Methods for Production of Carbon Nanomaterials in the Presence of a Carbon Black Catalyst

Abstract

A method and apparatus for production of nanoscale materials is disclosed. In the preferred embodiments, the invention is scalable and tunable to reliably produce nanoscale materials of specifically desired qualities and at relatively high levels of purity. In a preferred embodiment, combustible gas is discharged onto a substrate through a multi-zone flame facilitating the formation of nanoscale materials such as single and multi-wall nanotubes.

1 . A method for synthesizing a carbon nanoscale material, said method comprising:
 providing a gas-phase carbon-containing feedstock in a reactor environment for forming a carbon nanoscale material;   adjusting the reactor environment to a temperature and pressure suitable for forming the carbon nanoscale material;   introducing a colloidal carbon material into the reactor environment; and   forming the carbon nanoscale material in the presence of the colloidal carbon material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the colloidal carbon material comprises carbon black. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the carbon black is formed in situ in the reactor environment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the carbon black comprises a catalyst for formation of the carbon nanoscale material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the carbon black comprises a feedstock source for formation of the carbon nanoscale material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the carbon nanoscale material comprises carbon nanotubes, and the carbon black comprises a template for formation of carbon nanotubes of a specific dimension. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the colloidal carbon material comprises a catalyst for formation of the carbon nanoscale material 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the colloidal carbon material comprises a feedstock source for formation of the carbon nanoscale material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanoscale material is free of non-carbon catalyst residues. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the colloidal carbon material is introduced into the reactor environment with a carrier gas. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the colloidal carbon material is introduced into a discrete, predetermined zone of the reactor environment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the colloidal carbon material is produced in situ in a discrete, predetermined zone of the reactor environment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the reactor environment comprises a flame synthesis of the carbon nanoscale material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor environment comprises a flame synthesis of the carbon nanoscale material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 introducing a metal-containing species into the reactor environment.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanoscale material is selected from the group consisting of single-wall carbon nanotubes, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, nano-onions, and nano-diamonds. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 introducing a coolant into the reactor environment at a predetermined reaction time.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gas-phase carbon-containing feedstock comprises acetylene.