PROCESS OF DRY MILLING PARTICULATE MATERIALS

• US 20130309495A1
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inhwan Do, Michael Knox, Robert M. Privette, Scott Murray
• Original Assignee: Inhwan Do
• Inventors: Murray, Scott, Do, Inhwan, Knox, Michael, Privette, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US13/474,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20130309495A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/402
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 17/20 Disintegrating members
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/781 Nanograined materials, i.e. having grain sizes below 100 nm
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/785 Submicron sized grains, i.e. from 0,1 to 1 micron
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/788 Aspect ratio of the grains
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/6261 Milling
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62873 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 1/00 Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on inorganic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/04 mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/36 Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/46 Metal oxides
• 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 4/04 Processes of manufacture in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/364 as mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/386 Silicon or alloys based on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/48 of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/622 : being polymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 : Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 : Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]

Abstract

Graphene produced by media ball milling has very small particle size, a relatively high surface area and unique aspect ratios. It is uniquely suited to make nano-composites or coating by coating or admixing other particles. Metals or metal oxides can be coated or formed into composites with the high surface area, relatively low aspect ratio graphene. If the added particles are larger than the graphene, they are coated with graphene, and if they are about the same approximate size, a nano-composite forms. The nanocomposites are useful for producing electrodes, especially for battery and supercapacitor applications.

Claims

1. A process of dry milling particulate materials, wherein at least one of the particulate materials is a layered material, in the presence of a non-layered material, to obtain a composition wherein the layered material is exfoliated and wherein the non-layered material is composited with the exfoliated material, the exfoliated material having a particle size of 10 microns by 5 nm thick, or less, and wherein the dry milling is controlled by controlling the surface energy of the milling media in addition to controlling the hardness of the milling media.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the non-layered material is selected from the group consisting essentially of:

i. a particulate metal and,

ii. a particulate metal oxide.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the layered material is graphite.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the milling media has a surface energy essentially equivalent to the surface energy of the layered material.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the milling media has a hardness on the Brinell Scale in the range of 3 to 100.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the exfoliated material has an aspect ratio of greater than about 25.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the exfoliated material has an aspect ratio of from 5 to 200.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the exfoliated material has a size in the range of from 50 nm to 10 microns.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the exfoliated material has a thickness of from 1 nm to 5 nm.

10. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the milling media is plastic material.

11. The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the plastic is selected from the group consisting essentially of:

i. polymethylmethacrylate,

ii. polycarbonate,

iii. polystyrene,

iv. polypropylene,

v. polyethylene,

vi. polytetrafluoroethylene,

vii. polyethyleneimide,

viii. polyvinylchloride,

ix. polyamine-imide, and,

x. alloys of any of i. to ix.

12. The process as claimed in claim 2 wherein the particulate metals are selected from the group consisting essentially of:

i. silicon,

ii. tin,

iii. iron,

iv. magnesium,

v. manganese,

vi. aluminum,

vii. lead,

viii. gold,

ix. silver,

x. titanium,

xi. platinum,

xii. palladium,

xiii. ruthenium,

xiv. copper,

xv. nickel,

xvi. rhodium, and,

xvii. alloys of any of i. to xvi.

13. The process as claimed in claim 2 wherein the particulate metal oxides are selected from the group consisting essentially of oxides of:

i. silicon,

ii. tin,

iii. iron,

iv. magnesium,

v. manganese,

vi. aluminum,

vii. lead,

viii. gold,

ix. silver,

x. titanium,

xi. platinum,

xii. palladium,

xiii. ruthenium,

xiv. copper,

xv. nickel,

xvi. rhodium, and,

xvii. alloys of any of i. to xvi.

14. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the particulate non-layered material has a size less than 100 microns.

15. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the particulate are metal carbides.

16. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the particulate materials are metal nitrides.

17. A product when produced by the process of claim 1.

18. An electrode produced from the product as claimed in claim 17.

19. A catalyst produced from the product as claimed in claim 17.

20. A coating produced from the product as claimed in claim 17.

21. An electronic component manufactured from the product as claimed in claim 17.

22. A thermally conductive component manufactured from the product as claimed in claim 17.

23. A process of dry milling particulate materials, wherein at least one of the particulate materials is a layered material, in the presence of a particulate material selected from the group consisting of i. ceramic, ii. glass, and iii. quartz, to obtain a composition wherein the layered material is exfoliated and wherein the particulate material is coated with the exfoliated material, the exfoliated material having a particle size of 500 nanometers or less, and wherein the dry milling is controlled by controlling the surface energy of the milling media in addition to controlling the hardness of the milling media.

24. A process of dry milling particulate materials, wherein at least one of the particulate materials is a layered material, in the presence of a particulate material selected from the group consisting of i. ceramic, ii. glass, and iii. quartz, to obtain a composition wherein the layered material is exfoliated and wherein the particulate material is coated with the exfoliated material, the exfoliated material having a particle size of 10 microns or more, and the wherein the dry milling is controlled by controlling the surface energy of the milling media in addition to controlling the hardness of the milling media.

25. A composition of matter comprising particles composited with graphene wherein the particles are selected from the group consisting essentially of metal particles, and metal oxide particles, wherein the metal and metal oxide particles have a size of 100 microns or smaller.

26. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the metal and metal oxide particles have a size of 100 microns or less.

27. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the metal and metal oxide particles have a size of 10 microns or less.

28. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the metal and metal oxide particles have a size of 1 micron or less.

29. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the graphene is less than 5 nm thick.

30. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the graphene is a monolayer thick.

31. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the oxygen content of the graphene is ten atomic weight percent or less.

32. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of iron, magnesium, cobalt, molybdenum, and lead.

33. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group of oxides consisting essentially of iron oxide, magnesium oxide, cobalt oxide, molybdenum oxide, and lead oxide.

34. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the size of the graphene particle is less than 5 microns.

35. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the surface area of the graphene is greater than about 300 m²/g BET.

36. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the metal particles are larger than the graphene composited with them.

37. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the metal particle are essentially the same size as the graphene they are combined with.

38. A composition of matter as claimed in claim 25 that is a nanocomposite.

39. An electrode manufactured from the composition of claim 25.

40. A battery comprising at least one electrode as claimed in claim 39.

41. A capacitor comprising an electrode as claimed in claim 39.