Agglomerated carbon nanotubes and its mass production in a fluidized-bed reactor

The microstructure and fluidization characteristics distinctive of agglomerated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are investigated. The CNT agglomerates have a low bulk density and broad size distribution under 100 mum and can be fluidized when the superficial gas velocity is higher than 0.005 m/s. Several flow regions under different gas velocities were identified. Based on the agglomerate fluidization of CNTs, a method was developed for the mass production of CNTs in an agglomerate fluidized-bed reactor (AFBR), which can be easily scaled Lip as a continuous process. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.