Carbon nanotube electrode comprising sulfur or metal nanoparticles as a binder and process for preparing the same

• US 8,278,010 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KH Chemicals Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: KH Chemicals Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young Nam
• Primary Examiner(s): APICELLA, KARIE O
• Application Number:
  US11/753,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20070237990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 429/523, 977/742
• US Class Current: 429/523
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/28 arranged or disposed on a current collector; Layers or phases between electrodes and current collectors, e.g. adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/36 Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/38 Carbon pastes or blends; Binders or additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/86 specially adapted for electrodes carbonisation or activation of carbon for the manufacture of electrodes H01G11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/621 Binders
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0234 Carbonaceous material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrode made of carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers and a process for preparing the same. The electrode comprising a current collector, sulfur or metal nanoparticles as a binder, and carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers is characterized in that the sulfur or metal nanoparticles are bonded, deposited, or fused on the surfaces of the carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers so that the carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers are bonded to each other and also bonded to the current collector. The electrode prepared according to the present invention exhibits low internal resistance, strong durability and low equivalent series resistance, and therefore the electrode can be effectively used for secondary batteries, supercapacitors or fuel cells.

Claims

1. An electrode comprising:

a binder consisting essentially of sulfur nanoparticles, wherein the binder has the effect of minimizing the internal resistance of the electrode;

carbon nanotubes bonded together by the binder; and

a current collector bonded to the carbon nanotubes by the binder.

2. The electrode according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the sulfur nanoparticles used as the binder is in the range of from 0.01 to 3 times with respect to the amount by weight of the carbon nanotubes.

3. The electrode according to claim 1, wherein the sulfur nanoparticles have an average particle size of 1 μ

m or less.

4. The electrode according to claim 1, wherein the current collector comprises a metallic material as the main constituent and has a shape selected from plate, network and foam.

5. The electrode according to claim 1, wherein the sulfur nanoparticles are chemically bonded or physically deposited or fused on the carbon nanotubes by pressing under a pressure of from 1 to 500 atm and/or by heat-treating at a temperature in the range of the melting point of the sulfur, metals or metal compounds ±

200°

C. in an inert gas atmosphere.

6. A secondary battery comprising the carbon nanotube electrode according to claim 1.