METHOD OF MANUFACTURING GRAPHITE NANOTUBES Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: carbon materials. SUBSTANCE: mixture of polymer, e.g. carbon-chain polymer, and high- molecular carbocyclic or heterocyclic compound with iron-, cobalt-, or nickel-containing substance, e.g. oxide, hydroxide, salt, organometallic compound, or carbonyl, is heated to 600-1000 C under inert gas (nitrogen, helium, argon, xenon, krypton) atmosphere in the form of gas stream or static medium. Nanotubes, layered, hollow and/or metal-filled, their geometric parameters, and the number of metal inclusions are controlled over a wide range. The thus obtained nanotubes can be used when manufacturing memory elements, nanoelectric conductors, materials with new electric and magnetic properties, enzymes, catalysts, drugs, and ultramembranes. EFFECT: simplified procedure and eliminated utilization of expensive starting materials. 17 cl, 9 ex