التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
Inkjet Printing of Conductive Carbon Nanotubes, Inherently Conductive Polymers, and Metal Particle Inks |
| Document Number: |
20120111599 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
May 10, 2012 |
| Appl. No: |
13/278710 |
| Application Filed: |
October 21, 2011 |
| مستخلص: |
Systems and methods for forming conductive materials. The conductive materials can be applied using a printer in single or multiple passes onto a substrate. The conductive materials are composed of electrical conductors such as carbon nanotubes (including functionalized carbon nanotubes and metal-coated carbon nanotubes), grapheme, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (e.g. pentacene and bisperipentacene), metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), and combinations thereof. Once the conductive materials are applied, the materials are dried and sintered to form adherent conductive materials on the substrate. The adherent conductive materials can be used in applications such as damage detection, particle removal, and smart coating systems. |
| Inventors: |
Roberson, Luke B. (Titusville, FL, US); Williams, Martha K. (Titusville, FL, US); Gibson, Tracy L. (Melbourne, FL, US); Tate, LaNetra C. (Oviedo, FL, US); Snyder, Sarah J. (Terre Haute, IN, US); Fortier, Craig R. (Cocoa, FL, US) |
| Assignees: |
United States Of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Spac (Washington, DC, US) |
| Claim: |
1. A method of forming a conductive material comprising: applying a conductive ink with a printer in single or multiple passes onto a substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP) wherein the ICP is not PEDOT, ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form an adherent conductive material on the substrate; wherein the adherent conductive material has a surface resistivity of less than 100 Ohms/square. |
| Claim: |
2. The method of claim 1 comprising applying the conductive ink with a printer in multiple passes onto the substrate. |
| Claim: |
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical conductor is selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, metal nanoparticles, and a combination thereof. |
| Claim: |
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive ink comprises the electrical conductor suspended or dissolved in a polar solvent. |
| Claim: |
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the printer is an inkjet printer. |
| Claim: |
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the printer is a piezoelectric or thermal inkjet printer. |
| Claim: |
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the printer is a bubble jet printer, a screen printer, or an electrohydrodynamic printer. |
| Claim: |
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the adherent conductive material has a surface resistivity of less than 10 Ohms/square. |
| Claim: |
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive ink is applied in at least 10 passes. |
| Claim: |
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive ink comprises uncoated carbon nanotubes, functionalized carbon nanotubes, graphene, metal-coated carbon nanotubes, or metal nanoparticles. |
| Claim: |
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the adherent conductive material comprises a plurality of layers, wherein each layer is formed by applying a conductive ink in at least one pass, wherein at least two adjoining layers comprise different electrical conductors or different combinations of electrical conductors. |
| Claim: |
12. The method of claim 11 wherein one layer comprises carbon nanotubes without an inherently conductive polymer, and an adjacent layer comprises an inherently conductive polymer. |
| Claim: |
13. The method of claim 11 wherein one layer comprises functionalized carbon nanotubes, and an adjacent layer comprises functionalized carbon nanotubes with metal nanoparticles. |
| Claim: |
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is magnetic before the applying step. |
| Claim: |
15. The method of claim 1 wherein during the applying step, a magnetic field is applied to the conductive ink from a source other than the substrate. |
| Claim: |
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive ink comprises uncoated carbon nanotubes, functionalized carbon nanotubes, or metal-coated carbon nanotubes in suspension in a polar solvent comprising a detergent, ionic liquid, or anti-agglomeration agent. |
| Claim: |
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a polymer. |
| Claim: |
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the substrate is a hydrophilic polymer. |
| Claim: |
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the substrate is a surface-treated polymer, wherein the surface treatment makes the substrate more hydrophilic. |
| Claim: |
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a paper, textile, or fabric. |
| Claim: |
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive ink comprises a mixture of carbon nanotubes and metal nanoparticles. |
| Claim: |
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive ink comprises functionalized carbon nanotubes. |
| Claim: |
23. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive ink comprises a mixture of functionalized carbon nanotubes and metal nanoparticles. |
| Claim: |
24. The method of claim 1 further comprising sintering the adherent conductive material on the substrate at a temperature of 130-170° C.. |
| Claim: |
25. A method of forming a conductive material comprising: applying a conductive ink with a printer in single or multiple passes onto a substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form an adherent conductive material on the substrate; and sintering the adherent conductive material on the substrate at a temperature of 130-170° C.. to form a sintered adherent conductive material. |
| Claim: |
26. A material comprising: a substrate; coated with an adherent conductive material produced by a process comprising: applying a conductive ink with a printer in single or multiple passes onto the substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP) wherein the ICP is not PEDOT, ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form the adherent conductive material on the substrate; wherein the surface resistivity of the adherent conductive material is less than 100 Ohms/square. |
| Claim: |
27. A material comprising: a substrate; coated with an adherent conductive material produced by a process comprising: applying a conductive ink with a printer in single or multiple passes onto a substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form an adherent conductive material on the substrate; and sintering the adherent conductive material on the substrate at a temperature of 130-170° C.. to form a sintered adherent conductive material. |
| Claim: |
28. The material of claim 27 wherein the sintered adherent conductive material has a surface resistivity of less than 10 Ohms/square. |
| Claim: |
29. An apparatus comprising a surface cleaning coating; wherein the coating comprises a conductive material selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, metal nanoparticles, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; wherein the coating is adapted to receive power and, upon application of power, move particles and/or material. |
| Claim: |
30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the conductive material is an adherent conductive material produced by a process comprising: applying a conductive ink with a printer in multiple passes onto the substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form the adherent conductive material on the substrate. |
| Claim: |
31. A method of forming a surface cleaning coating comprising: applying a conductive ink with a printer in multiple passes onto a substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, metal nanoparticles, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form an adherent conductive material on the substrate; wherein the substrate is a surface of an apparatus or of a component of an apparatus and the adherent conductive material is adapted to repel dust from the apparatus or a component of the apparatus. |
| Claim: |
32. A wire comprising: a core conductor; surrounded by an insulator; the insulator coated with an adherent conductive material layer; the adherent conductive material layer covered with an outer insulator; wherein the adherent conductive material layer is formed by a process comprising: applying a conductive ink with a printer in multiple passes onto the substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form the adherent conductive material on the substrate. |
| Claim: |
33. A method of producing a wire comprising a damage detection layer, the method comprising: obtaining a wire comprising a core conductor surrounded by an insulator; and applying a conductive ink with a printer in multiple passes onto the insulator; wherein the conductive ink comprises an electrical conductor selected from the group consisting of: carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metal nanoparticles, an inherently conductive polymer (ICP), ionic liquid, and combinations thereof; and drying the conductive ink on the substrate to form the adherent conductive material on the insulator; wherein the adherent conductive material is adapted to be used in detecting damage to the wire. |
| Claim: |
34. The method of claim 33 further comprising applying an insulator material over the adherent conductive material to form an outer insulator layer over the adherent conductive material. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
174/107 |
| Current International Class: |
01; 01; 05; 05; 01; 01; 82; 82 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20120111599 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |
