Carbon nanotube composite structure and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

Provided are a carbon nanotube structure more excellent in electric conductivity, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength, and a method of manufacturing the carbon nanotube structure. A carbon nanotube composite structure is characterized by including: a first carbon nanotube structure in which functional groups bonded to plural carbon nanotubes are chemically bonded and mutually cross-linked to construct a network structure; and a second carbon nanotube structure in which functional groups bonded to plural carbon nanotubes are chemically bonded and mutually cross-linked to construct a network structure, the second carbon nanotube structure being combined with the network structure of the first carbon nanotube structure.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT [0001] The present invention relates to a carbon nanotube structure and a method of manufacturing the same. [0002] Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), with their unique shapes and characteristics, are being considered for various applications. A carbon nanotube has a tubular shape of one-dimensional nature which is obtained by rolling one or more graphene sheets composed of six-membered rings of carbon atoms into a tube. A carbon nanotube which is formed from one graphene sheet is called a single-wall nanotube (SWNT) while a carbon nanotube which is formed from plural graphene sheets is called a multi-wall nanotube (MWNT). SWNTs are about 1 nm in diameter whereas multi-wall carbon nanotubes measure several tens nm in diameter, and both are far thinner than their predecessors, which are called carbon fibers. [0003] One of the characteristics of carbon nanotubes resides in that the aspect ratio of length to diameter is very large since the length ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a novel carbon nanotube structure excellent in electric conductivity, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength, and a method of manufacturing the carbon nanotube structure.

[0060] For example, —COOH is particularly preferably used as the functional group specifically used for the condensation reaction. Introduction of a carboxyl group into carbon nanotubes is relatively easy. Moreover, the resultant substance (a carbon nanotube carboxylic acid) is highly reactive. Therefore, introduction of functional groups for forming a network structure into plural places of one carbon nanotube is easy. In addition, the functional group easily prompts in a condensation reaction, thus being suitable for the formation of the carbon nanotube structure.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, it becomes difficult to obtain intended characteristics of the resultant carbon nanotube structure, which places limitations on the use of the resultant carbon nanotube structure in various applications.

In addition, a network structure of carbon nanotubes is not formed sufficiently densely, so that there arises a problem in that excellent characteristics including electric conductivity, thermal conductivity, and a mechanical strength which a carbon nanotube intrinsically has can not be sufficiently utilized.

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