Freestanding Carbon Nanotube Paper,Methods Ofitsmaking,And Devices Containing The Same

Synopsis

Patent US 8,822,078 B2 describes freestanding carbon nanotube paper, methods for its creation, and devices incorporating this material. This invention addresses the need for advanced materials with exceptional electrical and mechanical properties, offering a versatile platform for a wide range of applications, particularly in energy storage and flexible electronics.

A key novel aspect of this invention is the development of a freestanding carbon nanotube paper that can be engineered with specific properties. Unlike traditional carbon materials, this paper is not a mere composite but a self-supporting network of single-wall carbon nanotubes, providing:

• Superior Electrical Conductivity: The highly interconnected network of single-wall carbon nanotubes ensures excellent electrical conductivity, which is crucial for high-performance electronic devices and energy storage systems.

• High Surface Area: The porous nature of the nanotube paper provides a large surface area, which is beneficial for applications requiring significant interaction with external substances, such as in electrodes for batteries or supercapacitors.

• Mechanical Flexibility and Strength: The freestanding nature and the inherent properties of carbon nanotubes contribute to the material's remarkable flexibility and mechanical strength, allowing for its use in applications where rigid materials are not suitable.

• Versatile Composition: The patent describes methods to incorporate various carbon microparticles (e.g., graphite, flake graphite, spherical graphite, expanded graphite, mesocarbon microbeads) and semiconductor nanoparticles into the nanotube paper. This versatility enables tuning the material's properties for specific applications, such as enhancing energy storage capacity or introducing semiconducting functionalities.

• Scalable Fabrication: The described methods, including membrane filtration, suggest a scalable approach to manufacturing this material, which is critical for commercial adoption.

The commercial potential for this carbon nanotube paper technology is substantial, especially in emerging markets and for high-performance applications:

• Energy Storage Devices:

  • Batteries: The material's high specific extraction capacity (greater than 150 milliamp-hours per gram of electrode) makes it highly attractive for use as an electrode material in lithium-ion batteries and other advanced battery chemistries, promising longer-lasting and faster-charging devices.

  • Supercapacitors: Its high surface area and conductivity are ideal for supercapacitors, which require rapid charge and discharge cycles, suitable for applications like regenerative braking in electric vehicles or power stabilization in renewable energy systems.

• Flexible Electronics and Wearable Technology: The mechanical flexibility and conductivity of the carbon nanotube paper enable its use in bendable displays, wearable sensors, smart textiles, and other flexible electronic components that demand durability and performance in non-planar configurations.

• Sensors: The high surface area and tunable properties can be leveraged for highly sensitive chemical and biological sensors, detecting various analytes with high precision.

• Filtration and Separation: The nanoporous structure of the material suggests potential in advanced filtration systems, including water purification and gas separation, where high efficiency and selectivity are desired.

• Aerospace and Automotive: Lightweight, high-strength, and electrically conductive materials are valuable in these industries for structural components, electromagnetic shielding, and thermal management.

This invention presents a versatile, high-performance material with broad applications across critical industries, offering a compelling opportunity for licensees to develop next-generation products in energy, electronics, and beyond.