Fibrous networks and a method and apparatus for continuous or batch fibrous network production

1. A method for the production of a patterned fibrous network-substrate component, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

a) providing a patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) on a preliminary substrate ( 2 ) by depositing high aspect ratio molecular structures (HARM-structures) being in a gas flow onto the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) by

i) passing the HARM-structures through a filter overlaid with a pattern or grid, or

ii) a lift-off process, or

iii) passing a suspension of the HARM-structures through a filter having an embedded pattern,

the HARM-structures being selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, fullerene functionalized carbon nanotubes, carbon nanobuds, boron-nitride nanotubes, carbon containing nanorods, phosphorous containing nanorods, boron containing nanorods, nitrogen containing nanorods and silicon containing nanorods;

b) placing the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) on the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) in proximity to a secondary substrate ( 3 );

c) applying a force to the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) to attract the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) from the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) to the secondary substrate ( 3 ) in order to transfer the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) from the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) to the secondary substrate ( 3 ); and

d) removing the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) from the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

depositing the fibrous material in the gas flow on the preliminary substrate by magnetic, mechanical, thermophoretic, photophoretic, electrophoretic, gravitational and/or inertial transport.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the applied force is provided by a differential in adhesive forces between the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) and the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the secondary substrate ( 3 ).

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the differential in adhesive forces between the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) and the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the secondary substrate ( 3 ) is in whole or in part provided by at least one of a differential in electrical, electrostatic, van der Waals or capillary forces or by a differential in surface tension.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the differential in adhesive force between the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) and the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the secondary substrate ( 3 ) is in whole or in part provided by a matrix, an intercalation or a suspension material, which is in contact with the network of fibrous material on the preliminary substrate, and which is attracted to the secondary substrate ( 3 ) and transports the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) together with the matrix, intercalation or suspension material from the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) to the secondary substrate ( 3 ).

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the differential in adhesive force between the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) and the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and the secondary substrate ( 3 ) is in whole or in part provided by applying and/or removing energy to or from one or more of the network of fibrous material ( 1 ), the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) and the secondary substrate ( 3 ) so that the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) is attracted to the secondary substrate ( 3 ).

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

modifying the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) by physical compression, by the application and/or removal of heat and/or energy, by the application of a matrix, intercalation, suspension, adhesive and/or junction creating material and/or by application of a force field.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

applying heat or energy to the network of fibrous material ( 1 ) and/or the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) by laser, electrical, resistive, conductive, radiative, acoustic and/or vibrational heating, inductive heating, combustion and/or chemical reaction, and/or nuclear reaction.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the modifying force field is thermophoretic, inertial, electrical, magnetic, photophoretic, acoustic and/or gravitational.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the junction creating material is a metal particle or a bridging molecule.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein steps (a) to (d) are performed continuously for continuous production of one or more fibrous network-substrate components.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein any or all of steps (a) to (d) are performed intermittently for batch production of one or more fibrous network-substrate components.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein steps (a) to (d) are repeated in parallel and/or in series in order to form one or more multilayered fibrous network-substrate components.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein steps (a) to (d) are repeated two or more times for the same secondary substrate.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the preliminary substrate is formed from nitrocellulose, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, glass fiber, or silver.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary substrate is formed from glass, silicon or polyethylene.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lift-off process includes:

depositing an additive layer of a soluble or otherwise removable material on the preliminary substrate;

exposing the soluble or otherwise removable material to patterned radiation;

washing with a solvent to remove exposed portions of the additive layer;

depositing the HARM-structures on the remaining additive layer and newly exposed portions of the preliminary substrate; and further washing with the solvent to remove the remaining additive layer.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the embedded pattern is defined by regions of high and low porosity.

19. A method for the production of a patterned fibrous network-substrate component, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

a) providing a patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) on a preliminary substrate ( 2 ) by depositing high aspect ratio molecular structures (HARM-structures) being in a gas flow onto the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) by

i) passing the HARM-structures through a filter overlaid with a pattern or grid, or

ii) passing a suspension of the HARM-structures through a filter having an embedded pattern,

the HARM-structures being selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, fullerene functionalized carbon nanotubes, carbon nanobuds, boron-nitride nanotubes, carbon containing nanorods, phosphorous containing nanorods, boron containing nanorods, nitrogen containing nanorods and silicon containing nanorods;

b) placing the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) on the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) in proximity to a secondary substrate ( 3 );

c) applying a force to the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) to attract the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) from the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) to the secondary substrate ( 3 ) in order to transfer the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ) from the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) to the secondary substrate ( 3 ); and

d) removing the preliminary substrate ( 2 ) from the patterned network of fibrous material ( 1 ).