Mesoporous carbon materials comprising bifunctional catalysts

• US 8,916,296 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BASF SE
• Original Assignee: EnerG2 Technologies, Incorporated
• Inventors: Feaver, Aaron M., Costantino, Henry R., Varjian, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anthony, Julian
• Application Number:
  US13/046,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20110223494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 429/231.8, 429/218.1, 429/221, 429/224, 429/405, 429/223, 429/236
• US Class Current: 429/236
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/00 Carbon; Compounds thereof C01B21/00, C01B23/00 take precedence; percarbonates C01B15/10; carbon black C09C1/48
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/30 Active carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/12 Surface area
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/14 Pore volume
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/16 Pore diameter
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/8689 Positive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/381 Alkaline or alkaline earth metals elements H01M4/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/386 Silicon or alloys based on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/463 Aluminium based
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/466 Magnesium based
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8615 Bifunctional electrodes for rechargeable cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9041 Metals or alloys H01M4/92 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9083 on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/926 on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present application is directed to mesoporous carbon materials comprising bi-functional catalysts. The mesoporous carbon materials find utility in any number of electrical devices, for example, in lithium-air batteries. Methods for making the disclosed carbon materials, and devices comprising the same, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A metal-air battery comprising an air cathode, a metal anode and an electrolyte, wherein the air cathode comprises a carbon material comprising at least 1000 ppm of a bi-functional catalyst and a pore structure comprising pores, the pore structure comprising a total pore volume of at least 1 cc/g, wherein at least 50% of the total pore volume resides in pores having a pore size ranging from 2 nm to 50 nm as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT and wherein the carbon material comprises a different wetting characteristic on an inner surface of the pores compared to an outer surface of the pores.

2. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the metal anode comprises carbon, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium barium, radium, aluminum, silicon or a combination thereof.

3. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein at least 50% of the total pore volume resides in pores having a pore size ranging from 10 nm to 50 nm as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

4. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein at least 50% of the total pore volume resides in pores having a pore size ranging from 15 nm to 30 nm as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

5. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the total pore volume resides in pores having a pore size ranging from 2 nm to 50 nm as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

6. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the total pore volume resides in pores having a pore size ranging from 10 nm to 50 nm as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

7. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises at least 5000 ppm of the bi-functional catalyst.

8. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a specific surface area of greater than 500 m² g as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

9. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a specific surface area of greater than 1000 m² g as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

10. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a specific surface area of greater than 1500 m² g as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

11. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises a specific surface area of greater than 2000 m² g as determined from N₂ sorption derived DFT.

12. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the bi-functional catalyst comprises iron, nickel, cobalt, manganese, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, gold, halfnium, platinum, titanium, rhenium, tantalum, thallium, vanadium, niobium, scandium, chromium, gallium, zirconium, molybdenum or combinations or alloys thereof.

13. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the bi-functional catalyst comprises nickel.

14. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the bi-functional catalyst comprises iron.

15. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the bi-functional catalyst comprises manganese.

16. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the bi-functional catalyst is in the form of an oxide.

17. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the bi-functional catalyst comprises a nickel oxide, an iron oxide or a manganese oxide.

18. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the bi-functional catalyst is in the form of a carbide.

19. The metal-air battery of claim 18, wherein the carbide comprises tungsten carbide.

20. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the pores has a higher affinity for a solvent capable of solvating lithium ion than an outer surface of the pores.

21. The metal-air battery of claim 20, wherein the solvent comprises acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethylmethylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (EMIPF6), 1,2-dimethyl-3-propyl imidazolium [(DMPIX)Im] or a combination thereof.

22. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the pores has a lower affinity for a solvent capable of solvating lithium ion than the outer surface of the pores.

23. The metal-air battery of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises less than 500 ppm of all other elements, excluding the bi-functional catalyst, having atomic numbers ranging from 11 to 92, as measured by proton induced x-ray emission.