Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080280137 | ALIGNED CARBON NANOTUBE-POLYMER MATERIALS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nanostructures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within polymers or other flexible materials to provide a flexible skin-like material, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a carbon nanotube/polymer composite material having a plurality of carbon nanotubes formed into a predetermined architecture, with each of the plurality of nanotubes having a desired width and length. The architecture of the plurality of nanotubes defines at least one orientation for a plurality of nanotubes, and also defines the approximate spacing between nanotubes and/or groups of nanotubes. The carbon nanotube architecture is at least partially embedded with a polymer matrix in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture. The polymer matrix may also be formed to have a desired predetermined thickness. | 11-13-2008 |
20090269560 | ALIGNED CARBON NANOTUBE-POLYMER MATERIALS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, self-cleaning applications, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nanostructures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within an adhesive, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a self-cleaning carbon nanotube composite material that includes a substrate, an adhesive coating on at least a portion of the substrate, a plurality of carbon nanostructures formed into a predetermined architecture, each of the plurality of nanostructures having a substantially predetermined width and length, and the architecture of the plurality of nanostructures defining at least one orientation for a plurality of nanostructures, and defining the approximate spacing between nanostructures and/or groups of nanostructures, the carbon nanostructures architecture being at least partially adhered to the adhesive coating on the substrate in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture, wherein the carbon nanostructures architecture renders the composite material superhydrophobic. | 10-29-2009 |
20100075024 | Aligned Carbon Nanotube-Polymer Materials, Systems and Methods - The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nanostructures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within polymers or other flexible materials to provide a flexible skin-like material, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a carbon nanotube/polymer composite material having a plurality of carbon nanotubes formed into a predetermined architecture, with each of the plurality of nanotubes having a desired width and length. The architecture of the plurality of nanotubes defines at least one orientation for a plurality of nanotubes, and also defines the approximate spacing between nanotubes and/or groups of nanotubes. The carbon nanotube architecture is at least partially embedded with a polymer matrix in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture. The polymer matrix may also be formed to have a desired predetermined thickness. | 03-25-2010 |
20110212297 | HYDROPHOBIC SURFACE COATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR METALS - This is provided a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surface configuration and method of forming a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic material on a metallic substrate. The surface configuration comprises a metallic substrate having a carbon nanotube/carbon fibers configuration grown thereon, with the carbon nanotubes/carbon fibers configuration having a heirarchial structure formed to have a predetermined roughness in association with the surface. The method comprises providing a metallic substrate having a predetermined configuration, and growing a plurality of carbon nanotubes/fibers or other nanostructures formed into a predetermined architecture supported on the substrate. | 09-01-2011 |
20110241536 | ALIGNED CARBON NANOTUBE-POLYMER MATERIALS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nano structures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within polymers or other flexible materials to provide a flexible skin-like material, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a carbon nanotube/polymer composite material having a plurality of carbon nanotubes formed into a predetermined architecture, with each of the plurality of nanotubes having a desired width and length. The architecture of the plurality of nanotubes defines at least one orientation for a plurality of nanotubes, and also defines the approximate spacing between nanotubes and/or groups of nanotubes. The carbon nanotube architecture is at least partially embedded with a polymer matrix in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture. The polymer matrix may also be formed to have a desired predetermined thickness. | 10-06-2011 |
20110297904 | HUMIDITY RESPONSIVE MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING HUMIDITY RESPONSIVE MATERIALS - The invention relates to silk or other materials formed to have predetermined contraction/relaxation characteristics, wherein the contraction/relaxation characteristics are initiated by exposure thereof to predetermined humidity characteristics in the adjacent atmosphere. The materials may comprise a single silk fiber, a bundle of fibers of a predetermined size or diameter, a meshwork of fibers forming a predetermined configuration such as one or more sheets, bundles or other bodies. In this manner, the material can be scaled across a size range of any desired magnitude to produce predetermined force and/or displacement characteristics in association therewith. | 12-08-2011 |
20120231270 | MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY - A method of implementing a carbon nanotube thermal interface material onto a heat sink that includes growing carbon nanotubes on said heat sink by chemical vapor deposition and compressing the carbon nanotubes onto metallic surfaces to increase a contact surface area between the carbon nanotubes and the metallic surfaces. The increase in the contact surface area is the area of the carbon nanotubes that is in contact with the metallic surfaces. | 09-13-2012 |
20120235097 | CARBON NANOTUBE BASED FIELD EMISSION DEVICES AND METHODS - A method of fabricating a cathodic portion of a field emission display includes the steps of producing an array of substantially parallel carbon nanotubes attached at one end to a substantially planar substrate. Then, embedding the nanotubes in a polymer matrix that extends to a plane of attachment of the nanotubes to the planar substrate, wherein the polymer matrix allows an end of the nanotubes distal from the ends attached to the planar substrate, uncovered by the polymer matrix in order to allow electrical contact with each other and with an attached conductor. Next, detaching the array from the planar substrate, thus producing a surface having the formerly attached ends of the nanotubes substantially in a plane, and then attaching the conductor to the array of nanotube ends, uncovered by the polymer matrix and distal to the plane. | 09-20-2012 |
20140213130 | CARBON NANOTUBE-BASED ROBUST STEAMPHOBIC SURFACES - A method for creating a superhydrophobic coated nanoporous assembly includes the steps of: providing a nanoporous assembly formed of discrete and/or continuous structures that provide a morphology defining pores of less than 1 micron between neighboring discrete and continuous structures; bringing gaseous plasma precursors in the presence of the nanoporous assembly and in the presence of a plasma generator; employing the plasma generator to convert the gaseous plasma precursors to the plasma state; and permitting the plasma precursors to deposit as a coating on the nanoporous assembly through plasma polymerization techniques the deposition thereof preserving the porous structure of the nanoporous assembly, the deposited coating exhibiting a surface energy of less than 30 dynes/cm. | 07-31-2014 |
20140302249 | COATED FIBERS EXHIBITING BEADS-ON-A-STRING MORPHOLOGY - A method of preparing a fiber with periodically spaced beads includes the steps of: coating a base fiber with a settable coating; thereafter allowing the settable coating to form periodically spaced beads on the base fiber; and stabilizing the periodically spaced beads into periodically spaced beads thus creating a fiber with beads-on-a-string morphology. | 10-09-2014 |