CArbon NAnoCones for microscopy applications, and more – CANAC

In a previous work carried out in another laboratory (ASI, USA), various specific and interesting carbon morphologies were obtained by the project coordinator by depositing pyrolytic carbon coatings onto single carbon nanotubes (the “PyC-on-MWCNT” technology). One of these morphologies can be precisely described as a carbon-nanotube-supported pyrolytic carbon deposit which includes “a short, rough microfiber segment with both ends terminated by a sharp cone with smooth surface”, otherwise briefly summarized here as “carbon nanocones” or "PyC-on-MWNT" morphology". Those morphologies were already demonstrated at CEMES (current laboratory of the coordinator) to exhibit unprecedented properties when mounted and used as (1) probes for near-field microscopies (e.g., atomic force microscopy), and (2) electron source for electron microscopies (e.g., transmission electron microscopy), the latter application having been filed for a CNRS patent (France, with PCT application) within the ANR-PNANO project HD STRAIN (coord.: M. Hÿtch). Meanwhile, a new synthesis device has been designed and built at CEMES, in order to duplicate the synthesis of the specific morphologies previously obtained in ASI laboratory.
The project aims to (1) retrieve the proper set of synthesis conditions that will optimize the formation of the most suitable morphologies; (2) optimize the mounting procedures in order to improve the quality of the final product and reduce production time and cost; (3) confirm the viability of the technology transfer model (creation of a Spin-Off) that was chosen based on our knowledge of the demand in the targeted application fields on the one hand, and on a coarse market study already performed by us on the other hand. Typically, accurate market study, customer demand study, and business plan will be performed using the right tools and databases; (4) investigate the validity of other potential applications, hopefully until the proof of concept and patent filing.