The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 08, 2003
John L. Margrave, Bellaire, TX (US);
Zhenning Gu, Houston, TX (US);
Robert H. Hauge, Houston, TX (US);
Richard E. Smalley, Houston, TX (US);
John L. Margrave, Bellaire, TX (US);
Zhenning Gu, Houston, TX (US);
Robert H. Hauge, Houston, TX (US);
Richard E. Smalley, Houston, TX (US);
William Marsh Rice University, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A method for cutting single-wall carbon nanotubes involves partially fluorinating single-wall carbon nanotubes and pyrolyzing the partially fluorinated nanotubes in an inert atmosphere or vacuum up to about 1000° C. The nanotubes are optionally purified before cutting. The partial fluorination involves fluorinating the nanotubes to a carbon-fluorine stoichiometry of CF, where x is up to about 0.3. The invention also relates to the derivatization of fluorinated and cut single-wall carbon nanotubes. The single-wall carbon nanotubes can be cut to any length depending on the fluorination and pyrolysis conditions. Short nanotubes are useful in various applications, such as field emitters for flat panel displays and as 'seeds' for further nanotube growth.