Mesoporous carbons and polymers

• US 6,297,293 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tda Research, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tda Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Bell, William, Dietz, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BISSETT, MELANIE D
• Application Number:
  US09/396,288
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 521/61, 521/63, 521/64, 521/77, 521/99, 423/445.R, 423/449.6
• US Class Current: 521/99
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28057 Surface area, e.g. B.E.T specific surface area
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28083 being in the range 2-50 nm, i.e. mesopores
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/18 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/52 based on carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0022 obtained by a chemical conversion or reaction other than those relating to the setting or hardening of cement-like material or to the formation of a sol or a gel, e.g. by carbonising or pyrolysing preformed cellular materials based on polymers, organo-metallic or organo-silicon precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0074 expressed as porosity percentage
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

A mesoporous material prepared by polymerizing a resorcinol/formaldehyde system from an aqueous solution containing resorcinol, formaldehyde and a surfactant and optionally pyrolyzing the polymer to form a primarily carbonaceous solid. The material has an average pore size between 4 and 75 nm and is suitable for use in liquid-phase surface limited applications, including sorbent, catalytic, and electrical applications.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a mesoporous polymer, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a solution containing a polymerizable organic compound and a surfactant;

(b) allowing the surfactant to form ordered structures in the solution; and

(c) polymerizing the polymerizable organic compound to form a porous polymer having a BET surface area of at least about 50 m²/g.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the solution is organic.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the solution is aqueous.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of drying the porous polymer to produce a dried porous polymer.

5. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of removing surfactant from the porous polymer.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of washing the porous polymer so as to remove the surfactant therefrom.

7. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of controlling pore size by controlling the amount of surfactant in the solution.

8. A method for preparing a mesoporous carbon, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a solution containing a polymerizable organic compound and a surfactant;

(b) allowing the surfactant to form ordered structures in the solution;

(c) polymerizing the polymerizable organic compound without impregnating said porous polymerizable organic compound into a graphitic body, so as to form a porous polymer; and

(d) pyrolyzing the porous polymer to form a porous carbon.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein step (d) comprises heating the porous polymer sufficiently to pyrolyze the polymer and remove surfactant therefrom.

10. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of activating the porous carbon so as to increase capacitance when used with an electrolyte.

11. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of activating the porous carbon, wherein the activation is carried out at between 500°

C. and 1200°

C.

12. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of controlling the composition of the solution so as to produce a mesoporous carbon having a pore size between about 4 nm and about 50 nm.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein said porous carbon has a BET surface area of at least about 50 m²/g.

14. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of controlling pore size by controlling the amount of surfactant in the solution.

15. A method for preparing a mesoporous polymer in the absence of a graphitic body, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a solution containing a polymerizable organic compound and a surfactant;

(b) allowing the surfactant to form ordered structures in the solution; and

(c) polymerizing the polymerizable organic compound to form a porous polymer having a BET surface area of at least about 50 m²/g.