Treated carbon fibers with improved performance for electrochemical and chemical applications

Patent · Tue Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:321235

Chu, X; Kinoshita, Kimio

A treated mesophase carbon fiber is disclosed having a high density of exposed edges on the fiber surface, and a method is described for making such a treated fiber. A carbon electrode is also described which is constructed from such treated mesophase carbon fibers. The resulting electrode, formed from such treated flexible carbon fibers, is characterized by a high density of active sites formed from such exposed edges, low corrosion, and good mechanical strength, and may be fabricated into various shapes. The treated mesophase carbon fibers of the invention are formed by first loading the surface of the mesophase carbon fiber with catalytic metal particles to form catalytic etch sites on a hard carbon shell of the fiber. The carbon fiber is then subject to an etch step wherein portions of the hard carbon shell or skin are selectively removed adjacent the catalytic metal particles adhering to the carbon shell. This exposes the underlying radial edges of the graphite-like layers within the carbon shell of the mesophase carbon fiber, which exposed radial edges then act as active sites of a carbon electrode subsequently formed from the treated mesophase carbon fibers. 14 figs.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• Assignee: Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5,874,166/A/
• Application Number: PAN: 8-708,151
• OSTI ID: 321235
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 23 Feb 1999
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CARBON FIBERS
LIQUID CRYSTALS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SYNTHESIS
ELECTRODES
CATALYSTS
ETCHING