Method and system for production of porous graphitic carbon materials embedded with active components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025333880-A1
Application number	US-202519258449-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2025
Priority date	Jun 8, 2018
Publication date	Oct 30, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is disclosed for producing carbon fibers with active components such as those for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). The method includes electrospinning a solution of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and a transition metal into composite fibers; and annealing the composite fibers in an inert/reducing atmosphere.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing carbon fibers with oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) components, the method comprising:
electrospinning a solution of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and a transition metal into composite fibers; and annealing the composite fibers in an inert/reducing atmosphere.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting a temperature and a duration of the annealing of the composite fibers in the inert/reducing atmosphere to control size of metal nanoparticles in the composite fibers.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting a temperature and a duration of the annealing of the composite fibers in the inert/reducing atmosphere to control volume of graphene formed in the composite fibers.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the annealing of the composite fibers in the inert/reducing atmosphere comprises:
stabilizing the composite fibers through oxidation in air with heating; and subjecting the composite fibers to a mixture of H 2 and N 2 with increased heating following the oxidation in air, or subjecting the composite fibers to Ar with increased heating following the oxidation in air.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transition metal is a transition metal salt selected from Co, Ni, or Fe.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , comprising:
annealing the composite fibers from between 300° C. to 400° C.

7 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the mixture of H 2 and N 2 is 5% H 2 and 95% N 2 and the increased heating is to a temperature of 800° C.

8 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the increased heating is at a rate of 5° C./min and the temperature is held at 800° C.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
using the annealed composite fibers in a fuel cell catalyst, a battery, or a water purification system.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
etching the annealed composite fibers with an acid.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the acid is a solution of FeCl 3 and HCl.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Kisailus David
• Tang Hongjie

Classifications

• B01J35/58

  Fabrics or filaments · CPC title

• B01J35/39

  Photocatalytic properties · CPC title

• D01D5/003

  the material being a polymer solution or dispersion (D01D5/0053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D10B2321/10

  polymers of unsaturated nitriles, e.g. polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene cyanide · CPC title

• C02F1/725

  by catalytic oxidation · CPC title