Patent ID: 8318250
Filing Date: 2012-11-27
Classification: B01J,B22F,B82Y,C01B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of producing anchored carbon nanotubes comprising: (a) etching a substrate comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc with an etchant selected from the group consisting of an aqueous solution of an aluminum salt, a dilute acid, and a combination thereof, wherein metal ions from the substrate form in the etchant; (b) drying the substrate in the presence of the etchant, wherein nano-size deposits comprising the metal ions are deposited adjacent the surface of the substrate; (c) exposing the metal ions to hydrogen to reduce the metal ions and produce nano-catalysts; and (d) in a step that is separate from step (c), exposing the nano-catalysts to an organic gas to grow carbon nanotubes on the nano-catalysts, forming the anchored carbon nanotubes.