Apparatus and system for manufacturing a carbon nanotube
In a method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube, a boat configured to receive substrates is positioned outside of a synthesis space where the carbon nanotube is synthesized. The substrates are loaded into the boat. The boat is then transferred to the synthesis space. A process for forming the carbon nanotube is performed on the substrates in the synthesis space to form the carbon nanotube. Thus, the carbon nanotube may be effectively manufactured.
1. A system for manufacturing a carbon nanotube, comprising:
i) a reaction chamber having an inner space where the carbon nanotube is synthesized, a reaction gas being introduced into the reaction chamber;
ii) a multi-step structured boat for receiving a plurality of substrates on which a catalyst reacted with the reaction gas is coated;
iii) a substrate-transferring unit arranged outside of the reaction chamber to load the substrates into the boat outside of the reaction chamber comprising:
a linkage for holding the substrate in the boat, the linkage being rotated on a horizontal plane;
a lifter combined with the linkage to upwardly and downwardly move the linkage;
a slider combined with the lifter to horizontally move the lifter; and
a driving member for driving the linkage, the lifter and the slider, respectively;
iv) a boat-transferring unit for transferring the boat between the outside and the inside of the reaction chamber comprising:
a transferring member combined with the boat;
a guiding member for guiding a movement of the transferring member;
a driving member for driving the transferring member to transfer the boat between the inside and the outside of the reaction chamber; and
a shutter for isolating the reaction chamber from the outside when the boat is transferred into the reaction chamber;
v) a coating unit for coating the catalyst on the substrates comprising:
a hopper for storing and releasing the catalyst;
a selecting member for selecting the catalyst released from the hopper by sizes of the catalyst and for releasing the selected catalyst to the substrates moved under the selecting member; and
a vibrating member combined with the selecting member to uniformly distribute the catalyst released from the hopper by vibrating the selecting member;
vi) a collecting unit for separating the carbon nanotube from the substrates and for collecting the separated carbon nanotube, the collecting unit comprising:
a first separating member for rotating the substrates having the carbon nanotube to a vertical orientation to primarily separate the carbon nanotube from the substrates;
a second separating member for secondarily separating the carbon nanotube remaining on the rotated substrates; and
a receptacle for collecting the carbon nanotube separated from the substrates; and
vii) a system chamber arranging a space for the reaction chamber, the substrate transferring unit, the boat transferring unit, the coating unit and the collecting unit;
wherein the coating unit and the collecting unit are vertically stacked.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an induction fan installed at a top portion of the system chamber to induce an inert gas introduced into the system chamber toward a lower space of the system chamber.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a storing unit installed in the system chamber to temporarily store the substrates.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the storing unit comprises a receptacle for collecting the carbon nanotube partially separated from the substrates.