Process for preparing a silicon-carbon nanocomposite nanofiber

• US 10,450,674 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cornell University
• Original Assignee: Cornell University
• Inventors: Joo, Yong Lak, Kim, Kyoung Woo, Kim, Yong Seok
• Primary Examiner(s): Schiffman, Benjamin A
• Application Number:
  US15/463,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20170191193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 1/02 Preparation of spinning solutions
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0015 characterised by the initial state of the material
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/003 the material being a polymer solution or dispersion D01D5/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0069 characterised by the spinning section, e.g. capillary tube, protrusion or pin
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/02 Addition of substances to the spinning solution or to the melt addition of substances to viscose D01F2/08
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 9/12 Carbon filaments; Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 9/20 from polyaddition, polycondensation or polymerisation products D01F9/145, D01F9/16, D01F9/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 9/328 for manufacturing filaments from polyaddition, polycondensation, or polymerisation products
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/728 by electro-spinning electro-spinning methods and apparatus D01D5/0007
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Provided herein are nanofibers comprising carbon precursors, nanofibers comprising carbon matrices, and processes for preparing the same. In specific examples, provided herein are high performance lithium ion battery anodic nanofibers comprising non-aggregated silicon domains in a continuous carbon matrix.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a nanofiber, the process comprising:

providing a fluid stock comprising (i) a polymer, and (ii) a carbon component, the carbon component being graphene and not carbon nanotubes, the graphene and polymer being present in a graphene-to-polymer weight ratio being at least 1;

10;

electrospinning the fluid stock, producing a composite comprising polymer and graphene; and

thermally treating the composite, producing a nanofiber comprising graphene,

wherein the graphene of the fluid stock and/or nanofiber are optionally functionalized.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the electrospinning is gas-assisted.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the electrospinning is coaxially gas-assisted.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the graphene has an aspect ratio of at least 2.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the fluid stock further comprises a plurality of silicon nanoparticles.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the graphene-to-polymer weight ratio is at least 1:

2.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the graphene-to-polymer weight ratio is at least 1:

1.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the graphene is functionalized with one or more carboxyl group, one or more hydroxyl group, one or more alkoxyl group, or a combination thereof.