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:
Oct. 22, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 14, 2004
Robert H. Hauge, Houston, TX (US);
Andrew R. Barron, Houston, TX (US);
James M. Tour, Bellaire, TX (US);
Howard K. Schmidt, Cypress, TX (US);
W. Edward Billups, Houston, TX (US);
Christopher A. Dyke, Humble, TX (US);
Valerie C. Moore, Houston, TX (US);
Elizabeth Whitsitt, Houston, TX (US);
Robin E. Anderson, Toronto, CA;
Ramon Colorado, Jr., Houston, TX (US);
Michael P. Stewart, Mountain View, CA (US);
Douglas C. Ogrin, Houston, TX (US);
Irene M. Marek, Houston, TX (US);
Richard E. Smalley, Houston, TX (US);
Robert H. Hauge, Houston, TX (US);
Andrew R. Barron, Houston, TX (US);
James M. Tour, Bellaire, TX (US);
Howard K. Schmidt, Cypress, TX (US);
W. Edward Billups, Houston, TX (US);
Christopher A. Dyke, Humble, TX (US);
Valerie C. Moore, Houston, TX (US);
Elizabeth Whitsitt, Houston, TX (US);
Robin E. Anderson, Toronto, CA;
Ramon Colorado, Jr., Houston, TX (US);
Michael P. Stewart, Mountain View, CA (US);
Douglas C. Ogrin, Houston, TX (US);
William Marsh Rice University, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed towards methods (processes) of providing large quantities of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of defined diameter and chirality (i.e., precise populations). In such processes, CNT seeds of a pre-selected diameter and chirality are grown to many (e.g., hundreds) times their original length. This is optionally followed by cycling some of the newly grown material back as seed material for regrowth. Thus, the present invention provides for the large-scale production of precise populations of CNTs, the precise composition of such populations capable of being optimized for a particular application (e.g., hydrogen storage). The present invention is also directed to complexes of CNTs and transition metal catalyst precurors, such complexes typically being formed en route to forming CNT seeds.