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Low-Cost Arc Process to Produce Single-Walled Nano-TubesT Using Coal-Based Starting Materials

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-FG03-00ER83042
Agency Tracking Number: 60756S00-II
Amount: $0.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
7960 South Kolb Road
Tucson, AZ 85706
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 R. Loutfy
 President
 (520) 574-1980
 rloutfy@mercorp.com
Business Contact
 James Withers
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (520) 574-1980
Email: jcwithers@mercorp.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

60756 Recently discovered fullerene nano-tubes (also known as Single-Walled Nano-Tubes, SWNT) may have wide applicability because of their unique structure, as well as their physical and chemical properties. This project will develop a continuous reactor to economically produce high-yield SWNT using coal-based materials. The proposed reactor will utilize a flow-through design and allow control of production parameters, including catalyst composition and particle size, catalyst/coal ratio, temperature of reaction and annealing zones, and reaction time. The use of low cost coal-based materials as source of carbon, catalyst, and promoter will assure the low cost of the product. Phase I demonstrated that SWNT in good yield can be produced from coal based material. A plasma system, based on inductive coupling plasma, was developed and tested. Although the SWNT products were produced at moderate yield, the approach was shown to have potential for large-scale production and to be synergetic with the coal powder form. In Phase II, a flexible reactor design will be developed to introduce coal-based materials in powder form. A mathematical model that takes reaction parameters into account will be used to simulate the SWNT production process. The approaches will be scaled-up to produce commercial quantities of this novel and versatile material. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: High-yield, low cost SWNT should find a significant market in such applications as field emission devices, memory devices (high density memory arrays, memory logic switching arrays), Nano-MEMs, AFM imaging probes, distributed diagnostics sensors, and strain sensors. Other key applications include: thermal control materials, super-strength (100 times steel) and light weight reinforcement and nanocomposites, EMI shielding materials, catalytic support, gas storage materials, high surface area electrodes, and light weight conductor cable and wires.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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