Method for making graphite whiskers

Abstract

Abstract AN OVEN FOR MAKING WHISKERS FROM A VAPOR COMPRISING A HOUSING CONTAINING A CHILLED BASE PLATE, A FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORT POST EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BASE PLATE, AN UPPER AND LOWER SUPPORT PLATE MOUNTED ON THE POSTS, A HOLLOW HEATING ELEMENT MOUNTED BETWEEN THE SUPPORT PLATES, AND A STAGE WITHIN THE HEATING ELEMENT FOR SUPPORTING A SUBSTRATE ON WHICH WHISKERS ARE GROWN. THE SUBSTRATE IS COVERED WITH RHODIUM, AND MAY BE MADE OF A MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STAINLESS STEEL, BERYLLIUM OXIDE, ALUMINA, COPPER, COBALT, AND NICKEL. THE METHOD INCLUDES PLACING A SUBSTRATE IN A WHISKER DEPOSITION ZONE OF WHISKER VAPOR, AND DEPOSITING AND GROWING WHISKERS ON THE SUBSTRATE. THE METHOD ALSO INCLUDES COOLING THE BOTTOM OF THE WHISKER DEPOSITION ZONE TO FORM CONVECTION CURRENTS OF VAPOR PASSING UPWARDLY THROUGH THE ZONE, AND FEEDING THE VAPOR DOWNWARDLY INTO THE WHISKER DEPOSTION ZONE TO CLASH WITH THE UPWARDLY FLOWING VAPOR CONVECTION CURRENTS AND FORM A TURBULENCE IN THE WHISKER DEPOSITION ZONE. A ROTATABLE DRUM POSITIONED BELOW A NUCLEATING ZONE IN THE OVEN AND HAVING A POCKET THAT RECEIVES THE SUBSTRATE. A RACK GEAR OPERATED BY A MOTOR WITH A CLUTCH MOVES THE SUBSTRATE FROM THE NUCLEATING ZONE TO THE DRUM POCKET, AND A MOTOR GEAR SYSTEM ROTATES THE DRUM TO WIND THE WHISKERS IN THE FORM OR A ROVING ONTO THE DRUM SO THAT COURSES OF A SUCCEEDING LAYER OF ROVING LIE BETWEEN COURSES OF THE NEXT PRCEEDING LAYER HAVING COURSES RUNNING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

Inventors

• 👤 Edward F Hollander Jr

Bibliographic Details