US 11,718,525 B2
System and method of producing carbon nanotubes
David Gailus, Merrimack, NH (US); and Mark Schauer, Merrick, NH (US)
Assigned to Nanocomp Technologies, Inc., The Woodlands, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/599,006
Filed by Nanocomp Technologies, Inc., The Woodlands, TX (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 3, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/026741
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 28, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/206369, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/828,981, filed on Apr. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0144642 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. C01B 32/162 (2017.01); B01J 31/12 (2006.01); B01J 38/16 (2006.01); B01J 38/48 (2006.01); B01J 23/745 (2006.01); B01J 38/02 (2006.01); B01J 38/60 (2006.01); D01F 9/133 (2006.01); B82Y 40/00 (2011.01)
CPC C01B 32/162 (2017.08) [B01J 23/745 (2013.01); B01J 31/122 (2013.01); B01J 38/02 (2013.01); B01J 38/16 (2013.01); B01J 38/48 (2013.01); B01J 38/60 (2013.01); D01F 9/133 (2013.01); B82Y 40/00 (2013.01); C01P 2004/13 (2013.01); C01P 2004/60 (2013.01); C01P 2004/64 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing short carbon nanotube fibers, comprising:
(i) introducing a carbonaceous gas, a catalyst, and hydrogen into a reactor, wherein the reactor is at a temperature sufficient to decompose the carbonaceous gas in the presence of the catalyst into the constituent atoms of the carbonaceous gas, wherein the constituent atoms comprise carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms;
(ii) permitting the carbon atoms of the carbonaceous gas to interact with the catalyst to produce carbon nanotubes;
(iii) subjecting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of (a) one or more high velocity jets of gas, (b) one or more spinning impellers, (c) a gas flow across a textured surface, and/or (d) one or more impacts with an array of blunt objects before exiting the reactor to form short carbon nanotube fibers having lengths in a range of from 1 mm to about 50 mm, and
(iv) collecting the short carbon nanotube fibers.