US Patent 8029759 - Producing CNTs from coal char

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8029759.html


Coal is a basic material used to form carbon nanotubes but requires high temperature processing. This patent from Ohio University teaches a way to lower the required temperature by using electrolyzed coal char as the starting material. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of forming carbon nanotubes comprising subjecting an electrolyzed coal char to an elevated temperature in a controlled environment said temperature and said environment effective to form carbon nanotubes from said char.