Carbon Nanotube Structures and Methods for Production Thereof

• US 20160222536A1
• Filed: 02/03/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanocomp Technologies Inc. (Huntsman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nanocomp Technologies Inc. (Huntsman Corporation)
• Inventors: Stephenson, Rachel, Schauer, Mark W., Towle, Erick C.
• Granted Patent: US 11,434,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/17 Purification
• CPC Class Codes: C25F 1/00 Electrolytic cleaning, degreasing, pickling or descaling
• CPC Class Codes: C25F 7/00 Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic removal of material from objects for both electrolytic coating and removal C25D; Servicing or operating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and system for substantially reducing iron and organic impurities in carbon nanotube materials.

Claims

1. A method for treating nanofibrous macrostructure, the method comprising:

(a) providing a nanofibrous macrostructure, the nanofibrous macrostructure being defined by a plurality of nanotubes;

(b) exposing the nanotubes within the nanofibrous macrostructure to an anodic electrochemical treatment; and

(c) removing impurities from the nanofibrous macrostructure via the anodic electrochemical treatment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanofibrous macrostructure comprises a plurality of substantially non-aligned nanotubes.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising stretching the nanofibrous macrostructure, so as to substantially align the nanotubes relative to one another within the stretched nanofibrous macrostructure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the step of providing, the nanofibrous macrostructure is a non-woven sheet of nanotubes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the step of providing, the nanofibrous macrostructure is a yarn.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the step of providing, the nanotubes include one of carbon nanotubes, boron nanotubes or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the step of providing, the nanotubes include one of single wall nanotubes, dual wall nanotubes, multiwall nanotubes, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exposing is in an electrochemical cell.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exposing is in presence of an organic electrolyte solution.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exposing is at a positive electro-potential.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising washing away the impurities.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the impurities comprise non-carbon nanotube carbonaceous contaminant, hydrocarbon, catalyst, and combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the catalyst is iron.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising recovering the nanofibrous structure.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising subjecting the nanofibrous structure to stretching.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising exposing the nanofibrous structure to an acid having an H₀ value of less than −

12 and subjecting the nanofibrous structure to stretching.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the acid is a super acid and comprises one of chlorosulfonic acid triflic acid, fluorosulfuric acid, fluoroantimonic acid, fuming sulfuric acid, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising subjecting the nanofibrous structure to a cathodic electrochemical treatment.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising subjecting the nanofibrous structure an anodic electrochemical treatment.

20. A method for treating nanofibrous macrostructure, the method comprising:

(a) providing a nanofibrous macrostructure, the nanofibrous macrostructure being defined by a plurality of nanotubes; and

(b) doping the nanotubes within the nanofibrous macrostructure using an anodic electrochemical treatment.

21. The method of claim 20 further post-processing the nanofibrous macrostructure.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein post-processing comprises solution/acid washing, cathodic treatment, anodic treatment, incorporation of polymer, or any combination thereof.

23. A system treating a nanofibrous macrostructure, the system comprising an electrochemical cell comprising an electrode, a counter electrode and an electrolyte solution and optionally a separator between the electrode and the counter electrode.