Patent ID: 8709539

Claim:
A process for producing a composite material having carbon nanotubes present on a surface of a base material using an apparatus that comprises: a hollow body defining an elongated chamber that is configured to have a gas flow through it and is heatable, wherein the hollow body is rotatable about a major axis and is inclined such that an upstream side on one end of the hollow body in the direction of the major axis is higher than a downstream side of the hollow body on the other end, an introduction site configured to input the base material into the chamber, a supply site configured to input a carbon source vapor into the chamber, the introduction site and the supply site being arranged so that contact between the base material and the carbon source vapor occurs in a reaction zone disposed in at least one upstream portion of the elongated chamber in the direction of the major axis, and a plurality of ribs disposed on at least one inner peripheral wall of the hollow body at least within a portion of the elongated chamber adjacent to the reaction zone, wherein the process comprises: inputting the base material, which already has a catalyst disposed on its surface, into the chamber of the hollow body via the introduction site; supplying the carbon source vapor, which is comprised of a carbon source capable of forming the carbon nanotubes on the base material, via the supply site, and moving the base material from the upstream side to the downstream side by rotating the hollow body about the major axis, wherein base material disposed on the at least one inner peripheral wall is caught on the ribs and is lifted up and then is dropped such that the base material and the carbon source vapor make contact in the reaction zone.