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Title: Treated carbon fibers with improved performance for electrochemical and chemical applications

Abstract

A treated mesophase carbon fiber is disclosed having a high density of exposed edges on the fiber surface, and a method of 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.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Albany, CA
  2. Cupertino, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
872161
Patent Number(s):
5874166
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC03-76SF00098
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
treated; carbon; fibers; improved; performance; electrochemical; chemical; applications; mesophase; fiber; disclosed; density; exposed; edges; surface; method; electrode; described; constructed; resulting; formed; flexible; characterized; active; sites; corrosion; mechanical; strength; fabricated; various; shapes; loading; catalytic; metal; particles; form; etch; hard; shell; subject; step; portions; selectively; removed; adjacent; adhering; exposes; underlying; radial; graphite-like; layers; subsequently; metal particle; carbon electrode; hard carbon; improved performance; active sites; carbon fibers; metal particles; carbon fiber; mechanical strength; selectively removed; catalytic metal; various shapes; selectively remove; exposed edges; treated carbon; chemical applications; sites formed; /428/423/429/

Citation Formats

Chu, Xi, and Kinoshita, Kimio. Treated carbon fibers with improved performance for electrochemical and chemical applications. United States: N. p., 1999. Web.
Chu, Xi, & Kinoshita, Kimio. Treated carbon fibers with improved performance for electrochemical and chemical applications. United States.
Chu, Xi, and Kinoshita, Kimio. Fri . "Treated carbon fibers with improved performance for electrochemical and chemical applications". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872161.
@article{osti_872161,
title = {Treated carbon fibers with improved performance for electrochemical and chemical applications},
author = {Chu, Xi and Kinoshita, Kimio},
abstractNote = {A treated mesophase carbon fiber is disclosed having a high density of exposed edges on the fiber surface, and a method of 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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1999},
month = {1}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Carbon Fiber as a Negative Electrode in Lithium Secondary Cells
journal, December 1992


Catalyzed Carbon Gasification Studied by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy
journal, April 1993


Rechargeable Lithium‐Ion Cells Using Graphitized Mesophase‐Pitch‐Based Carbon Fiber Anodes
journal, August 1995