Carbon fiber sheet materials and methods of making and using the same

• US 6,503,856 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Clark-Schwebel Tech-Fab Company, Hexcel Corporation
• Inventors: Barr, David Brian, Brown, Gordon L. Jr., Broadway, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Juska; Cheryl A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salvatore; Lynda
• Application Number:
  US09/730,283
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 442/366,1,367,268,368,35,400,36,343,354-55,381 428/900,411.1-704
• US Class Current: 442/366
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 15/122 with a matrix in liquid form, e.g. as melt, solution or latex
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 15/127 by spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/083 Combinations of continuous fibres or fibrous profiled structures oriented in one direction and reinforcements forming a two dimensional structure, e.g. mats B29D24/00, B29D99/001 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/20 oriented in a single direction, e.g. roofing or other parallel fibres B29C70/083, B29C70/226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/50 for producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC]
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/188 Woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/08 PCBs, i.e. printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/559 the fibres being within layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/56 in association with fibre formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion of staple fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/002 Inorganic yarns or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/04 in rectilinear paths, e.g. crossing at right angles
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/05 Accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte H01M10/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/663 containing carbon or carbonaceous materials as conductive part, e.g. graphite, carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/667 : in the form of layers, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/74 : Meshes or woven material; Expanded metal
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/747 : Woven material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 : Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0234 : Carbonaceous material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/159 : Including a nonwoven fabric which is not a scrim
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/16 : Two or more nonwoven layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3707 : Woven fabric including a nonwoven fabric layer other than paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/618 : Blend of chemically different inorganic microfibers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/63 : Carbon or carbonaceous strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/631 : Glass strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/643 : Including parallel strand or fiber material within the nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/644 : Parallel strand or fiber material is glass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/645 : Parallel strand or fiber material is inorganic [e.g., rock wool, mineral wool, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/659 : Including an additional nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/68 : Melt-blown nonwoven fabric

Abstract

Carbon fiber sheet materials having improved dimensional stability and ease of handling are provided. The sheet materials include a carbon fiber network and an adhesive polymeric material adhered to at least one surface of the carbon fiber network. The invention further provides methods of making the carbon fiber sheet materials, as well as electrodes and electrical energy storage devices which include the carbon fiber sheet material as a component thereof.

Claims

1. A carbon fiber sheet material comprising:

a network comprising a plurality of substantially parallel carbon fibers;

a first adhesive melt blown web adhered to at least one surface of said carbon fiber network; and

a second adhesive melt blown web releasably adhered to a surface of said first melt blown web.

2. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second melt blown webs comprises a plurality of melt blown fibers, and wherein the melt blown fibers of said first melt blown web have an average diameter that is larger than the average diameter of the melt blown fibers of said second melt blown web.

3. A carbon fiber sheet material comprising:

a network comprising a plurality of substantially parallel carbon fibers;

a first permeable adhesive layer adhered to at least one surface of said carbon fiber network; and

a second permeable adhesive layer adhered to a surface of the carbon fiber network opposite the surface to which the first permeable adhesive layer is adhered,

wherein each of said permeable adhesive layers extend beyond at least one edge of said carbon fiber network, and wherein a portion of the permeable adhesive layers extending beyond the edge of the carbon fiber network is treated to form a selvage edge.

4. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 3, wherein said portion of the permeable adhesive layers extending beyond the edge of the carbon fiber network is thermally, chemically or mechanically treated, or a combination thereof, to form a selvage edge.

5. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 3, wherein each of said first and second permeable adhesive layers are releasably adhered to said carbon fiber network.

6. A carbon fiber sheet material useful as an electrode in an electrical energy storage device, comprising:

a plurality of carbon fibers substantially uniformly aligned and spread out relative to one another to form a planar sheet;

a first adhesive melt blown web adhered to at least one surface of said planar sheet; and

at least one additional adhesive melt blown web adhered to a surface of the planar sheet opposite the surface to which the first permeable adhesive melt blown web is adhered, wherein said melt blown webs extend beyond at least one edge of said planar sheet and wherein a portion of the melt blown webs extending beyond the edge of said planar sheet is treated to form a selvage edge.

7. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 6, wherein said portion of the melt blown webs extending beyond the edge of the carbon fiber network is thermally, chemically or mechanically treated, or a combination thereof, to form a selvage edge.

8. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 7, wherein each of said first and second adhesive melt blown webs are releasably adhered to said carbon fiber network.

9. A carbon fiber sheet material comprising:

a network comprising a plurality of substantially parallel carbon fibers;

a permeable adhesive layer adhered to at least one surface of said carbon fiber network;

and at least one additional layer adjacent said permeable adhesive layer positioned to sandwich said adhesive layer between said carbon fiber network and said additional layer, wherein said additional layer is an open mesh scrim.

10. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 9, wherein said carbon fiber network comprises a plurality of carbon fibers substantially uniformly aligned and spread out relative to one another to form a planar sheet and said permeable adhesive layer is an adhesive melt blown web.

11. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 10, further comprising a second adhesive melt blown web adhered to a surface of the carbon fiber network opposite said first melt blown web and a second open mesh scrim positioned to sandwich said second adhesive melt blown web between said carbon fiber network and said second open mesh scrim.

12. A carbon fiber sheet material useful as an electrode in an electrical energy storage device, comprising:

a plurality of carbon fibers substantially uniformly aligned and spread out relative to one another to form a planar sheet;

an adhesive melt blown web adhered to at least one surface of said planar sheet; and

at least one additional layer adjacent said permeable adhesive layer positioned to sandwich said adhesive layer between said planar sheet and said additional layer,

wherein said additional layer is an open mesh scrim.

13. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 12, further comprising a second adhesive melt blown web adhered to a surface of the carbon fiber network opposite said first melt blown web and a second open mesh scrim positioned to sandwich said second adhesive melt blown web between said carbon fiber network and said second open mesh scrim.

14. A carbon fiber sheet material useful as an electrode in an electrical energy storage device, comprising:

a nonwoven carbon fiber fabric having a plurality of generally longitudinal carbon fiber yarns and a plurality of generally transverse polyolefin coated fiberglass yarns bonded at their crossover points by said polyolefin coating to provide dimensional stability;

an adhesive melt blown web adhered to said carbon fiber fabric on at least one surface thereof; and

at least one additional layer adjacent said permeable adhesive layer positioned to sandwich said adhesive layer between said carbon fiber network and said additional layer, wherein said additional layer is an open mesh scrim.

15. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 14, further comprising a second adhesive melt blown web adhered to a surface of the carbon fiber network opposite said first melt blown web and a second open mesh scrim positioned to sandwich said second adhesive melt blown web between said carbon fiber network and said second open mesh scrim.

16. The carbon fiber sheet material of claim 15, wherein each of said first and second adhesive melt blown webs are releasably adhered to said carbon fiber network.