Mesoporous carbons and polymers

• US 6,737,445 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tda Research, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tda Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Bell, William, Dietz, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Sergent, Rabon
• Assistant Examiner(s): BISSETT, MELANIE D
• Application Number:
  US09/933,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 521/99, 264/29.1, 423/445.R
• US Class Current: 521/99
• 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 21/18 Carbon
• 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 38/0074 expressed as porosity percentage
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/34 characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

A polymer is prepared by polymerizing a polymerizable component from a mixture containing the polymerizable component and a surfactant, the surfactant and the polymerizable component being present in the mixture in a molar ratio of at least 0.2:1, having an average pore size greater than 4 nm and a density greater than 0.1 g/cc. The polymerizable component can comprise a resorcinol/formaldehyde system and the mixture can comprise an aqueous solution or the polymerizable component can comprise a divinylbenzene/styrene system and the mixture can comprise an organic solution. Alternatively, the polymerizable component can comprise vinylidene chloride or a vinylidene chloride/divinylbenzene system. The polymer may be monolithic, have a BET surface area of at least about 50 m²/g., include a quantity of at least one metal powder, or have an electrical conductivity greater than 10 Scm⁻¹.

Claims

1. A carbon prepared according to the following steps:

polymerizing a polymerizable component from a mixture containing said polymerizable component and a surfactant so as to form a polymer, said surfactant and said polymerizable component being present in said mixture in a molar ratio of at least 0.2;

1 and said polymer having an average pore size greater than 4 nm, and a density greater than 0.1 g/cc;

carbonizing the polymer;

activating the carbon; and

wherein said carbon is an activated carbon and has a volumetric capacitance in a non-aqueous electrolyte of at least 20 F/cc, a pore size greater than 2 nm, a density greater than 0.1 g/cc, a surface area between 200 and 2,000 m²/g, and an electrical conductivity greater than 10 Scm<sup>−

1</sup>.

2. A carbon having a volumetric capacitance in a non-aqueous electrolyte of at least 20 F/cc, a density greater than 0.5 g/cc, a surface area between 200 and 2,000 m²/g, an average pore size greater than 10 nm, conductivity of at least 10 Scm⁻

1, and wherein the carbon is an activated carbon.

3. A porous carbon monolith comprising an activated carbon with at least one dimension greater than 2 mm, a surface area between 200 and 2000 m²/g, a density greater than 0.5 g/cc, a pore size greater than 10 nm, and a volumetric capacitance in a non-aqueous electrolyte of at least 20 F/cc.

4. The porous carbon monolith according to claim 3 having a conductivity of at least 10 Scm⁻

1.

5. A carbon comprising a carbonized polymer having a surfactant, the carbon having a volumetric capacitance in a non-aqueous electrolyte of at least 20 F/cc, a density greater than 0.5 g/cc, a surface area between 200 and 2,000 m²/g, and an average pore size greater than 10 nm, wherein the carbon is an activated carbon.

6. A porous carbon monolith comprising a carbonized polymer having a surfactant, wherein the carbonized polymer is activated, the carbon monolith with at least one dimension greater than 2 nm, a surface area between 200 and 2000 m²/g, a density greater than 0.5 g/cc, a pore size greater than 10 nm, and a volumetric capacitance in a non-aqueous electrolyte of at least 20 F/cc.