University of Dayton

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Liming Dai

Liangti Qu

Shaoming Huang

Oddvar Johansen

Ernst Hammel

Toshiyuki Ohashi

Xinhe Tang

Albert Mau

Morley O Stone

Kyung Min Lee

Wei Chen

A nanocomposite dry adhesive. The nanocomposite dry adhesive includes a substrate; and an array of vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes or vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the substrate, wherein the nanocomposite dry adhesive utilizes the array of single-walled carbon nanotubes or multi-walled carbon nanotubes as synthesized, the as synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes being substantially free of randomly entangled nanotube segments on top of the vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes, the as synthesized multi-walled carbon nanotubes having randomly entangled nanotube segments on top of the vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes; wherein the dry adhesive has a normal adhesion strength of at least about 5 N&#xb7;cm, and a shear adhesion strength of at least about 13 N&#xb7;cm. Methods of making a nanocomposite dry adhesive are also described.

Aligned carbon nanotubes for dry adhesives and methods for producing same

Metal-free fuel cell cathodes having a catalytic layer of vertically-aligned, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (VA-NCNTs) are provided. The fuel cell cathodes comprise a cathode body, a binder layer attached to an outer surface of the cathode body, and the catalytic layer, which is supported by the binder layer. The binder layer may comprise a composite of a conductive polymer and doped or undoped nonaligned carbon nanotubes. In a method for forming the fuel cell cathodes, the VA-NCNTs may be formed by pyrolysis of a metalorganic compound and integration of the nanotubes with nitrogen. The binder layer is applied, and the resulting supported nanotube array may be attached to the cathode body. Fuel cells comprising the fuel cell cathodes are provided. The fuel cell cathodes comprising VA-NCNTs demonstrate superior oxygen-reduction reaction performance, including for electrocatalytic activity, operational stability, tolerance to crossover effects, and resistance to CO poisoning.

Metal-free vertically-aligned nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube catalyst for fuel cell cathodes

A method and system for the preferential growth of semiconducting vertically-aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (VA-SWNTs) is provided. The method combines the use of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at low pressure with rapid heating. The method provides a high yield of up to approximately 96% semiconducting SWNTs in the VA-SWNT array. The as-synthesized semiconducting SWNTs can be used directly for fabricating field effect transistor (FET) devices without the need for any post-synthesis purification or separation.

Method for preferential growth of semiconducting vertically aligned single walled carbon nanotubes

A polymer-carbon nanotube composite film is provided for use as a sensor for detecting chemical vapors. The composite film is formed by coating perpendicularly-aligned carbon nanotubes with a polymer selected from poly(vinyl acetate), poly(isoprene), or blends thereof. The sensor may be formed by attaching at least two electrodes to the polymer-carbon nanotube composite film. The sensor may be used in any applications where the sensor is capable of detecting a change in conductivity in the composite.

Polymer-carbon nanotube composite for use as a sensor

A sensor including at least one sensor probe including a pair of electrodes; a vertically aligned nanotube disposed between the pair of electrodes; optionally a piezoelectric polymer on the nanotube; and optionally, a field source for generating a field, the field source operatively connected to the pair of electrodes; whereby when the sensor probe is contacted, a change in the field occurs or electricity is generated. Methods of using the sensors are also described.

Touch and auditory sensors based on nanotube arrays

An electroless deposition method of depositing metal nanoparticles onto conductive substrates such as carbon nanotubes is provided. The carbon nanotubes are provided on a support comprising a metal substrate and then immersed in an aqueous solution containing metal ions. The metal substrate metal has a redox potential which is lower than that of the metal ions in solution such that the metal ions are readily reduced into metal nanoparticles on the carbon nanotubes.

Substrate-enhanced electroless deposition (SEED) of metal nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes

A reactor for preparing carbon nanotubes comprising a reaction chamber, at least one support means located within said reaction chamber capable of supporting a substrate, said substrate being capable of supporting carbon nanotube growth, at least one heating element located within said reaction chamber capable of providing localized heating to said substrate within said reaction chamber, and means for passing a gaseous carbonaceous material into said reaction chamber such that is passes over the contacts said substrate.

Apparatus for the production of carbon nanotubes

A method of making an asymmetric end-functionalized carbon nanotube film is described. The method includes providing a carbon nanotube film having a first end and a second end; contacting the first end of the carbon nanotube film with a first reactive medium; reacting the first end of the carbon nanotube film with the first reactive medium by a first physicochemical process; contacting the second end of the carbon nanotube film with a second reactive medium, wherein the first reactive medium is different from the second reactive medium; and reacting the second end of the carbon nanotube film with the second reactive medium by a second physicochemical process.

Asymmetric end-functionalization of carbon nanotubes

This invention relates to a process for the preparation of a substrate-free aligned nanotube film, comprising: (a) synthesizing a layer of aligned carbon nanotubes on a quartz glass substrate by pyrolysis of a carbon-containing material, in the presence of a suitable catalyst for nanotube formation; and (b) etching the quartz glass substrate at the nanotube/substrate interface to release the layer of aligned nanotubes from the substrate. The invention also provides a process for the preparation of a multilayer carbon nanotube film comprising depositing a substrate-free carbon nanotube film onto another nanotube film. Further, the invention provides a process for the preparation of a &ldquo;hetero-structured&rdquo; multilayer carbon nanotube film which includes one or more carbon nanotube layers together with layers of other materials, such as metal, semiconductor and polymer.

Growing community of inventors

Beavercreek, OH, United States of America

Liming Dai