Carbon Nanotube Production

[aquafox]

So maybe I'm just a wild dreamer but I have a theory that has been rolling around in my head and I thought I would throw it out there for someone to critic. My theory is on carbon nanotubes and the production methods to date. I have read many articles online and have come up with what I believe would be an interesting experiment. When I think of carbon nanotubes I think of cotton candy. Its light flexible and comes apart in almost lighter than air strings. So if this thinking is correct why are the carbon nanotubes not being produced with a similar method? Inert hydrocarbon gases pumped into a super heated spinning perforated centrifuge with a collecting sub straight around the outside that is then able to collect the carbon nanotubes and whisk them awayinto a yarn type material for use in multiple applications. So that's my idea.I would assume if it did work it would increase carbon nanotube production exponentially. I am trying to work up a 3D rendering of what I think the device would look like. If I get it done in a timely matter I will try to include it with the post.

 

Edited January 21, 2012 by aquafox

[Wilmot McCutchen]

Theta pinch on carbon ion vortices would self-tighten the vortices into nanotubes. A continuous reactor having axial feed and radial extrusion of nanotubes could have a very high shear rate for creating the vortices, and the carbon ions could be produced by electrolysis between counter-rotating disk electrodes. For example:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20090200176.pdf

and

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2009/0263309.html