KR100949094B1 - Equipment for producting carbon nano tube and boat used therein - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a facility in which the synthesis of carbon nanotubes having a boat on which a synthetic substrate used as a base plate on which carbon nanotubes are synthesized is stacked is performed. Equipment for producing carbon nanotubes according to the present invention is a vertical reactor for providing a space for producing carbon nanotubes; A heating unit for heating the vertical reactor; Loaded into the production space of the vertical reactor, including a boat on which the synthetic substrate is placed in multiple stages; The boat includes a fixed bar in which the composite substrate is stacked in multiple stages; And a gas guide member installed at the fixed bars and configured to guide the source gas supplied to the production space of the vertical reactor to the synthesis substrate.

CNT, carbon nanotube, catalyst, synthetic substrate

Description

EQUIPMENT FOR PRODUCTING CARBON NANO TUBE AND BOAT USED THEREIN}

1 is a block diagram of a production facility of carbon nanotubes according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a main processing unit in the present invention.

3 is a plan view showing a main processing unit in the present invention.

Figure 4 is a front view showing a main processing unit in the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a view showing a state in which a boat is waiting in a station unit for loading / unloading a composite substrate.

5B is a view showing a state in which the boat is loaded into the production space of the vertical reactor.

6 is a perspective view of a boat.

7A is a top view of the boat.

FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line a-a shown in FIG. 7A.

8 is a side view of a boat showing a modified example of the inclined plate.

9 is a side view of a boat showing another modified example of the inclined plate.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

1 facility x1: main processing unit

X2: Substrate storage part X3: Post-processing part

100: reaction chamber 200: first transfer device

300: station 500: catalyst coating device

600: recovery device 700: second transfer device

The present invention relates to a carbon nanotube production automation facility for mass production of carbon nanotubes, and more particularly, a boat on which a composite substrate used as a base plate on which carbon nanotubes are synthesized is laminated, and a boat It relates to a facility in which the synthesis of carbon nanotubes having a progression.

Carbon nanotubes (carbon nanotubes) is formed by combining three carbon atoms adjacent to one carbon atom to form a hexagonal ring, and the hexagonal ring is a honeycomb-shaped plane is rolled to form a cylindrical or tube.

Carbon nanotubes have properties that can exhibit metallic conductivity or semiconductor conductivity depending on their structure. As a material, it can be widely applied to various technical fields, and it is attracting attention as a new material of the future. For example, carbon nanotubes can be applied to electrodes of electrochemical storage devices such as secondary cells, fuel cells or supercapacitors, electromagnetic shielding, field emission displays, or gas sensors.

These carbon nanotubes are synthesized in a horizontal reaction tube, which requires a transfer robot with a horizontal stroke of the reactor because the reactor is positioned horizontally, resulting in an increase in the overall footprint of the system and storage at high temperatures. The larger the lock, the more the deflection of the robot occurs, the more complicated the mechanism of the drive has been generated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a carbon nanotube production facility and a boat used in the facility that can increase the use efficiency of the source gas.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a carbon nanotube production facility capable of inducing a flow of source gas to synthetic substrates used as a base plate on which carbon nanotubes are synthesized, and a boat used in the facility. It is done.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a carbon nanotube production facility and a boat used in the facility that can improve the productivity.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the boat used in the production of carbon nanotubes is a fixed bar in which a composite substrate used as a base plate (base plate) is made of the synthesis of carbon nanotubes are stacked in multiple stages; And a gas guide member installed at the fixed bars and configured to guide the source gas flowing outside the synthesis substrate toward the synthesis substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas guide member includes at least one inclined plate corresponding to each of the composite substrates stacked in multiple stages on the fixing bars.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the inclined plate is inclined downward in the direction of the composite substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas guide member is disposed below the inclined plates that are adjacent to each other alternately above.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the inclined plate is longer in length from top to bottom according to the installation height.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inclined plate includes a plurality of through holes through which the source gas passes.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inclined plate includes through holes whose opening area decreases from top to bottom according to the installation height.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the inclined plate includes through-holes whose number decreases from top to bottom according to the installation height.

According to another feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, a facility for producing carbon nanotubes includes a vertical reactor for providing a space for producing carbon nanotubes; A heating unit for heating the vertical reactor; Loaded into the production space of the vertical reactor, including a boat on which the synthetic substrate is placed in multiple stages; The boat includes a fixed bar in which the composite substrate is stacked in multiple stages; And a gas guide member installed at the fixed bars and configured to guide the source gas supplied to the production space of the vertical reactor to the synthesis substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vertical reactor down flows the source gas from the top to the bottom of the production space.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas guide member includes at least one inclined plate corresponding to each of the composite substrates stacked in multiple stages on the fixing bars; The inclined plate is inclined downward in the synthetic substrate direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas guide member is disposed below the inclined plates that are adjacent to each other alternately above.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the inclined plate is longer in length from top to bottom according to the installation height.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inclined plate includes a plurality of through holes through which source gas passes; The through holes decrease in opening area or decrease in number from top to bottom according to the installation height of the inclined plate.

For example, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. This example is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shapes of elements in the drawings and the like are exaggerated to emphasize clearer explanations.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. The present invention provides a carbon nanotube production system 1 capable of automated and mass production.

1 is a schematic view showing an example of a carbon nanotube production system of the present invention. 2 to 4 are views showing the main processing unit in the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system 1 includes a main processing unit x1, a substrate storage unit x2, and a front and rear processing unit x3.

The main processor x1 performs a process of generating carbon nanotubes on the composite substrate 10. In addition, the front and rear processing unit x3 performs a pretreatment process and a post-treatment process on the synthetic substrate 10 loaded / unloaded to / from the main processing unit x1. The pretreatment process and the aftertreatment process include a process of applying a catalyst to a substrate, a process of recovering carbon nanotubes produced on a synthetic substrate, and the like.

2 to 4, the main processing unit x1 includes three reaction chambers 100, a first transfer device 200, and a station unit 300. The main processing unit (x1) has a special effect that the reaction chamber 100 is installed vertically around the first transfer device 200 can significantly reduce the equipment area and equipment width. In particular, since the first transfer device 200 is responsible for loading and unloading the composite substrate in the three reaction chambers 100, the process can be performed more efficiently.

The station unit 300 provides a space enclosed with the outside to prevent the composite substrate from being exposed to the atmosphere during the transfer of the composite substrate between the first transfer device 200 and the reaction chambers 100. In the station 300, the first transfer device 200 and the boat 130 of the reaction chamber 100 are positioned. A vertical reactor 110 of the reaction chamber 100 is installed above the station unit 300, and of course, the opening of the vertical reactor 110 is connected to the inside of the station unit 300.

The station 300 may be supplied with an inert gas such as nitrogen, argon, or the like. The inert gas removes air (particularly oxygen) inside the station unit 300 and maintains an inert gas atmosphere inside the station unit 300. This prevents the high temperature carbon nanotubes generated on the composite substrate 10 from coming into contact with oxygen when the composite substrate 10 is unloaded from the boat 130 in the station unit 300.

4 and 5A, the reaction chambers 100 are installed with the first transfer device 200 interposed therebetween. The reaction chamber 100 includes a vertical reaction tube 110, a heating unit 120, a boat 130, and a hoisting device 140. The vertical reactor 110 is made of a heat resistant material, such as quartz or graphite, and is vertically installed on the top of the station unit 300. The vertical reactor 110 may be provided in a generally cylindrical shape. A flange 112 for sealing the inside of the vertical reactor 110 from the outside is installed at an upper end of the vertical reactor 110, and a flange 114 having an opening for entering and exiting the boat 130 is provided at the lower end thereof. The boat 130 in which the composite substrates 10 introduced through the opening are stacked is formed in the production space of the vertical reactor 110. The heating unit 120 is installed outside the vertical reactor 110 to heat the vertical reactor 110 to a process temperature. As the heating part 120, a heating wire having a coil shape may be used to surround the outer wall of the vertical reactor 110. During the process, the vertical reactor 110 may be maintained at approximately 500-1100 degrees Celsius.

The flange 112 installed at the upper end of the vertical reactor 110 is equipped with a gas inlet port 118 into which source gas supplied from a gas supply unit (not shown) is injected. As the source gas, at least one selected from the group consisting mainly of acetylene, ethylene, methane, benzene, xylene, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide may be used. The source gas is decomposed into radicals by pyrolysis, and the radicals react with a catalyst applied on a synthetic substrate to synthesize carbon nanotubes. The flange 114 installed at the bottom of the vertical reactor 110 is equipped with a gas exhaust port 119 for discharging residual gas inside the vertical reactor 110 after the reaction.

In the present embodiment, a reaction chamber 100 having a structure to which pyrolysis of hydrocarbon is applied by pyrolyzing hydrocarbons to produce carbon nanotubes has been described as an example, but this is only one example, and the system of the present invention. In (1), a reaction chamber having a structure to which various production methods such as laser deposition, plasma chemical vapor deposition, thermochemical vapor deposition, and flame synthesis can be applied can be used.

Referring to FIG. 6, the synthetic substrate 10 is used as a base plate on which carbon nanotubes are synthesized. The synthetic substrate 10 includes a bottom surface 12 on which a catalyst is applied and a side wall 14 formed at a predetermined height from the bottom edge. The side wall 14 of the composite substrate 10 has a basic function of preventing the carbon nanotubes 30 grown on the composite substrate 10 from falling off from the composite substrate 10. However, the side wall 14 acts as a factor that prevents contact between the source gas and the catalyst 16 applied to the bottom surface 12 of the synthetic substrate 10. The composite substrate 10 on which the carbon nanotubes are synthesized includes a silicon wafer, an induim tin oxide (ITO) substrate, coated glass (ITO-coated glass), soda-lime glass, corning glass, and a transition metal. Substrates, alumina and the like can be used. However, as long as it has sufficient rigidity for synthesizing (growing, producing) carbon nanotubes, various kinds of synthetic substrates may be used in addition to the above-described substrates.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the boat, FIG. 7A is a plan sectional view of the boat, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line a-a shown in FIG. 7A.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 7B, the boat 130 includes fixing bars 132 on which the composite substrate 10 is placed in multiple stages, and gas guide members 134 installed on the fixing bars 132. do. The boat 130 waits inside the station 300 corresponding to the opening of the vertical reactor 110. The boat 130 is loaded / unloaded into / out of the production space of the vertical reactor 110 by the hoist 140.

The gas guide member 134 of the boat 130 has a source gas on the bottom surface 12 (catalyst) of the composite substrate 10 to solve the problem of blocking the source gas due to the side wall 14 of the composite substrate 10. Inclined plates 136 leading to the coated surface). For example, the inclined plate 136 is preferably disposed at a portion except the direction in which the composite substrate 10 enters and exits.

The inclined plate 136 is disposed to correspond to each of the composite substrates 10 stacked in multiple stages on the fixing bars 132. The inclined plate 136 is inclined downward in the direction of the synthetic substrate 10, and the inclined plates 136 adjacent to each other on the bottom are staggered so as not to overlap each other. Referring to the flow of the source gas shown in FIG. 7B, a part of the source gas vertically downflowed into the generating space of the vertical reactor 110 hits the inclined plate 136 and the bottom surface 12 of the composite substrate 10. To the side. Part of the source gas reacts with the catalyst 16 applied on the bottom surface 12 of the synthetic substrate 10 to synthesize carbon nanotubes. Otherwise, the non-reacted source gas is discharged to the opposite side of the inclined plate 136 and vertically. It merges with the downflowing source gas and hits another inclined plate 136 and flows to the bottom surface 12 of the composite substrate 10 corresponding to the inclined plate 136. This source gas flow is shown by the arrows in FIG.

As such, the boat 130 allows more source gas to flow to the composite substrates 10 stacked in multiple stages through the direction change (flow control) of the source gas using the inclined plate 136 as the gas guide member.

8 is a side view of a boat showing a modified example of the inclined plate.

As shown in Figure 8, the inclined plate 136a is longer in length from top to bottom according to the installation height. That is, the uppermost inclined plate 136a has the shortest length, and the length thereof becomes longer as it goes downward. In this case, the length refers to the length of the horizontal direction, the length protruding from the boat in the direction of the vertical reactor (110). As the length of the inclined plate 136a increases, a larger amount of source gas collides with each other, and thus, an amount of source gas that changes direction to the synthetic substrate 10 increases. Even if the length of the inclined plate 136a is short, the concentration of the source gas is high, so even if a small amount of source gas is provided to the synthetic substrate 10, there is no shortage. In addition, since the inclined plate 136a located at the lowermost end is long, there is no shortage because a large amount of source gas is provided to the synthetic substrate 10 even if the concentration of the source gas is low. Therefore, the structure of the inclined plates 136a enables uniform supply of the source gas to each of the composite substrates 10.

9 is a side view of a boat showing another modified example of the inclined plate.

As shown in FIG. 9, the inclined plates 136b have a plurality of through holes 137 through which the source gas passes. The through holes 137 have a smaller opening area from top to bottom according to the installation height of the inclined plates 136b. The source gas is flowed down from the top of the production space of the vertical reactor (110). Therefore, the concentration of the source gas is the highest at the top of the production space and lowered downwards. Therefore, in order to supply a uniform source gas to each of the synthetic substrates 10, the source through which the source gas passes by increasing the size of the through-hole 137 is sequentially increased from the inclined plate 136b located at the highest level. It can provide a gas supply. As shown in Figure 9, in addition to the method of adjusting the opening area of the through holes 137, the same effect can be obtained by adjusting the number of through holes 137.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the lifting device 140 is lifted by the driving unit 142, the driving unit 142, installed on the support 144 and the support 144 supporting the boat 130, and a vertical reactor ( A seal cap 146 for sealing the opening of 110.

FIG. 5A is a view showing a state in which a boat is waiting in a station unit for loading / unloading of a composite substrate, and FIG. 5B is a view showing a state in which a boat is loaded into a generating space of a vertical reactor. Is loaded into the production space of the vertical reactor 110 by the lifting device 140, wherein the seal cap 146 seals the opening of the vertical reactor (110).

The first transfer device 200 is responsible for conveying the composite substrate 10 between the substrate storage unit x2 and the three reaction chambers 100. The first transfer device 200 may carry out one composite substrate 10 in one operation from the boat 130 and bring it into the substrate storage unit x2 or synthesize one sheet in one operation from the substrate storage unit x2. It consists of the robot which has an arm structure with one end effector which can carry out the board | substrate 10, and can carry in to the boat 130. As shown in FIG. And the first transfer device 200 is capable of lifting and lowering. In addition to the structure shown in the present embodiment, the first transfer device 200 may use various robots used in a conventional semiconductor (or flat panel display) manufacturing process. For example, various structures such as a robot having an arm of a blade structure capable of handling a plurality of synthetic substrates W as one arm, a robot having two or more arms, or a robot employing a mixture thereof. Robots can be used.

The substrate storage unit x2 is a buffer space that connects the main processing unit x1 and the front and rear processing unit x3, and the substrate storage unit x2 waits for the composite substrates 10 to be processed by the main processing unit x1. The composite substrate 10 to be processed by the processing unit (x1) to be transferred to the front and rear processing unit (x3) has a cassette 410, and the main processing unit (x1) side entrance and the front and rear processing unit side entrance, respectively, the slit valve 420 It is opened and closed by.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the front and rear processing unit x3 includes a catalyst coating device 500, a recovery device 600, and a second transfer device 700.

The catalyst applicator 500 performs a process of applying a catalyst on the synthetic substrate 10 before the synthetic substrate 10 is loaded into the reaction chamber 100. The recovery apparatus 600 performs a process of recovering the carbon nanotubes generated on the synthetic substrate 10 unloaded from the reaction chamber 100 from the synthetic substrate 10. The second transfer device 700 transfers the synthetic substrate 10 between the substrate storage unit x2, the catalyst coating device 500, and the recovery device 600. The second transfer device 700 is located between the catalyst applicator 500 and the recovery part 600.

The catalyst may be, for example, in the form of a powder in which transition metals such as iron, platinum, cobalt, nickel, and yttrium, and alloys thereof, and porous materials such as Mg0, Al203, and Si02 are mixed. Or it may be a liquid catalyst containing such a material.

In the above-described example, the catalyst is applied on the synthesis substrate 10 separately in the catalyst coating device 500, and the reaction chamber 100 generates carbon nanotubes on the synthesis substrate 10 on which the catalyst is applied. It was. Alternatively, however, the catalyst coating may be removed, and the catalyst and source gas may be supplied in the reaction chamber to apply the catalyst and generate carbon nanotubes on the synthetic substrate.

According to the present invention, since the gas guide member of the boat guides the source gas to the synthetic substrate, the use efficiency of the source gas can be increased and the productivity of the carbon nanotubes can be improved.

In addition, according to the equipment for producing carbon nanotubes to which the present invention is applied, carbon nanotubes can be produced in large quantities.

In addition, the present invention has a special effect that can dramatically reduce the installation area and equipment width because the reaction chambers are installed vertically, the first transfer device is responsible for the transfer of the composite substrate of the reaction chambers.

Further, according to the present invention, the stroke of the transfer device is short, so that not only the deflection phenomenon and the mechanism are simple, but also the transfer device used in the existing semiconductor and LCD processes can be used.

In addition, according to the present invention, it has a special effect that a plurality of reaction chambers can be installed in a narrow space.

Claims (14)

delete In boats used to produce carbon nanotubes: Fixed bars in which a synthetic substrate used as a base plate on which carbon nanotubes are synthesized is stacked in multiple stages; And A gas guide member installed at the fixed bars and configured to guide a source gas flowing outside the synthetic substrate toward the synthetic substrate; The gas guide member Boats used for producing carbon nanotubes, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of inclined plates corresponding to each of the composite substrate laminated on the fixed bars. The method of claim 2, The inclined plate is a boat used for producing carbon nanotubes, characterized in that inclined downward in the direction of the synthetic substrate. The method of claim 2, The gas guide member Boats used in the production of carbon nanotubes, characterized in that the inclined plates adjacent to each other on the top alternately below each other. The method of claim 2, The inclined plate is a boat used for producing carbon nanotubes, characterized in that the length is longer from top to bottom according to the installation height. The method of claim 2, The inclined plate is a boat used for producing carbon nanotubes, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of through holes through which the source gas passes. The method of claim 2, The inclined plates include through holes through which source gas passes; The through-holes used in the production of carbon nanotubes, characterized in that the opening area is reduced from the top to the bottom according to the installation height of each of the inclined plates. The method of claim 2, The inclined plates include through holes through which source gas passes; The through holes are used in the production of carbon nanotubes, characterized in that the number decreases from the top to the bottom according to the installation height of each of the inclined plates. delete In plants that produce carbon nanotubes: A vertical reactor providing a space for producing carbon nanotubes; A heating unit for heating the vertical reactor; Loaded into the production space of the vertical reactor, including a boat on which the synthetic substrate is placed in multiple stages; The boat is Fixing bars in which the composite substrate is stacked in multiple stages; And A gas guide member installed at the fixed bars and configured to guide the source gas supplied to the production space of the vertical reactor to the synthesis substrate; The vertical reactor is a carbon nanotubes production facility, characterized in that the source gas flows down from the top of the production space. The method of claim 10, The gas guide member At least one inclination plate corresponding to each of the composite substrate laminated in multiple stages on the fixing bars; And the inclined plate is inclined downward in the direction of the synthetic substrate. The method of claim 11, The gas guide member And the inclined plates adjacent to each other above and below are staggered from each other. The method of claim 11, The inclined plate is carbon nanotube generating equipment, characterized in that the length is longer from the top to the bottom according to the installation height. The method of claim 11, Each of the inclined plates includes a plurality of through holes through which source gas passes; The through-holes are carbon nanotube generating equipment characterized in that the opening area is reduced or the number is reduced from top to bottom according to the installation height of each of the inclined plates.

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