Process for making carbon foam
First Claim
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1. A process of producing carbon foam comprising:
- selecting an appropriate mold shape;
introducing pitch to an appropriate level in a mold;
purging air from the mold;
heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coalesce the pitch into a liquid;
applying an inert fluid at a static pressure up to about 1000 psi;
heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to cause gases to evolve and foam the pitch;
heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coke the pitch; and
cooling the foam to room temperature with a simultaneous release of pressure to produce a carbon foam.
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Abstract
The process obviates the need for conventional oxidative stabilization. The process employs mesophase or isotropic pitch and a simplified process using a single mold. The foam has a relatively uniform distribution of pore sizes and a highly aligned graphic structure in the struts. The foam material can be made into a composite which is useful in high temperature sandwich panels for both thermal and structural applications.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A process of producing carbon foam comprising:
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selecting an appropriate mold shape; introducing pitch to an appropriate level in a mold; purging air from the mold; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coalesce the pitch into a liquid; applying an inert fluid at a static pressure up to about 1000 psi; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to cause gases to evolve and foam the pitch; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coke the pitch; and cooling the foam to room temperature with a simultaneous release of pressure to produce a carbon foam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A process of producing carbon foam comprising:
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selecting an appropriate mold shape and a mold composed of a material that the molten pitch does not wet; introducing pitch to an appropriate level in the mold; purging the air from the mold; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coalesce the pitch into a liquid; applying an inert fluid at a static pressure up to about 1000 psi; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coke the pitch; and cooling the foam to room temperature with a simultaneous release of pressure to produce a carbon foam. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A process of producing carbon foam core composite comprising:
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selecting an appropriate mold shape; introducing pitch to an appropriate level in a mold; purging air from the mold; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coalesce the pitch into a liquid; applying an inert fluid at a static pressure up to above 1000 psi; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to cause gases to evolve and foam the pitch; heating the pitch to a temperature sufficient to coke the pitch; cooling the foam to room temperature with a simultaneous release of pressure; placing facesheets on the opposite sides of the carbon foam; and adhering the facesheets to the carbon foam to produce a carbon foam core. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A process for producing a carbon foam comprising:
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providing pitch in a container; heating said pitch in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a pressure and temperature sufficient to coalesce said pitch to form a liquid of said pitch; increasing said pressure of said non-oxidizing atmosphere in said container containing said liquid of said pitch from said pressure to an increased pressure having a range greater than said pressure to about 1000 psi; and heating said container containing said liquid of said pitch at said increased pressure to a temperature sufficient to form a carbon foam. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A process for producing a thermally conductive essentially graphitic carbon foam comprising:
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providing pitch in a container; heating said pitch in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a pressure to a temperature sufficient to coalesce said pitch to form a liquid of said pitch; increasing said pressure of said non-oxidizing atmosphere in said container containing said liquid of said pitch from said pressure to an increased pressure having a range greater than said pressure to about 1000 psi; heating said container containing said liquid of said pitch at said increased pressure to a temperature sufficient to form a carbon form; cooling said carbon foam and reducing said increased pressure to atmospheric pressure; heating said carbon foam in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature sufficient to carbonize said carbon foam to form a carbonized carbon foam; and heating said carbonized carbon foam in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature sufficient to form a thermally conductive essentially graphitic carbon foam. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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Specification