Sunday, July 04, 2010

US Patent 7745302 - TEM grid using CNTs

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7745302.html

Transmission electron microscopy is one of the most important techniques for the examination of nanoscale structures. This patent from Hon Hai Precision teaches a way to enhancing the electrical conductivity and strength of TEM grids by using carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for making a transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid comprising:

providing an array of carbon nanotubes, a substrate, and a plurality of metal girds attached on the substrate;

drawing one or more carbon nanotube films from the array of carbon nanotubes;

covering the substrate with one or more carbon nanotube films;

treating the one or more carbon nanotube films with organic solvent; and

irradiating a portion of the one or more carbon nanotube films between every two adjacent metal girds,

further comprising stacking two or more carbon nanotube films and using the two or more carbon nanotube films to cover the grids;

wherein the angle between the aligned directions of the stacked carbon nanotube films ranges from 0 to about 90 degrees.

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