NANOFIBER PACKED BEDS HAVING ENHANCED FLUID FLOW CHARACTERISTICS

• Main Author: FISCHER, ALAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 12.09.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: APPARATUS THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COFFEE MILLS; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTIONOF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; FURNITURE; HUMAN NECESSITIES; METALLURGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; SEPARATION; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

The general area of this invention relates to porous materials made from nanofiber packed beds. More particularly, the invention relates to altering the porosity or packing structure of a nanofiber packed bed structure by blending nanofibers with scaffold particulates having larger dimensions. For example, adding large diameter fibers to a nanotube packed bed to serve as a scaffolding to hold the smaller nanofibers apart and prevent the nanofiber bed structure from collapsing. This increases the average pore size of the mass by changing the pore size distribution and alters the packing structure of the packed bed. The increase in average pore size is caused by the creation of larger channels which improves the flow of liquids or gasses through these materials. Le champ général de cette invention à trait à des matériaux poreux faits de lits de nanofibres comprimées et plus particulièrement à des modifications apportées à la porosité ou à la structure d'empilement de la structure desdits lits en mélangeant les nanofibres à des particules de soutien de plus grandes dimensions. On peut par exemple ajouter des fibres de gros diamètre à un lit comprimé de nanotubes pour servir d'éléments de soutien maintenant séparées les plus petites des nanofibres et empêchant la structure du lit de nanofibres de s'affaisser. Cela accroît la taille moyenne des pores de la masse en modifiant la distribution de la taille des pores et la structure de l'empilement du lit comprimé. L'accroissement de la taille moyenne des pores est dû à la création de canaux plus larges qui facilitent l'écoulement de liquides ou de gaz à travers ces matériaux.