Production of carbon nanotube modified battery electrode powders via single step dispersion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11735705-B2
Application number	US-202017121206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2020
Priority date	May 24, 2017
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

Methods of making single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) including a single step for preparing a homogeneous dispersion of SWNTs in a battery electrode powder. The method may comprise providing a reactor in fluid communication with a mixer, wherein an aerosol containing SWNTs is transmitted from the reactor directly to the mixer containing a battery electrode powder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for preparing a dispersion of single walled carbon nanotubes in a battery electrode powder, the method comprising:
preparing an aerosol containing single walled carbon nanotubes in a reactor; and
transmitting the aerosol directly from the reactor to a mixer containing the battery electrode powder to produce the dispersion,
wherein the battery electrode powder comprises a primary battery electrode powder material and a secondary material, the secondary material comprising a binder, and
wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of fluorine resins, polyimide resins, acrylic resins, polyolefin resins, and combinations thereof.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the single walled carbon nanotubes to the battery electrode powder is from about 0.01 to 80 wt %.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the ratio of the single walled carbon nanotubes to the battery electrode powder is from about 0.01 to 50 wt %.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the primary battery electrode powder material further comprises an organic solvent.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the organic solvent comprises n-methylpyrrolidone.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the primary battery electrode powder material further comprises a surfactant.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the surfactant comprises sodium dodecyl sulfate.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the battery electrode powder is continually mixed as the aerosol is transmitted to the mixer.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the battery electrode powder is continually mixed by a mechanical stirrer, a magnetic stirrer, a ball miller, a sonicator, or a combination thereof provided as part of the mixer.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol is continuously transmitted to the mixer as the single walled carbon nanotubes are produced in the reactor.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the single walled carbon nanotubes are produced by contacting a carbon source and a catalyst in the reactor.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the catalyst comprises a metal.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein a catalyst precursor is converted to the catalyst in the reactor.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the catalyst comprises nanoparticles.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol comprises a first carrier gas.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the single walled carbon nanotubes are produced by contacting a carbon source and a catalyst in the reactor, and wherein the catalyst is mixed with a second carrier gas.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first carrier gas is the same as the second carrier gas.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd
• Nanosynthesis Plus Ltd

Inventors

• Harutyunyan Avetik
• Pierce Neal
• Pigos Elena Mora

Classifications

• C01B32/164 Primary

  involving continuous processes · CPC title

• C01B32/159

  single-walled · CPC title

• C01B32/162

  characterised by catalysts · CPC title

• C01B32/174

  Derivatisation; Solubilisation; Dispersion in solvents · CPC title

• H01M4/625

  Carbon or graphite · CPC title