High surface area carbon and process for its production

• US 8,691,177 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curators of the University of Missouri (University of Missouri)
• Original Assignee: Curators of the University of Missouri (University of Missouri)
• Inventors: Pfeifer, Peter, Suppes, Galen J., Shah, Parag, Burress, Jacob W.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORIO, GUINEVER S
• Application Number:
  US13/278,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20120094828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 423/445.R
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/00 Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
• 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 20/28085 being more than 50 nm, i.e. macropores
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3064 Addition of pore forming agents, e.g. pore inducing or porogenic agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/18 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0021 Carbon, e.g. active carbon, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes; Treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/30 Active carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/318 characterised by the starting materials
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/342 characterised by non-gaseous activating agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00853 in electrochemical cells or batteries, e.g. fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00948 for the fabrication of containers
• 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 38/0054 the pores being microsized or nanosized
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/10 Working-up natural gas or synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/005 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/007 for hydrocarbon gases, such as methane or natural gas, propane, butane or mixtures thereof [LPG]
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/24 : characterised by structural features of the materials making up or comprised in the electrodes, e.g. form, surface area or porosity; characterised by the structural features of powders or particles used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 : characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/926 : on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04216 : characterised by the choice for a specific material, e.g. carbon, hydride, absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 : Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The present invention provides a high surface area porous carbon material and a process for making this material. In particular, the carbon material is derived from biomass and has large mesopore and micropore surfaces that promote improved adsorption of materials and gas storage capabilities.

Claims

1. An activated carbon adsorbent comprising a plurality of particles, wherein each particle has an overall particle size of at least 149 microns and a total porosity ranging from about 70% to about 83% and further comprising pores with diameters ranging from about 10 Å

to about 20 Å

, wherein from about 30% to about 47% of a total pore volume consists of the pores with diameters ranging from about 10 Å

to about 20 Å

.

2. The adsorbent of claim 1, further comprising a methane gravimetric storage capacity of greater than about 200 g/kg at a temperature of about 20°

C. and a pressure of about 500 psig.

3. The adsorbent of claim 1, further comprising a methane volumetric storage capacity of greater than about 180 V/V at a temperature of about 20°

C. and a pressure of about 500 psig.