System, method and composition for making thin-walled carbon nanomaterials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021340680-A1
Application number	US-202117243510-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 28, 2021
Priority date	Apr 29, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to thin-walled carbon nanomaterial, such as thin-walled carbon nanotubes, and systems, methods and compositions for production thereof. The method for producing a thin walled carbon nanotube comprises heating a carbonate electrolyte to obtain a molten carbonate electrolyte; disposing the molten carbonate electrolyte between an anode and a cathode in a cell; applying an electrical current to the cathode and the anode in the cell; and, limiting a diameter of the carbon nanomaterial.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 A system for making a thin-walled carbon nanomaterial product (CNM), the system comprising:
a. an anode;
b. a cathode;
c. an inter-electrode space that is defined between the anode and the cathode;
d. a carbonate electrolyte media positionable within the inter-electrode space,
e. a source of current for applying a current density is at least 0.01 A/cm 2 across the electrodes;
f. a source of heat configured to heat the electrolyte media to a temperature so as to create a molten electrolyte media;
g. a diameter-limiting component that is mixable with the electrolyte media; and
h. a source of carbon for introducing a carbon input into the inter-electrode space.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter-limiting component comprises calcium metaborate, boric acid combined with calcium oxide, lithium oxide, or a combination thereof.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter-limiting component is calcium metaborate.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter-limiting component comprises a combination of boric acid and calcium oxide.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter-limiting component comprises lithium oxide.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the diameter-limiting component is present in amount of about 0.01 to about 5 molal with respect to the carbonate electrolyte media or the molten carbonate electrolyte media. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anode and cathode are positioned substantially parallel to each other and aligned substantially vertically within the system.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the anode is a Nichrome sheet that is about 0.01 to 1 inch thick and the cathode is a brass sheet that is about 0.01 to 1 inch thick.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the anode is two series connected anodes and the cathode is positioned therebetween separated for each anode by about 0.1 to about 4 inches.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of carbon is carbon dioxide.

11 . A method for producing a thin-walled carbon nanomaterial (CNM), the method comprising:
a. heating a carbonate electrolyte media to obtain a molten carbonate electrolyte contained within a cell; b. disposing the molten carbonate electrolyte between an anode and a cathode; c. applying an electrical current to the cathode and the anode in the cell; and d. limiting a diameter of the thin-walled CNM.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a step of selecting a nanomaterial morphology.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of limiting the diameter of the CNM comprises adding a diameter-limiting component to the carbonate electrolyte media or to the molten carbonate electrolyte media.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the diameter-limiting component comprises calcium metaborate, boric acid combined with calcium oxide, lithium oxide, or a combination thereof.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the diameter-limiting component is added in amount of about 0.01 to about 5 molal with respect to the carbonate electrolyte media or the molten carbonate electrolyte media.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of limiting the diameter of the CNM produced comprises modulating the electrical current to a low electrolysis current density.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of limiting the diameter of the CNM produced further comprises a step of stopping the electrical current between about 5 minutes and about 90 minutes.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a step of collecting the thin-walled carbon nanomaterial product from the cathode.

19 . A thin-walled carbon nanomaterial product produced by the method of claim 11 .

20 . The product of claim 19 , wherein the thin-walled carbon nanomaterial product comprises carbon nanotubes.

21 . The product of claim 20 , wherein the carbon nanotubes have an average diameter of between about 1 nm and about 99 nm.

22 . An electrolyte media for making a thin-walled carbon nanomaterial product, the electrolyte media comprising:
a. a carbonate; and b. a diameter-limiting component.

23 . The electrolyte media of claim 22 , wherein the carbonate is an alkali carbonate, an alkali earth carbonate or combinations thereof.

24 . The electrolyte media of claim 23 , where the carbonate further comprises an oxide, a borate, a sulfate, a nitrate, a chloride, a chlorate, a phosphate or combinations thereof.

25 . The electrolyte media of claim 22 , wherein the diameter-limiting component is calcium metaborate, boric acid combined with calcium oxide, lithium oxide, or a combination thereof.

26 . The electrolyte media of claim 22 , wherein the diameter-limiting component is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 5 molal with respect to the carbonate.

27 . The electrolyte media of claim 22 in a molten state.

Assignees

• C2Cnt Llc

Inventors

• Licht Stuart

Classifications

• C25B1/135 Primary

  Carbon · CPC title

• C25B11/046

  Alloys · CPC title

• C01B32/16 Primary

  Preparation · CPC title

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• C01B2202/36

  Diameter · CPC title