Japan Science and Technology Agency

National Institute for Materials Science

Yafei Zhang

Mika Gamo

Toshihiro Ando

Takashi Sekiguchi

Tadashi Mitsui

An apparatus for synthesizing highly oriented, aligned carbon nanotubes from an alcohol includes a liquid tank for retaining an alcohol; a water cooling device for cooling the liquid tank from its outside; a condensing device for cooling and condensing vapor from the alcohol; a substrate holding device having an electrode for passing an electric current through the substrate in the alcohol; an inert gas inlet for removing air; a tank sealing device to prevent the alcohol becoming gaseous in phase; and a temperature measuring device, wherein the Si substrate with a buildup thereon of the thin film or insular particles is heated by electric current to a temperature, thereby providing a temperature gradient from the Si substrate surface toward the alcohol, wherein said thin film or insular particles is a catalyst for synthesizing carbon nanotubes, and the carbon nanotubes are synthesized.

Method of and apparatus for synthesizing highly oriented, aligned carbon nanotubes from an organic liquid

A method is disclosed whereby a functional nanomaterial such as a monolayer carbon nanotube, a monolayer boron nitride nanotube, a monolayer silicon carbide nanotube, a multilayer carbon nanotube with the number of layers controlled, a multilayer boron nitride nanotube with the number of layers controlled, a multilayer silicon carbide nanotube with the number of layers controlled, a metal containing fullerene, and a metal containing fullerene with the number of layers controlled is produced at a high yield. According to the method, when a multilayer carbon nanotube () is formed by a chemical vapor deposition or a liquid phase growth process, an endothermic reaction aid (HS) is introduced in addition to a primary reactant (CH, H) in the process to form a monolayer carbon nanotube ().

Method for preparing functional nanomaterials utilizing endothermic reaction

A method capable of synthesizing carbon nanotubes at low cost and large quantities, an apparatus usable for carrying out the method, and carbon nanotubes densely aligned on and firmly bonded to a Si substrate over, and oriented perpendicular to, an entire surface thereof are provided. Highly oriented, aligned carbon nanotubes are synthesized from an organic liquid by forming a substrate with a buildup thereon of a thin film or fine insular particles composed of at least one metallic element; exposing the substrate () having the buildup to a hydrogen plasma; and heating the substrate () exposed to the hydrogen plasma in the organic liquid () to a predetermined temperature. The synthesis apparatus comprises: a liquid chamber or tank () for an organic liquid; a water cooling means () for cooling the liquid tank () from its outside; a substrate holder () for holding a substrate (), the holder having electrodes () for passing an electric current through the substrate (); a condensing means () comprising water cooling tubes () for cooling and condensing vapor made from the organic liquid by its vaporization to return it to the liquid for return into the liquid tank (); a valve () through which Ngas is introduced; and a lid () that carries the substrate holder (), the condensing means () and the valve (). The organic liquid () is thus tightly sealed in the liquid tank () by the lid (). This synthesis apparatus allows carbon nanotubes to be synthesized in large quantities, at low cost and in safety. Highly coaxially and densely oriented, aligned carbon nanotubes can be synthesized in the form of a bundle thereof, which when used in a variety of products brings about various excellent effects including extremely high usability.

Method and device for synthesizing high orientationally arranged carbon nano-tube by using organic liquid

3C-SiC nanowhisker and a method of synthesizing 3C-SiC nanowhisker wherein its diameter and length can be controlled. The method is safe and low cost, and the whisker can emit visible light of various wavelengths. 3C-SiC nanowhisker is formed by depositing thin film () made of a metal element on Si substrate (), placing this Si substrate () into a plasma CVD apparatus, and holding it for predetermined time at predetermined substrate temperature in the plasma consisting of hydrogen and hydrocarbon. Si of Si substrate () and C in plasma dissolve at supersaturation into metal liquid particles (), 3C-SiC nanowhisker () grows on the metal liquid particles (), whisker surface is terminated with H so as to maintain the diameter constant, and the metal liquid particles () at whisker root take in Si from Si substrate () and penetrate into Si substrate ().

3C-SiC nanowhisker

3C&#x2014;SiC nanowhisker and a method of synthesizing 3C&#x2014;SiC nanowhisker wherein its diameter and length can be controlled. The method is safe and low cost, and the whisker can emit visible light of various wavelengths. 3C&#x2014;SiC nanowhisker is formed by depositing thin film () made of a metal element on Si substrate (), placing this Si substrate () into a plasma CVD apparatus, and holding it for predetermined time at predetermined substrate temperature in the plasma consisting of hydrogen and hydrocarbon. Si of Si substrate () and C in plasma dissolve at supersaturation into metal liquid particle (), 3C&#x2014;SiC nanowhisker () grows on the metal liquid particles (), whisker surface is terminated with H so as to maintain the diameter constant, and the metal liquid particles () at whisker root take in Si from Si substrate () and penetrate into Si substrate ().

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Yafei Zhang