IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,230,419
Granted Patent B1
US 12,230,419 · App. 17/811,456 · Granted Feb 18, 2025

Carbon nanotube ultraconductor

Inventors: Amirfarshad Mashal (Malibu, CA); Christopher P. Henry (Malibu, CA); David W. Shahan (Malibu, CA)
Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
H01B12/06B41J2/1433C01B32/159C01B32/174C09D11/037C09D11/322C09D11/52H01B1/04H01B13/0036B82Y30/00B82Y40/00C01B2202/02C01B2202/08C01B2202/22C01P2004/03
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,230,419
App. No.
17/811,456
Granted
Feb 18, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

An ultraconductor includes: a base substrate; a carbon nanotube layer on the base substrate, the carbon nanotube layer including a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and an insulating layer on the carbon nanotube layer, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially all aligned along a longitudinal axis of the base substrate. A method of manufacturing the ultraconductor includes: preparing a base substrate; depositing a plurality of carbon nanotubes on the base substrate to form a carbon nanotube layer; depositing an insulating layer on the carbon nanotube layer, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially all aligned along a longitudinal axis of the base substrate.

Claims (50)

1. An ultraconductor comprising:

a base substrate;

a carbon nanotube layer on the base substrate, the carbon nanotube layer comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and

an insulating layer on the carbon nanotube layer,

wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprise 50% to 100% of metallic carbon nanotubes, and the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially all aligned along a longitudinal axis of the base substrate.

2. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein at least 70% of the plurality of carbon nanotubes of the carbon nanotube layer are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the base substrate.

3. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate comprises a conductive material selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), gold (Au), a glass-coated conductive metal, and combinations thereof.

4. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate is a copper (Cu) wire.

5. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate comprises an insulating material.

6. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the base substrate comprises a hydrophobic coating selected from the group consisting of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), phosphates, GTUB3, and combinations thereof.

7. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate has a textured surface.

8. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprise at least 95% of metallic carbon nanotubes.

9. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes consist of metallic carbon nanotubes.

10. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprise 90% to 99% of single-wall carbon nanotubes.

11. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes consist of single-wall carbon nanotubes.

12. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes are modified with metal nanoparticles.

13. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube layer further comprises a surfactant.

14. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer comprises a thermally conductive electrically insulating material.

15. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer comprises hexagonal boron nitride (hBN).

16. The ultraconductor of claim 15 , wherein hBN is crystallographically intertwined with a lattice of the carbon nanotube layer.

17. The ultraconductor of claim 1 , wherein the base substrate, the carbon nanotube layer, and the insulating layer are concentric.

18. A method of manufacturing an ultraconductor, the method comprising:

preparing a base substrate;

depositing a plurality of carbon nanotubes on the base substrate to form a carbon nanotube layer; and

depositing an insulating layer on the carbon nanotube layer,

wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprise 50% to 100% of metallic carbon nanotubes, and the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially all aligned along a longitudinal axis of the base substrate.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the preparing of the base substrate comprises surface-treating the base substrate with a hydrophobic coating, surface texturing the base substrate, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the depositing the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprises:

sorting a carbon nanotube network to separate metallic single-wall carbon nanotubes, such that the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprises at least 95% of metallic carbon nanotubes and 90% to 99% of single-wall carbon nanotubes;

dispersing the plurality of carbon nanotubes in a solution comprising a solvent and a surfactant; and

aligning the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the base substrate, such that at least 70% of carbon nanotubes among the plurality of carbon nanotubes are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the base substrate.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the depositing the plurality of carbon nanotubes further comprises:

modifying the plurality of carbon nanotubes with metal nanoparticles; and

subjecting the plurality of carbon nanotubes to annealing.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the depositing the insulating layer comprises thermal spray coating, chemical vapor deposition, and/or the like of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN).

23. An apparatus for manufacturing an ultraconductor, the apparatus comprising:

a stock roll comprising a base substrate and configured to be unrolled into at least one spread-out portion;

inkjet nozzles above the at least one spread-out portion of the stock roll, the inkjet nozzles configured to deposit a solution on the at least one spread-out portion;

a heat source under the at least one spread-out portion of the stock roll; and

an analyzer.

24. An ultraconductor comprising:

a base substrate;

a carbon nanotube layer on the base substrate, the carbon nanotube layer comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and

an insulating layer on the carbon nanotube layer,

wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially all aligned along a longitudinal axis of the base substrate, and

wherein:

the base substrate is a copper (Cu) wire; and/or

a surface of the base substrate comprises a hydrophobic coating selected from the group consisting of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), phosphates, GTUB3, and combinations thereof; and/or

the insulating layer comprises hexagonal boron nitride (hBN); and/or

the base substrate, the carbon nanotube layer, and the insulating layer are concentric.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2023
From: MASHAL, AMIRFARSHAD; HENRY, CHRISTOPHER P.; SHAHAN, DAVID W.
To: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 063344/0679 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63220379 · Jul 9, 2021
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