# US 10,319,994 B2 · Method and use of ceramic/carbon composite nanofibers as an anode for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,994 B2 - Document ID: US10319994B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/237,892 - Filed: 2016-08-16 - Published: 2017-12-07 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-01 - Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System - Applicants: The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System - Inventors: Mataz Alcoutlabi; Victor Anafo Agubra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319994B2 ## CPC - H01M 4/364: {as mixtures} - C01B 32/05: Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30 - H01M 4/387: {Tin or alloys based on tin} - H01M 4/587: for inserting or intercalating light metals - H01M 4/625: {Carbon or graphite} - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Tin-containing carbon fibers may be produced by centrifugal spinning of a precursor composition that includes a base polymer and a tin-containing compound. The produced fibers are heated at a temperature sufficient to convert at least a portion of the base polymer in the collected fibers into carbon fibers comprising tin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing tin-containing carbon fibers, comprising: dispersing tin (II) sulfide particles in a solvent; dissolving a base polymer in the solvent to form a mixture of the base polymer and the tin (II) sulfide particles, wherein the base polymer is convertible into carbon fibers when heated; placing the mixture into a body of a fiber producing device, the body comprising one or more openings; rotating the fiber producing device at a speed of at least about 500 rpm, wherein rotation of the fiber producing device causes the polymer in the body to be passed through one or more openings to produce microfibers and/or nanofibers comprising the polymer; collecting at least a portion of the produced microfibers and/or nanofibers; and heating the collected fibers at a temperature sufficient to convert at least a portion of the base polymer in the collected fibers into carbon fibers comprising tin. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the microfibers and/or nanofibers are created without subjecting the fibers, during their creation, to an externally applied electric field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the base polymer is polyacrylonitrile. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of polymer in the solvent is between about 5% by weight to about 20% by weight. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent is dimethyl formamide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising dispersing nickel-containing particles in the solvent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the nickel-containing particles are nickel (II) particles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fibers are heated to a temperature of about 400 C to about 900 C to convert the base polymer in the collected fibers into carbon fibers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising stabilizing the fibers by: heating the fibers at a temperature of between about 50 C to about 200 C under vacuum to remove water from the fibers; and heating the fibers in air at a temperature of between about 200 C to about 400 C. ### Claim 10 A method of producing tin-containing carbon fibers, comprising: dispersing tin (II) oxide particles and tin (II) sulfide particles in a solvent; dissolving a base polymer in the solvent to form a mixture of the base polymer and the tin (II) oxide particles and tin (II) sulfide particles, wherein the base polymer is convertible into carbon fibers when heated; placing the mixture into a body of a fiber producing device, the body comprising one or more openings; rotating the fiber producing device at a speed of at least about 500 rpm, wherein rotation of the fiber producing device causes the polymer in the body to be passed through one or more openings to produce microfibers and/or nanofibers comprising the polymer; collecting at least a portion of the produced microfibers and/or nanofibers; and heating the collected fibers at a temperature sufficient to convert at least a portion of the base polymer in the collected fibers into carbon fibers comprising tin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the microfibers and/or nanofibers are created without subjecting the fibers, during their creation, to an externally applied electric field. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the base polymer is polyacrylonitrile. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the concentration of polymer in the solvent is between about 5% by weight to about 20% by weight. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the solvent is dimethyl formamide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising dispersing nickel-containing particles in the solvent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the nickel-containing particles are nickel (II) particles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the fibers are heated to a temperature of about 400 C to about 900 C to convert the base polymer in the collected fibers into carbon fibers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising stabilizing the fibers by: heating the fibers at a temperature of between about 50 C to about 200 C under vacuum to remove water from the fibers; and heating the fibers in air at a temperature of between about 200 C to about 400 C.