Electrical devices containing carbon nanotube-infused fibers and methods for production thereof

• US 8,780,526 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied NanoStructured Solutions, LLC (Cabot Corporation)
• Inventors: Fleischer, Corey Adam, Hetzel, Lawrence P., Shah, Tushar K., Burgess, William Patrick, Sedlak, Joseph J., Liu, Han, Floyd, Mandel Durwood, Pensero, Greogry F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinclair, David M
• Application Number:
  US13/117,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 361/502
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/12 Stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/36 Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/40 Fibres
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

Electrical devices having a plurality of stacked electrode layers are described. At least one of the electrode layers contains continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes. The continuous fibers can be disposed upon an electrically conductive base plate. The electrical devices can further contain an electrolyte contacting each electrode layer and a layer of separator material disposed between each electrode layer, in which case the electrical devices can form a supercapacitor. Such supercapacitors can have a capacitance of at least about 1 Farad/gram of continuous fibers. The capacitance can be increased by coating at least a portion of the infused carbon nanotubes with a material such as, for example, a conducting polymer, a main group metal compound, and/or a transition metal compound. Methods for producing the electrical devices are also described.

Claims

1. An electrical device comprising:

a plurality of stacked electrode layers, each electrode layer comprising continuous fibers that are conformally wound about a base plate, wherein the continuous fibers are infused with carbon nanotubes.

2. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein each electrode layer is substantially planar.

3. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the base plate for each electrode layer is electrically conductive.

4. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein there is substantially no overlap between adjacent windings of the continuous fibers about each base plate.

5. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising:

an electrolyte in contact with each electrode layer; and

a layer of separator material disposed between each electrode layer;

wherein the separator material is permeable to ions of the electrolyte.

6. The electrical device of claim 5, wherein adjacent electrode layers are oppositely charged and alternating electrode layers are electrically connected to one another.

7. The electrical device of claim 5, further comprising:

a first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal, the first electrode terminal being electrically connected to alternating electrode layers having a first charge and the second electrode terminal being electrically connected to alternating electrode layers having a second charge.

8. The electrical device of claim 7, further comprising:

an outer casing housing the electrode layers.

9. The electrical device of claim 5, wherein the electrical device comprises a supercapacitor.

10. The electrical device of claim 9, wherein the supercapacitor has a capacitance of at least about 1 Farad/gram of continuous fibers.

11. The electrical device of claim 5, wherein the electrolyte comprises an inorganic electrolyte.

12. The electrical device of claim 5, wherein the electrolyte comprises an organic electrolyte.

13. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers comprise a fiber form selected from the group consisting of a fiber tow, a fiber tape, a fiber ribbon, and combinations thereof.

14. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers are electrically conductive before being infused with carbon nanotubes.

15. The electrical device of claim 14, wherein the continuous fibers comprise continuous metal fibers.

16. The electrical device of claim 14, wherein the continuous fibers comprise continuous carbon fibers.

17. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the infused carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the surface of the continuous fibers.

18. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers further comprise a coating deposited on at least a portion of the infused carbon nanotubes.

19. The electrical device of claim 18, wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a conducting polymer, a main group metal compound, a transition metal compound, and combinations thereof.

20. The electrical device of claim 18, wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, MnO₂, RuO₂, and combinations thereof.

21. An electrical device comprising:

a plurality of stacked electrode layers, each electrode layer comprising;

an electrically conductive base plate, and

continuous fibers that are infused with carbon nanotubes and wound about the electrically conductive base plate;

wherein the continuous fibers further comprise a coating deposited on at least a portion of the infused carbon nanotubes.

22. The electrical device of claim 21, wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a conducting polymer, a main group metal compound, a transition metal compound, and combinations thereof.

23. The electrical device of claim 21, wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, MnO₂, RuO₂, and combinations thereof.

24. The electrical device of claim 21, further comprising:

an electrolyte in contact with each electrode layer; and

a layer of separator material disposed between each electrode layer;

wherein the separator material is permeable to ions of the electrolyte.

25. The electrical device of claim 24, wherein the electrical device comprises a supercapacitor.

26. The electrical device of claim 25, wherein the coating increases a capacitance of the supercapacitor by at least about 10-fold relative to a like supercapacitor lacking the coating.

27. The electrical device of claim 25, wherein the supercapacitor has a capacitance of at least about 10 Farad/gram of continuous fibers.

28. The electrical device of claim 24, wherein adjacent electrode layers are oppositely charged and alternating electrode layers are electrically connected to one another.

29. The electrical device of claim 21, wherein the continuous fibers comprise a fiber form selected from the group consisting of a fiber tow, a fiber tape, a fiber ribbon, and combinations thereof.

30. The electrical device of claim 21, wherein the continuous fibers are electrically conductive before being infused with carbon nanotubes.

31. The electrical device of claim 30, wherein the continuous fibers comprise continuous metal fibers.

32. The electrical device of claim 30, wherein the continuous fibers comprise continuous carbon fibers.

33. The electrical device of claim 21, wherein the infused carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the surface of the continuous fibers.

34. An electrical device comprising:

a plurality of stacked electrode layers, at least one electrode layer comprising continuous fibers that are wound about a base plate, wherein the continuous fibers are infused with carbon nanotubes.

35. The electrical device of claim 34, wherein the base plate upon which the continuous fibers are wound is electrically conductive.

36. The electrical device of claim 34, further comprising:

an electrolyte in contact with each electrode layer; and

a layer of separator material disposed between each electrode layer;

wherein the separator material is permeable to ions of the electrolyte.

37. The electrical device of claim 34, wherein the continuous fibers further comprise a coating deposited on at least a portion of the infused carbon nanotubes and the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a conducting polymer, a main group metal compound, a transition metal compound, and combinations thereof.

38. The electrical device of claim 37, wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, MnO₂, RuO₂, and combinations thereof.

39. The electrical device of claim 34, wherein at least some of the stacked electrode layers lack carbon nanotubes.