Methods and systems for production of elongated carbon nanofibers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019271088-A1
Application number	US-201916414503-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2019
Priority date	Nov 16, 2016
Publication date	Sep 5, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and process for producing macro length carbon nanotubes is disclosed. A carbonate electrolyte including transition metal powder is provided between a nickel alloy anode and a nickel alloy cathode contained in a cell. The carbonate electrolyte is heated to a molten state. An electrical current is applied to the nickel alloy anode, nickel alloy cathode, and the molten carbonate electrolyte disposed between the anode and cathode. The resulting carbon nanotube growth is collected from the cathode of the cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing a carbon nanotube comprising:
heating a carbonate electrolyte to obtain a molten carbonate electrolyte; disposing the molten carbonate electrolyte between an anode and a cathode in a cell; including a carbon nanotube growth elongation element in the cell; applying an electrical current to the cathode and the anode in the cell; and collecting carbon nanotube growth from the cathode of the cell.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube growth elongation element is a cathode material, an electrolyte additive, and an anode material, or any combination thereof.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said carbon nanotube growth elongation element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: nickel; copper; chromium; iron; manganese; titanium; zirconium; molybdenum; tantalum; cobalt; silicon; carbon; and alloys and mixtures thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said carbon nanotube growth elongation element comprises at least two selected from the group consisting of: nickel; copper; chromium; iron; manganese; titanium; zirconium; molybdenum; tantalum; cobalt; silicon; carbon; and alloys and mixtures thereof.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said alloy is a nickel copper alloy and contains 10% nickel to 90% nickel and 10% copper to 90% copper.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said alloy is a nickel chromium alloy and contains 10% nickel to 90% nickel and 10% chromium to 90% chromium.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said alloy is a nickel iron alloy and contains 10%/nickel to 90% nickel and 10% iron to 90% iron.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the molten carbonate electrolyte has a melting point between about 150° C. and about 900° C.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the molten carbonate electrolyte comprises lithium carbonate.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the molten carbonate electrolyte comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: lithium carbonate; sodium carbonate; potassium carbonate; strontium carbonate; rubidium carbonate; cesium carbonate; barium carbonate; and calcium carbonate, and any combination thereof.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the produced carbon nanotubes are longer than 1 mm in length.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are a cluster of untangled carbon nanotubes.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are a cluster of tangled carbon nanotubes.

14 . The method of claim 1 further comprising cleaning the carbon nanotube with a solvent.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating carbon nanotubes from the carbon nanotube growth.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating carbon nanotube cotton.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising spinning spun fiber from the carbon nanotube cotton.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising fabricating a composite material comprising carbon nanotubes collected from the carbon nanotubes.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composite material is a carbon cloth.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composite material is a carbon cable.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composite material is a carbon wire.

22 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising aging the electrolyte for a predetermined amount of time prior to applying the electrical current.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: nickel; copper; chromium; iron; manganese; titanium; zirconium; molybdenum; tantalum; cobalt; silicon; carbon, and any combination thereof.

24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode material comprises at least two material selected from the group consisting of: nickel; copper; chromium; iron; manganese; titanium; zirconium; molybdenum; tantalum; cobalt; silicon; carbon, and any combination thereof.

25 . A method for producing a macro length carbon nanotube comprising:
providing a carbonate electrolyte including transition metal powder between a nickel alloy anode and a nickel alloy cathode contained in a cell; heating the carbonate electrolyte to a molten state; applying an electrical current to the nickel alloy anode, nickel alloy cathode, and the molten carbonate electrolyte disposed between the anode and cathode; and collecting carbon nanotube growth from the cathode of the cell.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the nickel alloy of the cathode is inconel or monel.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the nickel alloy of the anode is a nickel copper alloy and contains 10% nickel to 90% nickel and 10% copper to 90% copper.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the nickel alloy of the anode is a nickel chromium alloy and contains 10% nickel to 90% nickel and 10% chromium to 90% chromium.

29 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the nickel alloy of the anode is a nickel iron alloy and contains 10% nickel to 90% nickel and 10% iron to 90% iron.

30 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the nickel alloy of the anode is inconel or monel.

31 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the transition metal powder includes particles of at least one material selected from the group consisting of: nickel; chromium; iron; cobalt; manganese; titanium; zirconium; copper; vanadium; zinc; molybdenum; scandium; ruthenium; tantalum; and alloys and mixtures thereof.

32 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the transition metal powder includes particles of at least two materials selected from the group consisting of: nickel; chromium; iron; cobalt; manganese; titanium; zirconium; copper; vanadium; zinc; molybdenum; scandium; ruthenium; tantalum; and alloys and mixtures thereof.

33 . The method of claim 25 , wherein said transition metal powder has a diameter of 10 μm or larger.

34 . The method of claim 25 , wherein said transition metal powder has a diameter of 1 to 10 μm.

35 . The method of claim 25 , wherein said transition metal particle has a diameter of less than 1 μm.

Assignees

• C2Cnt Llc

Inventors

• Licht Stuart

Classifications

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• C25B1/00 Primary

  Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals · CPC title

• D01F9/12

  Carbon filaments; Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture thereof · CPC title

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• C01B32/16

  Preparation · CPC title