ELECTRICAL DEVICES CONTAINING CARBON NANOTUBE-INFUSED FIBERS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF

• US 20110216476A1
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Inventors: FLEISCHER, Corey Adam, HETZEL, Lawrence P., SHAH, Tushar K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/26 characterised by their structure, e.g. multi-layered, porosity or surface features
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/36 Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/435 Solid dielectric type

Abstract

Electrical devices containing continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes are described herein. The electrical devices contain at least a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, where the first and second electrode layers each contain a plurality of continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes. In some embodiments, the electrical devices can be supercapacitors, further containing at least a base plate, a layer of separator material disposed between the first and second electrode layers, and an electrolyte in contact with the first and second electrode layers. The first and second electrode layers can be formed by conformal winding of the continuous fibers. The electrical devices can contain any number of additional electrode layers, each being separated from one another by a layer of separator material. Methods for producing the electrical devices are also described herein.

Claims

1. A electrical device comprising:

a first electrode layer; and

a second electrode layer;

wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer comprise a plurality of continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes.

2. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a base plate;

a layer of separator material disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer;

wherein the separator material is permeable to ions of an electrolyte; and

an electrolyte in contact with the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

3. The electrical device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of continuous fibers of the first electrode layer are conformally wound about the base plate and the plurality of continuous fibers of the second electrode layer are conformally wound about the layer of separator material.

4. The electrical device of claim 3, wherein there is substantially no overlap of the plurality of continuous fibers in adjacent windings about the base plate and the layer of separator material.

5. The electrical device of claim 3, further comprising:

at least one additional layer of separator material; and

at least one additional electrode layer comprising a plurality of continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes;

wherein each electrode layer is separated from one another by a layer of separator material; and

wherein the electrolyte is in contact with each electrode layer.

6. The electrical device of claim 5, further comprising:

an outer insulator casing.

7. The electrical device of claim 2, wherein the base plate, the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the layer of separator material reside in a reservoir of the electrolyte.

8. The electrical device of claim 2, further comprising:

a first electrode terminal connected to the plurality of continuous fibers of the first electrode layer; and

a second electrode terminal connected to the plurality of continuous fibers of the second electrode layer.

9. The electrical device of claim 8, wherein the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal are located on the base plate.

10. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of continuous fibers comprise a fiber form selected from the group consisting of a fiber tow, a fiber tape, a fiber ribbon, and combinations thereof.

11. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of continuous fibers are substantially parallel to one another in the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

12. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers are electrically conductive before being infused with carbon nanotubes.

13. The electrical device of claim 12, wherein the continuous fibers comprise continuous metal fibers.

14. The electrical device of claim 12, wherein the continuous fibers comprise continuous carbon fibers.

15. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers are electrically non-conductive before being infused with carbon nanotubes.

16. The electrical device of claim 15, further comprising:

a conductivity enhancer associated with the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer;

wherein the conductivity enhancer comprises a metal form selected from the group consisting of metal foils, metal ribbons, metal powders, metal nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.

17. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

an outer insulator casing.

18. The electrical device of claim 17, wherein the outer insulator casing comprises a shrink wrap material.

19. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the electrical device comprises a supercapacitor.

20. The electrical device of claim 19, wherein the supercapacitor has a capacitance of at least about 1 Farad/gram of continuous fibers.

21. The electrical device of claim 20, wherein the supercapacitor has a capacitance of at least about 2 Farad/gram of continuous fibers.

22. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the infused carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the surface of the continuous fibers.

23. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte comprises an inorganic electrolyte.

24. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte comprises an organic electrolyte.

25. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes;

forming a first electrode layer from a first portion of the plurality of continuous fibers; and

forming a second electrode layer from a second portion of the plurality of continuous fibers.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

applying a layer of separator material between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer;

wherein the separator material is permeable to ions of an electrolyte; and

exposing the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to an electrolyte.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein forming a first electrode layer comprises winding the first portion of the plurality of continuous fibers conformally about a base plate;

and

wherein forming a second electrode layer comprises winding the second portion of the plurality of continuous fibers conformally over the first electrode layer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein winding the first portion of the plurality of continuous fibers conformally about a base plate, winding the second portion of the plurality of continuous fibers conformally over the first electrode layer, and applying a layer of separator material between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer all occur simultaneously.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein there is substantially no overlap of the plurality of continuous fibers in adjacent windings of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the first electrode layer is exposed to the electrolyte before applying the layer of separator material.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are simultaneously exposed to the electrolyte.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are simultaneously immersed in a reservoir of the electrolyte.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

applying at least one additional layer of separator material over the second electrode layer; and

winding at least one additional electrode layer over the second electrode layer;

wherein the at least one additional electrode layer comprises a plurality of continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes;

wherein each electrode layer is separated from one another by a layer of separator material; and

wherein the electrolyte is in contact with each electrode layer.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

applying an outer insulator casing.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the plurality of continuous fibers comprise a fiber form selected from the group consisting of a fiber tow, a fiber tape, a fiber ribbon, and combinations thereof.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the plurality of continuous fibers are substantially parallel to one another in the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

37. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

applying an outer insulator casing.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the continuous fibers are conductive before being infused with carbon nanotubes;

wherein the continuous fibers are selected from the group consisting of continuous metal fibers, continuous carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

39. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes;

forming a first electrode layer by winding a portion of the plurality of continuous fibers conformally about a base plate; and

forming at least two additional electrode layers over the first electrode layer by winding separate portions of the plurality of continuous fibers conformally over the first electrode layer.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

applying a layer of separator material between each electrode layer;

wherein the separator material is permeable to ions of the electrolyte; and

exposing the first electrode layer and the at least two additional electrode layers to an electrolyte.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first electrode layer is exposed to the electrolyte before applying a layer of separator material.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the first electrode layer and the at least two additional electrode layers are simultaneously exposed to the electrolyte.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the continuous fibers are conductive before being infused with carbon nanotubes;

wherein the continuous fibers are selected from the group consisting of continuous metal fibers, continuous carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the plurality of continuous fibers comprise a fiber form selected from the group consisting of a fiber tow, a fiber tape, a fiber ribbon, and combinations thereof.