Carbon electrode material

• US 6,479,030 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inorganic Specialists, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Inorganic Specialists, Inc.
• Inventors: Firsich, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hendrickson, Stuart L.
• Application Number:
  US09/434,785
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 423/460, 423/447.J, 423/445.R, 423/445.B, 423/447.7, 423/447.8, 427/215
• US Class Current: 423/447.1
• 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 41/4556 coating or impregnating with a product reacting with the substrate, e.g. generating a metal coating by surface reduction of a ceramic substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/40 Fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/72 specially adapted for integration in multiple or stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

Sulfonated carbon fibrils, method for preparing the sulfonated carbon fibrils, and electrodes prepared from the sulfonated carbon fibrils for use in supercapacitors or other energy storage devices are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for preparing sulfonated carbon fibrils comprising the steps of:

providing carbon fibrils;

hydrogenating said carbon fibrils in a hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature of about 400°

C. Up to a temperature at least 50 degrees below the highest temperature that said carbon fibrils have been previously exposed to; and

sulfonating said carbon fibrils.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said sulfonating step is conducted by heating said carbon fibrils in fuming sulfuric acid, concentrated sulfuric acid, SO₃, or chlorosulfonic acid.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sulfonating step is conducted by heating said carbon fibrils in fuming sulfuric acid at a temperature between at least 90°

and 160°

C. for up to 24 hours.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said sulfonating step is carried out at a temperature of between 110°

and 150°

C.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said sulfonating step is carried out for approximately 24 hours.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said hydrogenation step is carried out in a pure hydrogen atmosphere.

7. A method for preparing sulfonated carbon fibrils comprising the steps of:

providing carbon fibrils;

hydrogenating said carbon fibrils in a hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature of about 400°

C. Up to a temperature at least 50 degrees below the highest temperature that said carbon fibrils have been previously exposed to; and

sulfonating said carbon fibrils by heating said carbon fibrils in concentrated or fuming sulfuric acid at a temperature between room temperature and 290°

C. for a period of 1 hour to 4 days.