices such as the iPhone and iPad. This patent from the University of Dayton teaches a way to implement such sensors using carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensor comprising: at least one sensor probe comprising:

a pair of electrodes;

a vertically aligned nanotube disposed between the pair of electrodes, the nanotube having a first end and a second end, one of the pair of electrodes at the first end of the nanotube and the other electrode at the second end;

a piezoelectric polymer on the nanotube; and

a field source for generating a field, the field source operatively connected to the pair of electrodes;

whereby when the sensor probe is touched, a change in the field occurs or electricity is generated.