Fibril aggregates and method for making same

• US 5,456,897 A
• Filed: 08/02/1994
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hyperion Catalysis International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hyperion Catalysis International Incorporated
• Inventors: Moy, David, Chishti, Asif
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFARLANE, ANTHONY R
• Application Number:
  US08/284,917
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 423/447.1, 423/447.2, 423/447.3, 428/337, 428/367, 428/408, 428/903, 427/216, 427/249, 427/255.1, 264/29.1
• US Class Current: 423/447.3
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/18 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/34 Manganese
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/72 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/745 Iron
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/75 Cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/755 Nickel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/881 and iron
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/30 characterised by their physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/58 Fabrics or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0207 Pretreatment of the support
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/08 Heat treatment B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/05 Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/08 Processes of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/625 Carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/806 Nonwoven fibrous fabric containing only fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/08 with cup-shaped electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2918 including free carbon or carbide or therewith [not as steel]

Abstract

A fibril aggregate that includes a multiplicity of carbon fibrils whose longitudinal axes have substantially the same relative orientation, each of the fibrils characterized as having graphitic layers that are substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis and being free of a continuous thermal carbon overcoat, and a method of preparing such aggregates.

Claims

1. A fibril aggregate comprising a multiplicity of carbon fibrils whose longitudinal axes have substantially the same relative orientation, each of said fibrils characterized as having graphitic layers that are substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis and being free of a continuous thermal carbon overcoat.

2. The fibril aggregate of claim 1 wherein the diameters of at least 90% of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have diameters that are between 3.5 and 75 nanometers.

3. The fibril aggregate of claim 1 wherein the diameters of substantially all of the individual fibrils in said aggregate are between 3.5 and 75 nanometers, inclusive.

4. The fibril aggregate of claim 1 wherein the diameter of said aggregate is between 0.05 and 50 μ

m, inclusive, and the length of said aggregate is between 0.1 and 1000 μ

m, inclusive.

5. The fibril aggregate of claim 1 wherein at least 90% of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have a length to diameter ratio of at least 5.

6. The fibril aggregate of claim 1 wherein substantially all of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have a length to diameter ratio of at least 5.

7. A fibril aggregate comprising a multiplicity of carbon fibrils whose longitudinal axes have substantially the same relative orientation, said fibrils automatically align into said relative orientation to form said aggregate, wherein each of said fibrils in said aggregate has graphitic layers substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis and is substantially free of a continuous thermal carbon overcoat.

8. The fibril aggregate of claim 7 wherein the diameters of at least 90% of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have diameters that are between 3.5 and 75 nanometers.

9. The fibril aggregate of claim 7 wherein the diameters of substantially all of the individual fibrils in said aggregate are between 3.5 and 75 nanometers, inclusive.

10. The fibril aggregate of claim 7 wherein the diameter of said aggregate is between 0.05 and 50 μ

m, inclusive, and the length of said aggregate is between 0.1 and 1000 μ

m, inclusive.

11. The fibril aggregate of claim 7 wherein at least 90% of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have a length to diameter ratio of at least 5.

12. The fibril aggregate of claim 7 wherein substantially all of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have a length to diameter ratio of at least 5.

13. A fibril aggregate comprising a multiplicity of carbon fibrils whose longitudinal axes have substantially the same relative orientation, each of said fibrils characterized as having graphitic layers that are substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis and being free of a continuous thermal carbon overcoat, wherein at least 90% of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have diameters that are between 3.5 and 75 nanometers, and wherein the diameter of said aggregate is between about 0.05 and 50 μ

m, inclusive, and the length of said aggregate is between about 0.1 and 1000 μ

m, inclusive.

14. The fibril aggregate of claim 13 wherein at least 90% of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have a length to diameter ratio of at least 5.

15. The fibril aggregate of claim 13 wherein substantially all of the individual fibrils in said aggregate have a length to diameter ratio of at least 5.