Method of Producing Activated Carbon Material

• US 20110286490A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arcactive Limited
• Original Assignee: Arcactive Limited
• Inventors: Shastry, Rahul, Abrahamson, John
• Application Number:
  US13/131,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20110286490A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 373/60
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/366 by physical processes, e.g. by irradiation, by using electric current passing through carbonaceous feedstock or by using recyclable inert heating bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/86 specially adapted for electrodes carbonisation or activation of carbon for the manufacture of electrodes H01G11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

A method for producing an activated carbon material, such as a tape or belt of carbon fibres, includes within a reaction chamber causing relative movement between a carbon-containing substrate and an electric arc in a gap between two electrodes or adjacent an electrode so that an electric arc exists between the electrode and the substrate to heat the substrate to a substrate surface temperature effective to activate the carbon-containing substrate and above about 3750K. The activated material has high adsorbency, and increased capacitance and conductivity.

Claims

1. A method for producing an activated carbon material, including within a reaction chamber causing relative movement between a carbon-containing substrate and an electric arc in a gap between two electrodes or adjacent an electrode so that an electric arc exists between the electrode and the substrate to heat the substrate to a substrate surface temperature effective to activate the carbon-containing substrate and above about 3750K.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising moving the carbon-containing substrate through the electric arc to heat the substrate to a substrate surface temperature up to about 4200K.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is composed of carbon fibres.

23. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electrodes and the substrate have a carbon purity in excess of 95%.

3-6. -6. (canceled)

8-22. -22. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A method for producing an activated carbon material within a reaction chamber, including causing relative movement between a carbon-containing substrate and an electric arc in a gap between two electrodes or past an electrode so that an electric arc exists between the electrode and the substrate to activate the substrate, the arc having a sufficient voltage and/or current ripple to activate the substrate substantially without causing nanotubes to form on the substrate.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein a power supply which supplies the arc current has a rms voltage ripple of greater than 1 volt and/or current ripple of greater than 0.5 Amps.

27. A method according to claim 25 comprising moving the carbon-containing substrate through the electric arc so as to remove substantially non- graphitic carbon from the substrate.

31. A method according to claim 25 wherein the substrate is composed of carbon fibres.

28-30. -30. (canceled)

32-49. -49. (canceled)

50. A method for producing an activated carbon material within a reaction chamber, including causing relative movement between a carbon-containing substrate and an electric arc in a gap between two electrodes or past an electrode so that an electric arc exists between the electrode and the substrate to activate the substrate at a speed such that the substrate has a residence time in the arc of less than three seconds and/or at a speed of more than 3 mm per second.

51. A method according to claim 50 comprising moving the carbon-containing substrate through the electric arc so as to remove substantially non-graphitic carbon from the substrate.

55. A method according to claim 50 wherein the substrate is composed of carbon fibres.

58. A method according to claim 50 including tensioning the substrate against the anode (or the cathode) of the electrodes.

59. A method according to claim 50 wherein the arc current is set at a level which vaporises a major fraction of non-graphitic carbon and no more than a minor fraction graphitic carbon of the substrate.

60. A method according to claim 50 wherein the arc current is set at a level which vaporises a substantial part of non-graphitic carbon of the substrate substantially without structurally damaging a graphitic part of the substrate.

64. A method according to claim 50 wherein the arc is between electrodes having an inter electrode gap of less than 5 mm or above 8 mm.

65. A method according to claim 50 wherein the arc is between electrodes having an inter electrode gap in the range 2 to 5 mm.

66. A method according to claim 50 wherein the arc is between electrodes having an inter electrode gap in the range 8 to 12 mm.

67. A method according to claim 50 including flushing a gas through the reaction chamber which contains sufficient oxygen to react with other species without oxidising the fibres enough to damage them during cool down.

68. A method according to claim 50 including directing a flow of gas to cool one or both of the electrodes and/or the substrate.

70. A method according to claim 50 wherein the electrodes and the substrate have a carbon purity in excess of 95%.

52-54. -54. (canceled)

56-57. -57. (canceled)

61-63. -63. (canceled)

69. (canceled)

71-73. -73. (canceled)