JP2020180025A - Method and apparatus for producing carbon nanotube molding - Google Patents

Abstract

To easily produce a tape-like carbon nanotube molding.SOLUTION: A method for producing a CNT molding comprises: a step (Step S11) of preparing a laminated CNT sheet, which is a multi-layer laminated CNT sheet, in a state in which the laminated CNT sheet is wound around a cylindrical outer surface of a holding roller; and a step (Step S12) of, in a state in which the laminated CNT sheet is cut in a laminating direction at a cutting point, rotating the holding roller around a rotation axis oriented in an axial direction and cutting the laminated CNT sheet in a circumferential direction while moving the cutting point relative to the holding roller in the axial direction, thereby continuously cutting out a tape-like CNT molding from the laminated CNT sheet. Thus, a relatively long tape-shaped CNT molding can be easily produced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for producing a carbon nanotube molded product.

In recent years, it has been proposed to mold a plurality of carbon nanotubes into various shapes and use them in various products such as heaters and sensors. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a relatively small heating element in which a sheet-shaped or fibrous carbon nanotube structure is fixed between two substrates via an adhesive. On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, a carbon nanotube array, which is a collection of a large number of carbon nanotubes erected on the surface of a cylindrical base material, is irradiated with a laser to form a spiral groove, and a sub-array located between the grooves is formed. A technique for drawing out a linear carbon nanotube wire to form a linear carbon nanotube wire is disclosed.

Japanese Patent No. 5721995 U.S. Pat. No. 8431053

By the way, in order to increase the size of a product such as a heater using carbon nanotubes, a large number of carbon nanotube fibers or the like are usually connected in the longitudinal direction, and further arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and connected between electrodes. This can complicate product manufacturing. In addition, unevenness in the heat generation state may occur in the arrangement direction of a large number of carbon nanotube fibers. Therefore, there is a demand for a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded product having a width wider than that of the carbon nanotube fiber.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to easily produce a relatively long tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded product.

The invention according to claim 1 is a method for manufacturing a carbon nanotube molded body, in which a) a laminated CNT sheet, which is a laminated carbon nanotube sheet having a plurality of layers, is wound around a cylindrical outer surface of a holding roller. The step of preparing the laminated CNT sheets and b) the laminated CNT sheets are cut in the stacking direction at the cutting point by the cutting portion, and the holding rollers are rotated around a rotation axis facing the axial direction to rotate the laminated CNTs. A step of continuously cutting a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded body from the laminated CNT sheet by moving the cutting point relative to the holding roller in the axial direction while cutting the sheet in the circumferential direction. ..

The invention according to claim 2 is the method for producing a carbon nanotube molded article according to claim 1, further comprising a step of sandwiching the carbon nanotube molded article in the stacking direction and compacting it after the step b). Be prepared.

The invention according to claim 3 is the method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a step of winding and recovering the carbon nanotube molded product after the step b). The carbon nanotube molded product is stretched by increasing the recovery speed of the carbon nanotube molded product to be higher than the feeding speed of the carbon nanotube molded product from the holding roller.

The invention according to claim 4 is the method for producing a carbon nanotube molded article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the carbon nanotube molded article is formed in the longitudinal direction after the step b). A step of measuring the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded product between the two measurement positions separated from each other is further provided.

The invention according to claim 5 is the method for manufacturing a carbon nanotube molded body according to claim 4, and the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded body between the two measurement positions is measured by a four-terminal method.

The invention according to claim 6 is the method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded product is formed after the step b). It further includes a process of bundling and forming a linear shape.

The invention according to claim 7 is a carbon nanotube molded body manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded body, wherein a laminated CNT sheet, which is a laminated carbon nanotube sheet having a plurality of layers, is formed on a cylindrical outer surface. A holding roller that holds the CNT sheet in a wound state, a first rotating mechanism that rotates the holding roller around a rotation axis that faces the axial direction, and a cutting portion that cuts the laminated CNT sheet in the stacking direction at a cutting point. Then, in parallel with rotating the holding roller by the first rotating mechanism to cut the laminated CNT sheet in the circumferential direction, the cutting point is moved relative to the holding roller in the axial direction. , A cutting point moving mechanism for continuously cutting a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded body from the laminated CNT sheet, a recovery roller for winding and collecting the carbon nanotube molded body, and a second rotating mechanism for rotating the recovery roller. To be equipped.

The invention according to claim 8 is the carbon nanotube molded article manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the carbon nanotube molded article is sandwiched between the holding roller and the recovery roller in the stacking direction and compacted. It further includes a pair of compacted rollers.

The invention according to claim 9 is the carbon nanotube molded body manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, and is a rotation control unit that controls the rotation speed of at least one of the first rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism. By further controlling the rotation control unit, the recovery speed of the carbon nanotube molded body by the recovery roller is made faster than the feeding speed of the carbon nanotube molded body from the holding roller, whereby the holding roller and the said The carbon nanotube molded body is stretched between the recovery rollers.

The invention according to claim 10 is the carbon nanotube molded article manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the carbon nanotube molded article is placed between the holding roller and the recovery roller. A resistance measuring unit for measuring the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded product between two measurement positions separated in the longitudinal direction is further provided.

The invention according to claim 11 is the carbon nanotube molded body manufacturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the resistance measuring unit is the carbon nanotube molded body at the two measurement positions via a pair of power supply terminals. In a non-contact state with the pair of power supply terminals at the two measurement positions via a pair of voltmeter terminals and a constant current power supply that contacts the two measurement positions and allows a constant magnitude of current to flow between the two measurement positions. A voltmeter that comes into contact with the carbon nanotube molded body and measures the voltage between the two measurement positions is provided, and the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded body between the two measurement positions is the current from the constant current power source. It is obtained based on the value and the value measured by the voltmeter.

The invention according to claim 12 is the carbon nanotube molded body manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the carbon nanotube molded body is sandwiched between the holding roller and the recovery roller in the stacking direction and compacted. The pair of first rollers, the holding roller, and the recovery roller are arranged apart from the pair of first rollers in the longitudinal direction of the carbon nanotube molded body, and the carbon nanotube molded body is arranged in the stacking direction. A constant current power supply that allows a constant magnitude of current to flow between a pair of second rollers that are sandwiched and compacted, one of the pair of first rollers, and one of the pair of second rollers, and the pair of first rollers. A voltmeter for measuring the voltage between the other of the one roller and the other of the pair of second rollers, and the carbon nanotube molded body between the pair of first rollers and the pair of second rollers. The resistance is determined based on the current value from the constant current power source and the measured value by the voltmeter.

The invention according to claim 13 is the carbon nanotube molded article manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the carbon nanotube in the form of a tape is provided between the holding roller and the collecting roller. A shaping portion for bundling the molded bodies into a linear shape is further provided.

In the present invention, a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded product can be easily produced.

It is a side view which shows the CNT molded article manufacturing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows a part of the CNT molded article manufacturing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the flow of manufacturing of the CNT molded article. It is a side view which shows the CNT molded article manufacturing apparatus. It is a figure which shows a part of the manufacturing flow of the CNT molded article.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a carbon nanotube molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 (hereinafter, also referred to as “CNT molded article manufacturing apparatus 1”) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1. The CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded body 92 (hereinafter, also referred to as “CNT molded body 92”).

The CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a holding roller 21, a first rotation mechanism 22, a cutting portion 23, a cutting point moving mechanism 24, a recovery roller 25, a second rotation mechanism 26, and a rotation control unit 31. It is provided with a resistance measuring unit 4. In FIG. 2, the first rotation mechanism 22, the second rotation mechanism 26, the rotation control unit 31, and the resistance measurement unit 4 are not shown.

The holding roller 21 is a substantially cylindrical or substantially cylindrical member centered on the rotation axis J1 facing the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1 (hereinafter, also referred to as “axial direction”). The outer surface of the holding roller 21 is a substantially cylindrical surface extending substantially parallel to the axial direction. Since the axial direction is also the direction corresponding to the width direction of the CNT molded body 92 manufactured by the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, it is also referred to as the "width direction".

A carbon nanotube sheet (hereinafter, also referred to as “CNT sheet”), which is a member in which a large number of carbon nanotubes are formed into a sheet, is wound on the outer surface of the holding roller 21 in a state where a plurality of layers are laminated. ing. In other words, the holding roller 21 holds a multi-walled laminated carbon nanotube sheet (hereinafter, also referred to as “laminated CNT sheet 91”) in a wound state on the outer surface. The number of laminated CNT sheets in the laminated CNT sheet 91 is, for example, 40 to 100. The number of layers may be appropriately changed within a range of 2 or more. The large number of carbon nanotubes constituting the laminated CNT sheet 91 are oriented in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis J1 of the holding roller 21. The sheet shape in the present specification means a shape having a thickness thinner than the vertical and horizontal lengths. Further, the sheet shape in the present specification is a concept including a shape called a film shape.

The first rotation mechanism 22 rotates the holding roller 21 around the rotation axis J1. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first rotation mechanism 22 rotates the holding roller 21 clockwise in the drawing. The first rotation mechanism 22 is, for example, an electric rotary motor connected to the holding roller 21.

The recovery roller 25 is a substantially cylindrical or substantially cylindrical member centered on the rotation axis J2 facing the axial direction. The outer surface of the recovery roller 25 is a substantially cylindrical surface extending substantially parallel to the axial direction. The second rotation mechanism 26 rotates the recovery roller 25 about the rotation shaft J2. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the second rotation mechanism 26 rotates the recovery roller 25 clockwise in the drawing. The second rotation mechanism 26 is, for example, an electric rotary motor connected to the recovery roller 25.

The cutting portion 23 cuts the laminated CNT sheet 91 held by the holding roller 21 in the laminating direction. The stacking direction is the thickness direction of the laminated CNT sheet 91, and is also the radial direction centered on the rotation axis J1. The laminated CNT sheet 91 is cut by the cutting portion 23 at one point (hereinafter, also referred to as “cutting point 231”) in the axial direction and the circumferential direction centered on the rotation axis J1. In the following description, the radial direction and the circumferential direction centered on the rotation axis J1 are also simply referred to as "diameter direction" and "circumferential direction".

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the cutting portion 23 is a cutter supported above the holding roller 21 in a state where the cutting edge is in contact with the outer surfaces of the laminated CNT sheet 91 and the holding roller 21. The cutter may be an ultrasonic cutter whose cutting edge vibrates finely when ultrasonic waves are applied. The cutting portion 23 may be, for example, a laser light source that irradiates a laser beam toward a cutting point 231 (that is, a substantially dot-shaped cutting position) to cut the laminated CNT sheet 91. The cutting portion 23 may have various structures other than the cutter and the laser light source as long as the laminated CNT sheet 91 can be cut at the cutting point 231.

The cutting point moving mechanism 24 is a mechanism for moving the cutting point 231 by the cutting portion 23 relative to the holding roller 21 in the axial direction. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cutting point moving mechanism 24 is an electric linear motor having a mover that moves along a guide extending substantially linearly in the axial direction. A cutting portion 23 is fixed to the mover, and the cutting portion 23 moves in the axial direction together with the mover, so that the cutting point 231 also moves relative to the axial direction. The cutting portion 23 does not move in the axial direction, and the holding roller 21 may be moved in the axial direction by the cutting point moving mechanism 24, so that the cutting point 231 may be relatively moved in the axial direction. As described above, when the cutting portion 23 is a laser light source, the cutting point moving mechanism 24 is a mechanism that scans the laser beam emitted from the cutting portion 23 in the axial direction. In this case, an acoustic-optical deflection element, a polygon mirror, a resonance type galvano mirror, or the like can be used as the cutting point moving mechanism 24.

In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, the holding roller 21 is rotated by the first rotation mechanism 22 to move the cutting point 231 of the cutting portion 23 relative to the laminated CNT sheet 91 in the circumferential direction, and the laminated CNT sheet 91. Is cut in the circumferential direction. Further, in parallel with the cutting in the circumferential direction, the cutting portion 23 is moved by the cutting point moving mechanism 24, so that the cutting point 231 is moved relative to the laminated CNT sheet 91 in the axial direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, a tape-shaped (that is, a strip-shaped narrow band with respect to the length) CNT molded body 92 is continuously cut out from the laminated CNT sheet 91 in a spiral shape and collected from the holding roller 21. It is fed toward the roller 25.

The width of the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 (so-called carbon nanotube tape) cut out from the laminated CNT sheet 91 is, for example, 0.1 mm to 100 mm, preferably 1 mm to 50 mm. In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, the width of the CNT molded body 92 can be adjusted by adjusting at least one of the rotation speed of the holding roller 21 and the relative movement speed of the cutting point 231 in the axial direction. Specifically, the width of the CNT molded body 92 can be reduced by increasing the rotation speed of the holding roller 21 or by decreasing the relative moving speed of the cutting point 231. Further, the width of the CNT molded body 92 can be increased by reducing the rotation speed of the holding roller 21 or increasing the relative moving speed of the cutting point 231.

In FIG. 2, there is a portion of the laminated CNT sheet 91 that has been cut by the cutting portion 23 and has already been fed out from the holding roller 21 (that is, a portion separated from the holding roller 21 as a tape-shaped CNT molded body 92). The position is indicated by a two-dot chain line. In the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92, a plurality of narrow layers (for example, 40 to 100 layers) of CNT sheets are laminated in the thickness direction (that is, in the vertical direction in FIG. 1).

The tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 unwound from the holding roller 21 is wound up and collected by the collection roller 25 rotated by the second rotation mechanism 26. The recovery roller 25 holds the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 in a state of being wound in an outer surface shape. The recovery roller 25 winds up and collects the CNT molded body 92 while swinging substantially parallel to the rotating shaft J2 (that is, reciprocating) by, for example, a swinging mechanism (not shown). As the swing mechanism, for example, an electric linear motor or the like can be used.

The rotation control unit 31 controls the rotation speed of at least one of the first rotation mechanism 22 and the second rotation mechanism 26. In the present embodiment, the rotation control unit 31 individually controls the rotation speeds of both the first rotation mechanism 22 and the second rotation mechanism 26. The rotation control unit 31 is realized by, for example, a normal computer system including a processor, a memory, an input / output unit, a bus, and the like. A bus is a signal circuit that connects a processor, memory, and an input / output unit. The memory stores programs and various information. The processor executes various processes (for example, numerical calculation, etc.) while using the memory or the like according to a program or the like stored in the memory. The input / output unit receives input from the operator and outputs signals to other configurations (for example, the first rotation mechanism 22 and the second rotation mechanism 26). When the computer system performs processing based on a predetermined program, each function (for example, a storage unit and a calculation unit) of the rotation control unit 31 is realized. The rotation control unit 31 may be, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a circuit board, or the like.

In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, for example, the recovery speed of the CNT molded body 92 by the recovery roller 25 is made faster than the feeding speed of the CNT molded body 92 from the holding roller 21 by the control of the rotation control unit 31. As a result, the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 is stretched in the longitudinal direction between the holding roller 21 and the collecting roller 25. As a result, the CNT molded body 92 is tightened (that is, the density is increased), and the adhesion between a large number of carbon nanotubes constituting the CNT molded body 92 is improved. The recovery speed and the feeding speed of the above-mentioned CNT molded body 92 may be the same, and the recovery speed may be slower than the feeding speed.

The resistance measuring unit 4 includes a pair of first rollers 41a and 41b, a pair of second rollers 42a and 42b, a constant current power supply 43, a voltmeter 44, and a resistance calculation unit 45. The resistance calculation unit 45 is realized by a normal computer system in the same manner as the rotation control unit 31 described above. The resistance calculation unit 45 may be realized together by a computer system that realizes the rotation control unit 31.

The pair of first rollers 41a and 41b are arranged between the holding roller 21 and the collecting roller 25. Each of the first roller 41a and the first roller 41b is a substantially cylindrical or substantially cylindrical member centered on a rotation axis facing a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1, and can rotate about the rotation axis. is there. The first roller 41a and the first roller 41b are arranged on the upper side and the lower side of the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 that moves from the holding roller 21 to the collecting roller 25, respectively. The first roller 41a comes into contact with the upper main surface (that is, the upper surface) of the CNT molded body 92. The first roller 41b comes into contact with the lower main surface (that is, the lower surface) of the CNT molded body 92. The first rollers 41a and 41b preferably come into contact with the CNT molded body 92 over the entire width in the width direction of the CNT molded body 92. The first rollers 41a and 41b are conductive rollers whose outer surfaces are formed of a conductive material such as metal or a conductive resin. The first rollers 41a and 41b are electrically connected to the CNT molded body 92.

The first roller 41a and the first roller 41b face each other in the vertical direction in a non-contact state with the CNT molded body 92 interposed therebetween. The vertical distance between the first roller 41a and the first roller 41b is smaller than the vertical thickness of the CNT molded body 92 unwound from the holding roller 21. Therefore, the CNT molded body 92 is compressed in the vertical direction (that is, in the thickness direction) by passing between the first roller 41a and the first roller 41b. In other words, the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b are a pair of consolidation rollers that compact the CNT molded body 92 in the stacking direction. One of the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b may be pressed toward the other with the CNT molded body 92 sandwiched between them. The pressing is realized by, for example, an air cylinder or the like.

The pair of second rollers 42a and 42b are arranged between the holding roller 21 and the collecting roller 25. The pair of second rollers 42a and 42b are arranged apart from the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b in the left-right direction in FIG. 1 (that is, the longitudinal direction of the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92) by a predetermined distance. .. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b are arranged between the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the recovery roller 25. The second roller 42a and the second roller 42b are substantially cylindrical or substantially cylindrical members centered on a rotation axis facing the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1, and can rotate about the rotation axis. is there.

The second roller 42a and the second roller 42b are arranged on the upper side and the lower side of the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 that moves from the holding roller 21 to the collecting roller 25, respectively. The second roller 42a comes into contact with the upper surface of the CNT molded body 92. The second roller 42b comes into contact with the lower surface of the CNT molded body 92. The second rollers 42a and 42b preferably come into contact with the CNT molded body 92 over the entire width in the width direction of the CNT molded body 92. The second rollers 42a and 42b are, for example, conductive rollers whose outer surfaces are formed of a conductive material such as metal or a conductive resin. The second rollers 42a and 42b are electrically connected to the CNT molded body 92.

The second roller 42a and the second roller 42b face each other in the vertical direction in a non-contact state with the CNT molded body 92 interposed therebetween. The vertical distance between the second roller 42a and the second roller 42b is smaller than the vertical thickness of the CNT molded body 92 after passing through the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b. Therefore, the CNT molded body 92 is compressed in the vertical direction (that is, in the thickness direction) by passing between the second roller 42a and the second roller 42b. In other words, the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b are a pair of consolidation rollers that compact the CNT molded body 92 in the stacking direction. One of the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b may be pressed toward the other with the CNT molded body 92 sandwiched between them. The pressing is realized by, for example, an air cylinder or the like.

The resistance measuring unit 4 measures the electrical resistance (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “resistance”) of the CNT molded body 92 between the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b. In the following description, the positions where the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b contact the CNT molded body 92 and the positions where the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b contact the CNT molded body 92 are "measurement positions 46", respectively. Also called. That is, the resistance measuring unit 4 measures the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the holding roller 21 and the collecting roller 25 between the two measuring positions 46 separated in the longitudinal direction of the CNT molded body 92.

Specifically, the constant current power supply 43 is electrically connected to the first roller of one of the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the second roller of one of the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b. To. Further, the voltmeter 44 is electrically connected to the other first roller of the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the other second roller of the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the constant current power supply 43 is electrically connected to the first roller 41a and the second roller 42b. The constant current power supply 43 is electrically connected to the upper surface of the CNT molded body 92 via the first roller 41a, and is electrically connected to the lower surface of the CNT molded body 92 via the second roller 42b. The voltmeter 44 is electrically connected to the first roller 41b and the second roller 42a. The voltmeter 44 is electrically connected to the lower surface of the CNT molded body 92 via the first roller 41b, and is electrically connected to the upper surface of the CNT molded body 92 via the second roller 42a.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first roller 41a and the second roller 42b are a pair of power supply terminals that electrically connect the two measurement positions 46 of the CNT molded body 92 and the constant current power supply 43. In other words, the constant current power supply 43 comes into contact with the CNT molded body 92 at the two measurement positions 46 via the pair of power supply terminals, the first roller 41a and the second roller 42b. The constant current power supply 43 allows a current of a certain magnitude to flow between the first roller 41a and the second roller 42b (that is, between the two measurement positions 46) via the CNT molded body 92.

The first roller 41b and the second roller 42a are a pair of voltmeter terminals that electrically connect the two measurement positions 46 of the CNT molded body 92 and the voltmeter 44. In other words, the voltmeter 44 comes into contact with the CNT molded body 92 at the two measurement positions 46 via the pair of voltmeter terminals, the first roller 41b and the second roller 42a. As described above, the pair of voltmeter terminals, the first roller 41b and the second roller 42a, come into contact with the CNT molded body 92 in a non-contact state with the pair of power supply terminals, the first roller 41a and the second roller 42b. To do. The voltmeter 44 measures the voltage between the first roller 41b and the second roller 42a (ie, between the two measurement positions 46).

The current value flowing from the constant current power supply 43 and the value measured by the voltmeter 44 (hereinafter, also referred to as “voltage measurement value”) are sent to the resistance calculation unit 45. In the resistance calculation unit 45, the CNT between the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b (that is, between the two measurement positions 46) is based on the current value and the voltage measurement value. The resistance of the molded body 92 is required. Specifically, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 can be obtained by dividing the above-mentioned voltage measurement value by the current value. Then, the resistance is divided by the length of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 (that is, the distance in the longitudinal direction between the two measurement positions 46), thereby per unit length of the CNT molded body 92. Resistance is required.

The acquisition of the voltage measurement value by the above-mentioned voltmeter 44 is performed by the so-called four-terminal method. In other words, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 is measured by the four-terminal method. In the four-terminal method, almost no current flows through the pair of voltmeter terminals, the first roller 41b and the second roller 42a, due to the high input impedance of the voltmeter 44. Therefore, the influence of the resistance of the first roller 41b and the second roller 42a and the contact resistance between the first roller 41b and the second roller 42a and the CNT molded body 92 is suppressed, and the voltage between the two measurement positions 46 is suppressed. It can be measured with high accuracy. Therefore, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 and the resistance per unit length of the CNT molded body 92 can be accurately obtained.

Next, the flow of manufacturing the CNT molded body 92 by the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. First, a holding roller 21 around which the laminated CNT sheet 91 is wound is prepared on the outer surface, and the holding roller 21 is attached to the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 to prepare the laminated CNT sheet 91 (step S11). .. In the holding roller 21 around which the laminated CNT sheet 91 is wound, for example, the CNT sheet is pulled out from a carbon nanotube array which is an aggregate of a large number of carbon nanotubes erected on a substrate, and the CNT sheet is the holding roller 21. It is formed in advance by being wound around the outer side surface a predetermined number of times.

Subsequently, the cutting portion 23 is brought close to the holding roller 21, and the laminated CNT sheet 91 on the holding roller 21 is cut by the cutting portion 23 at the cutting point 231 in the stacking direction. The laminated CNT sheet 91 is cut by the cutting portion 23 over the entire thickness in the laminated direction. In this state, the first rotation mechanism 22 is driven and the holding roller 21 is rotated about the rotation axis J1 to cut the laminated CNT sheet 91 in the circumferential direction. Further, in parallel with the cutting in the circumferential direction of the laminated CNT sheet 91, the cutting point 231 is moved axially with respect to the holding roller 21 by the cutting point moving mechanism 24 to form a tape-shaped CNT from the laminated CNT sheet 91. The body 92 is continuously cut out in a spiral shape (step S12).

The CNT molded body 92 cut out from the laminated CNT sheet 91 is compacted by being sandwiched by a pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and a pair of second rollers 42a and 42b in the stacking direction (that is, in the thickness direction). (Step S13). Further, in parallel with step S13, the resistance measuring unit 4 measures the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 (step S14). The resistance is measured by the four-terminal method as described above.

The resistance measuring unit 4 continuously (that is, continuously or intermittently) measures the resistance between the two measuring positions 46 of the CNT molded body 92 that moves from the holding roller 21 toward the recovery roller 25. Then, as described above, the resistance per unit length of the CNT molded body 92 is obtained and stored in a storage unit or the like realized by the computer system.

The CNT molded body 92 that has passed between the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b is wound up and recovered by the recovery roller 25 that is rotated by the second rotation mechanism 26 (step). S15). In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, the length of the CNT molded body 92 obtained from one laminated CNT sheet 91 held by the holding roller 21 is the diameter of the holding roller 21, the width of the laminated CNT sheet 91, and the CNT molding. It can be changed in various ways according to the width of the body 92 and the like. For example, when the diameter of the holding roller 21 and the width of the laminated CNT sheet 91 are each about 300 mm, if the width of the CNT molded body 92 is changed between about 1 mm and about 50 mm, the length of the CNT molded body 92 is about 5 m. It is changed between about 290 m. The CNT molded body 92 may be used as it is, or may be cut to a predetermined length (for example, 5 cm or 10 cm) and used if necessary.

In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, as described above, the rotation control unit 31 controls the first rotation mechanism 22 and the second rotation mechanism 26, and the recovery speed of the CNT molded body 92 in the recovery roller 25 is increased from the holding roller 21. It may be made faster than the feeding speed of the CNT molded body 92 of. As a result, the CNT molded body 92 between the holding roller 21 and the collecting roller 25 is slightly stretched in the longitudinal direction to increase the density.

As described above, in the method for manufacturing the CNT molded body 92, the laminated CNT sheet 91, which is a laminated CNT sheet having a plurality of layers, is prepared in a state of being wound around the cylindrical outer surface of the holding roller 21. In the step (step S11), in a state where the laminated CNT sheet 91 is cut in the stacking direction at the cutting point 231 by the cutting portion 23, the holding roller 21 is rotated around the rotating shaft J1 facing the axial direction to rotate the laminated CNT sheet. A step of continuously cutting the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 from the laminated CNT sheet 91 by moving the cutting point 231 relative to the holding roller 21 in the axial direction while cutting the 91 in the circumferential direction (step S12). And. As a result, a relatively long tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 can be easily manufactured.

As described above, it is preferable that the method for manufacturing the CNT molded body 92 further includes a step (step S13) of sandwiching the CNT molded body 92 in the stacking direction and compacting the CNT molded body 92 after the step S12. As a result, the density of the CNT molded body 92 can be increased. As a result, the uniformity of the thickness of the CNT molded body 92 can be improved over substantially the entire length of the CNT molded body 92 in the longitudinal direction. It is also possible to increase the strength of the CNT molded body 92.

As described above, the method for producing the CNT molded body 92 preferably further includes a step (step S15) of winding up and recovering the CNT molded body 92 after step S12. Further, preferably, the CNT molded body 92 is stretched by making the recovery speed of the CNT molded body 92 faster than the feeding speed of the CNT molded body 92 from the holding roller 21. In this case as well, the density of the CNT molded body 92 can be increased. The high density of the CNT molded body 92 may be realized by both the stretching step of the CNT molded body 92 and the consolidation step (step S13) of the CNT molded body 92, and only one of the steps may be used. It may be realized.

As described above, the method for manufacturing the CNT molded body 92 is a step of measuring the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between two measurement positions 46 separated in the longitudinal direction of the CNT molded body 92 after step S12 (step S14). ) Is further provided. As a result, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 can be acquired during the production of the CNT molded body 92. As a result, a CNT molded body 92 having a known resistance can be obtained.

As described above, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 is preferably measured by the four-terminal method. As a result, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 can be measured with high accuracy.

As described above, the resistance measuring unit 4 continuously obtains and stores the resistance per unit length of the CNT molded body 92 in parallel with the production of the CNT molded body 92. When the CNT molded body 92 is used in a product such as a heater or a sensor, the product design is performed based on the resistance per unit length of the CNT molded body 92. In this case, for the resistance per unit length of the CNT molded body 92, the arithmetic mean over the entire length of the CNT molded body 92 may be used, or the resistance of each part in the longitudinal direction of the CNT molded body 92 may be used. Good.

The above-mentioned CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a holding roller 21, a first rotating mechanism 22, a cutting portion 23, a cutting point moving mechanism 24, a recovery roller 25, and a second rotating mechanism 26. The holding roller 21 holds the laminated CNT sheet 91, which is a laminated CNT sheet having a plurality of layers, in a state of being wound around a cylindrical outer surface. The first rotation mechanism 22 rotates the holding roller 21 around a rotation axis J1 that faces the axial direction. The cutting portion 23 cuts the laminated CNT sheet 91 at the cutting point 231 in the stacking direction. The cutting point moving mechanism 24 rotates the holding roller 21 by the first rotating mechanism 22 to cut the laminated CNT sheet 91 in the circumferential direction, and in parallel, the cutting point 231 is axially relative to the holding roller 21. By moving the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 is continuously cut out from the laminated CNT sheet 91. The recovery roller 25 winds up and collects the CNT molded body 92. The second rotation mechanism 26 rotates the recovery roller 25. In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, the long tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 can be easily manufactured in the same manner as described above.

As described above, the CNT compact manufacturing apparatus 1 has a pair of compacted rollers (that is, a pair of first rollers 41a) that compact the CNT molded body 92 between the holding roller 21 and the recovery roller 25 in the stacking direction. , 41b, or a pair of second rollers 42a, 42b). As a result, the density of the CNT molded body 92 can be increased.

As described above, it is preferable that the CNT molded body 92 further includes a rotation control unit 31 that controls the rotation speed of at least one of the first rotation mechanism 22 and the second rotation mechanism 26. Further, preferably, by controlling the rotation control unit 31, the recovery speed of the CNT molded body 92 by the recovery roller 25 is made faster than the feeding speed of the CNT molded body 92 from the holding roller 21, so that the holding roller 21 and the collecting roller The CNT molded body 92 is stretched between 25 and 25. In this case as well, the density of the CNT molded body 92 can be increased.

As described above, the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 measures the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 separated in the longitudinal direction of the CNT molded body 92 between the holding roller 21 and the recovery roller 25. It is preferable that the resistance measuring unit 4 is further provided. As a result, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 can be acquired during the production of the CNT molded body 92.

As described above, the resistance measuring unit 4 preferably includes a constant current power supply 43 and a voltmeter 44. The constant current power supply 43 contacts the CNT molded body 92 at two measurement positions 46 via a pair of power supply terminals (that is, the first roller 41a and the second roller 42b), and is between the two measurement positions 46. A current of a certain magnitude is passed. The voltmeter 44 contacts the CNT molded body 92 in a non-contact state with the pair of power supply terminals at two measurement positions 46 via a pair of voltmeter terminals (that is, a first roller 41b and a second roller 42a). Then measure the voltage between the two measurement positions 46. Then, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 is obtained based on the current value from the constant current power supply 43 and the measured value by the voltmeter 44. Thereby, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measurement positions 46 can be accurately measured by using the four-terminal method.

As described above, the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 preferably includes a pair of first rollers 41a and 41b, a pair of second rollers 42a and 42b, a constant current power supply 43, and a voltmeter 44. The pair of first rollers 41a and 41b are compacted with the CNT molded body 92 sandwiched between the holding roller 21 and the recovery roller 25 in the stacking direction. The pair of second rollers 42a and 42b are arranged between the holding roller 21 and the recovery roller 25 so as to be separated from the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b in the longitudinal direction of the CNT molded body 92, and the CNT molded body 92 is placed. Consolidate by sandwiching in the stacking direction. The constant current power supply 43 allows a current of a constant magnitude to flow between one of the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and one of the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b. The voltmeter 44 measures the voltage between the other of the pair of first rollers 41a, 41b and the other of the pair of second rollers 42a, 42b. The resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b is based on the current value from the constant current power supply 43 and the measured value by the voltmeter 44. Is required.

As a result, the high density of the CNT molded body 92 and the resistance measurement of the CNT molded body 92 can be performed in parallel. Further, the structure of the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 can be simplified by combining the structure for increasing the density of the CNT molded body 92 with the structure for measuring the resistance of the CNT molded body 92.

In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 4, the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 is bundled between the holding roller 21 and the collecting roller 25 to form a linear shape (also referred to as a wire shape or a thread shape). The shaping portion 47 may be provided. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the shaping portion 47 is arranged between the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b and the recovery roller 25. The shaping portion 47 is, for example, a member having a through hole through which the CNT molded body 92 passes. The through hole is, for example, a substantially circular shape having a diameter smaller than the width of the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 before passing through the through hole.

When the shaping portion 47 is provided in the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, after the steps S11 to S14 shown in FIG. 3 are performed, the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 is formed from the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b to the shaping portion 47. Is led to. The tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 is bundled so as to have a substantially circular cross section by passing through the through hole of the shaping portion 47, and becomes a linear (so-called non-twisted thread-shaped) CNT molded body 92 ( FIG. 5: Step S21). The linear CNT molded body 92 is wound up by the recovery roller 25 and recovered as in the case of FIG. 3 (step S15).

As described above, the method for manufacturing the CNT molded body shown in FIG. 5 is that the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 is bundled and linear after the cutting step (step S12) of the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92. The step (step S21) is further provided. By bundling the CNT molded bodies 92 once formed into a tape shape in this way, a relatively thick linear CNT molded body 92 (so-called carbon nanotube wire) can be easily manufactured.

If step S21 is performed after step S12, it does not necessarily have to be performed between step S14 and step S15. For example, the shaping portion 47 is arranged between the holding roller 21 and the first rollers 41a, 41b (see FIG. 1), and the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92 unwound from the holding roller 21 is the first roller 41a, 41b. The CNT molded body 92 may be bundled by the shaping portion 47 so as to have a substantially circular cross section to form a linear (so-called non-twisted thread-like) CNT molded body 92. In this case, the consolidation of the CNT molded body 92 is performed by the shaping unit 47. That is, between step S12 and step S14 shown in FIG. 3, steps S13 and S21 are performed in parallel by the shaping unit 47. As a result, the adhesion between a large number of carbon nanotubes in the linear CNT molded body 92 is further improved. In this case as well, a relatively thick linear CNT molded body 92 (so-called carbon nanotube wire) can be easily manufactured in the same manner as described above.

The shaping portion 47 does not necessarily have to be a member provided with a through hole, and may be changed in various ways. For example, the shaping unit 47 may be a mechanism for forming a linear (so-called twisted thread-shaped) CNT molded body 92 by twisting the tape-shaped CNT molded body 92.

Various changes can be made in the above-mentioned CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 and the manufacturing method of the CNT molded body 92.

For example, the first rotation mechanism 22, the second rotation mechanism 26, and the cutting point moving mechanism 24 are not limited to the mechanisms exemplified in the above description (that is, the electric rotary motor or the electric linear motor), and various known mechanisms are known. It may be a rotating mechanism and a moving mechanism. Similarly, the structure and shape of the other configuration of the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the shape of the recovery roller 25 does not necessarily have to be substantially cylindrical or substantially cylindrical, and may be various other shapes (for example, substantially flat plate).

In the resistance measuring unit 4, the constant current power supply 43 may be connected to the first roller 41a and the second roller 42a, and the voltmeter 44 may be connected to the first roller 41b and the second roller 42b. Alternatively, the constant current power supply 43 may be connected to the first roller 41b and the second roller 42b, and the voltmeter 44 may be connected to the first roller 41a and the second roller 42a.

In the resistance measuring unit 4, the pair of power supply terminals of the constant current power supply 43 and the pair of voltmeter terminals of the voltmeter 44 used for the measurement by the four-terminal method are the first rollers 41a and 41b and the second rollers 42a and 42b. May be provided separately. In this case, the resistance measurement (step S14) of the CNT molded body 92 by the resistance measuring unit 4 may be performed before or after the consolidation (step S13) of the CNT molded body 92, and is performed in parallel with step S13. You may.

In the resistance measuring unit 4, the resistance of the CNT molded body 92 between the two measuring positions 46 may be measured by a method other than the four-terminal method.

In the CNT molded body manufacturing apparatus 1, if the resistance measurement of the CNT molded body 92 is unnecessary, the resistance measuring unit 4 may be omitted.

In the CNT molded body 92, one of the pair of first rollers 41a and 41b and the pair of second rollers 42a and 42b may be omitted, and the other may be used as a pair of consolidation rollers. When it is not necessary to increase the density of the CNT molded body 92, the first rollers 41a and 41b and the second rollers 42a and 42b may be omitted. Further, the stretching of the CNT molded body 92 due to the difference in rotation speed between the first rotation mechanism 22 and the second rotation mechanism 26 may be omitted.

The above-described embodiments and configurations in the respective modifications may be appropriately combined as long as they do not conflict with each other.

1 CNT molded body manufacturing equipment 4 Resistance measuring unit 21 Holding roller 22 1st rotation mechanism 23 Cutting unit 24 Cutting point movement mechanism 25 Recovery roller 26 2nd rotation mechanism 31 Rotation control unit 41a, 41b 1st roller 42a, 42b 2nd roller 43 Constant current power supply 44 Voltmeter 46 Measuring position 47 Shaping part 91 Laminated CNT sheet 92 CNT molded body 231 Cutting point J1 Rotating shaft S11 to S15, S21 Step

Claims (13)

A method for manufacturing carbon nanotube molded products.
a) A step of preparing a laminated CNT sheet, which is a laminated carbon nanotube sheet having a plurality of layers, in a state of being wound around a cylindrical outer surface of a holding roller.
b) In a state where the laminated CNT sheet is cut in the stacking direction at the cutting point by the cutting portion, the holding roller is rotated around a rotation axis facing the axial direction to cut the laminated CNT sheet in the circumferential direction. A step of continuously cutting out a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded body from the laminated CNT sheet by moving the cutting point relative to the holding roller in the axial direction.
A method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product, which comprises the above. The method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product according to claim 1.
A method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product, which further comprises a step of sandwiching and compacting the carbon nanotube molded product in the stacking direction after the step b). The method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product according to claim 1 or 2.
A step of winding up and recovering the carbon nanotube molded product is further provided after the step b).
A method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product, which comprises stretching the carbon nanotube molded product by making the recovery speed of the carbon nanotube molded product faster than the feeding speed of the carbon nanotube molded product from the holding roller. .. The method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
A production of a carbon nanotube molded product, which further comprises a step of measuring the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded product between two measurement positions separated in the longitudinal direction of the carbon nanotube molded product after the step b). Method. The method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product according to claim 4.
A method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product, wherein the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded product between the two measurement positions is measured by a four-terminal method. The method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
A method for producing a carbon nanotube molded product, which further comprises a step of bundling the tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded product into a linear shape after the step b). A carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing device that manufactures a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded product.
A holding roller that holds a laminated CNT sheet, which is a laminated carbon nanotube sheet of multiple layers, in a state of being wound around a cylindrical outer surface.
A first rotation mechanism that rotates the holding roller around a rotation axis that faces the axial direction,
A cutting portion that cuts the laminated CNT sheet in the stacking direction at a cutting point,
The holding roller is rotated by the first rotation mechanism to cut the laminated CNT sheet in the circumferential direction, and the cutting point is moved relative to the holding roller in the axial direction. A cutting point moving mechanism that continuously cuts out a tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded body from a laminated CNT sheet,
A recovery roller that winds up and collects the carbon nanotube molded product,
A second rotating mechanism for rotating the recovery roller and
A carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus, which comprises. The carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7.
An apparatus for producing a carbon nanotube molded product, further comprising a pair of compacted rollers that consolidate the carbon nanotube molded product by sandwiching it in the stacking direction between the holding roller and the collecting roller. The carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 or 8.
A rotation control unit that controls the rotation speed of at least one of the first rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism is further provided.
By controlling the rotation control unit, the recovery speed of the carbon nanotube molded product by the recovery roller is made faster than the feeding speed of the carbon nanotube molded product from the holding roller, so that the holding roller and the recovery roller are brought into contact with each other. A carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that the carbon nanotube molded product is stretched between them. The carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9.
A resistance measuring unit for measuring the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded product at two measurement positions separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the carbon nanotube molded product is further provided between the holding roller and the collecting roller. Carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing equipment. The carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus according to claim 10.
The resistance measuring unit
A constant current power source that contacts the carbon nanotube molded product at the two measurement positions via the pair of power supply terminals and allows a current of a certain magnitude to flow between the two measurement positions.
A voltmeter that contacts the carbon nanotube molded body in a non-contact state with the pair of power supply terminals at the two measurement positions via the pair of voltmeter terminals and measures the voltage between the two measurement positions.
With
A carbon nanotube molded body manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that the resistance of the carbon nanotube molded body between the two measurement positions is determined based on a current value from the constant current power source and a measured value by the voltmeter. The carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7.
A pair of first rollers that sandwich and compact the carbon nanotube molded body between the holding roller and the collecting roller,
A pair of first rollers are arranged between the holding roller and the collecting roller so as to be separated from the pair of first rollers in the longitudinal direction of the carbon nanotube molded body, and the carbon nanotube molded body is sandwiched and compacted in the stacking direction. With 2 rollers
A constant current power source that allows a current of a certain magnitude to flow between one of the pair of first rollers and one of the pair of second rollers.
A voltmeter that measures the voltage between the other of the pair of first rollers and the other of the pair of second rollers.
With
The resistance of the carbon nanotube molded product between the pair of first rollers and the pair of second rollers is determined based on the current value from the constant current power source and the measured value by the voltmeter. Carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing equipment. The carbon nanotube molded product manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 12.
An apparatus for manufacturing a carbon nanotube molded product, further comprising a shaping portion for bundling the tape-shaped carbon nanotube molded product into a linear shape between the holding roller and the collecting roller.

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