Ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure and method of making same
First Claim
1. A method for forming an ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure, the method comprising:
- providing an ordered open-cellular polymer template material, the polymer template material comprising an interconnected pattern of polymer waveguides;
immersing the polymer template material in a reservoir containing a liquid monomer solution;
swelling the polymer template material with the liquid monomer solution;
removing the polymer template material from the reservoir containing the liquid monomer solution;
removing excess liquid monomer solution from the polymer template material;
polymerizing the liquid monomer solution diffused into the polymer template material to form an ordered open-cellular polymer material; and
heating the ordered open-cellular polymer material in an inert atmosphere to carbonize the ordered open-cellular polymer material to result in the ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure,wherein the interconnected pattern of polymer waveguides comprises;
a plurality of first truss elements extending along a first direction;
a plurality of second truss elements extending along a second direction; and
a plurality of third truss elements extending along a third direction,wherein the first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material.
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Abstract
An ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure and a methods for forming the ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure capable of greatly improving the carbon yield (remaining mass % after carbonization) of an open-cellular polymer material. In one embodiment, the method starts with providing an ordered open-cellular polymer template material. The polymer template material is immersed in a reservoir containing a liquid monomer solution, wherein the liquid monomer solution swells the polymer material. Then the polymer template material is removed from the reservoir containing liquid monomer solution. Excess liquid monomer solution is removed from the polymer template material. The liquid monomer solution absorbed into the polymer template material is polymerized forming a copolymer material by irradiating the template material with ultraviolet (UV) light in a nitrogen environment. The copolymer material is heated in an inert atmosphere, wherein the copolymer material is carbonized resulting in the ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for forming an ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure, the method comprising:
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providing an ordered open-cellular polymer template material, the polymer template material comprising an interconnected pattern of polymer waveguides; immersing the polymer template material in a reservoir containing a liquid monomer solution; swelling the polymer template material with the liquid monomer solution; removing the polymer template material from the reservoir containing the liquid monomer solution; removing excess liquid monomer solution from the polymer template material; polymerizing the liquid monomer solution diffused into the polymer template material to form an ordered open-cellular polymer material; and heating the ordered open-cellular polymer material in an inert atmosphere to carbonize the ordered open-cellular polymer material to result in the ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure, wherein the interconnected pattern of polymer waveguides comprises; a plurality of first truss elements extending along a first direction; a plurality of second truss elements extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third truss elements extending along a third direction, wherein the first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for forming an ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure, the method comprising:
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providing an ordered open-cellular polymer template material, the polymer template material comprising an interconnected pattern of polymer waveguides, wherein the polymer template material is a polyurethane material; immersing the polymer template material in a reservoir containing a liquid monomer solution; swelling the polymer template material with the liquid monomer solution, wherein the monomer solution comprises a free radical initiator, the free radical initiator being utilized to polymerize the liquid monomer solution in response to ultraviolet (UV) light; removing the polymer template material from the reservoir containing the liquid monomer solution; removing excess liquid monomer solution from the polymer template material; polymerizing the liquid monomer solution diffused into the polymer template material to form an ordered open-cellular polymer material by irradiating the template material with UV light in a nitrogen environment; and heating the ordered open-cellular polymer material in an inert atmosphere to carbonize the ordered open-cellular polymer material to result in the ordered open-cellular carbon microstructure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification