Carbon nanotube production device and production method

Abstract

Provided are a carbon nanotube production device and production method capable of realizing high-temperature heating of a catalyst raw material in a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) method, and improving the quality and yield of carbon nanotubes synthesized. A carbon nanotube production device 1 includes a synthesis furnace 2 for synthesizing carbon nanotubes; a catalyst raw material supplying nozzle 3 for supplying a catalyst raw material used to synthesize carbon nanotubes to the synthesis furnace 2; and a nozzle temperature adjusting unit 6 capable of setting a temperature of an inner portion 4 of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle 3 higher than a temperature of a reaction field 5 of the synthesis furnace 2. By supplying to the synthesis furnace 2 the catalyst raw material that has been thermally decomposed after being heated to a temperate at which a catalyst metal will not yet be condensed, and by having the thermally decomposed catalyst raw material rapidly cooled to a CVD temperature at the synthesis furnace 2, microscopic catalyst metal particles will be generated at a high density in the space of the reaction field 5 such that carbon nanotubes having a small diameter can be vapor-grown at a high density.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A carbon nanotube production device comprising:
 a synthesis furnace for synthesizing carbon nanotubes;   a catalyst raw material supplying nozzle for supplying a catalyst raw material used to synthesize the carbon nanotubes to the synthesis furnace; and   a nozzle temperature adjusting unit capable of setting a temperature of an inner portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle higher than a temperature of a reaction field of the synthesis furnace.   
     
     
         2 . The production device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the inner portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle is a temperature at which the catalyst raw material thermally decomposes to generate a catalyst metal vapor; the temperature of the reaction field of the synthesis furnace is a temperature at which catalyst metal particles are generated, and CNTs are generated. 
     
     
         3 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle temperature adjusting unit is provided inside the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle. 
     
     
         4 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle temperature adjusting unit is a heater. 
     
     
         5 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 4 , wherein the heater is composed of carbon, and is electrically heated to adjust the temperature of the inner portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 1 , wherein there are provided a plurality of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzles. 
     
     
         7 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 1 , wherein a carbon raw material flow passage for flowing a carbon raw material therethrough is provided outside an outer circumferential portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . A carbon nanotube production method wherein a catalyst raw material is heated by setting a temperature of an inner portion of a catalyst raw material supplying nozzle for supplying the catalyst raw material used to synthesize carbon nanotubes to a synthesis furnace higher than a temperature of a reaction field of the synthesis furnace for synthesizing the carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         9 . The production method according to  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the inner portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle is a temperature at which the catalyst raw material thermally decomposes to generate a catalyst metal vapor; the temperature of the reaction field of the synthesis furnace is a temperature at which CNTs are generated. 
     
     
         10 . The carbon nanotube production method according to  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the inner portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle is adjusted by a nozzle temperature adjusting unit provided inside the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 2 , wherein the nozzle temperature adjusting unit is provided inside the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 2 , wherein the nozzle temperature adjusting unit is a heater. 
     
     
         13 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 3 , wherein the nozzle temperature adjusting unit is a heater. 
     
     
         14 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 12 , wherein the heater is composed of carbon, and is electrically heated to adjust the temperature of the inner portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle. 
     
     
         15 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 13 , wherein the heater is composed of carbon, and is electrically heated to adjust the temperature of the inner portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle. 
     
     
         16 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 2 , wherein there are provided a plurality of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzles. 
     
     
         17 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 3 , wherein there are provided a plurality of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzles. 
     
     
         18 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 4 , wherein there are provided a plurality of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzles. 
     
     
         19 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 5 , wherein there are provided a plurality of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzles. 
     
     
         20 . The carbon nanotube production device according to  claim 2 , wherein a carbon raw material flow passage for flowing a carbon raw material therethrough is provided outside an outer circumferential portion of the catalyst raw material supplying nozzle.