Polymeric materials incorporating carbon nanostructures and methods of making same
AssigneeHeadwaters Technology Innovation, LLC
InventorsBing Zhou, Cheng Zhang, Mertin Fransson, Raymond B. Balee
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Abstract
The present invention relates to novel composites that incorporate carbon nanospheres into a polymeric material. The polymeric material can be any polymer or polymerizable material compatible with graphitic materials. The carbon nanospheres are hollow, graphitic nanoparticles. The carbon nanospheres can be manufactured from a carbon precursor using templating catalytic nanoparticles. The unique size, shape, and electrical properties of the carbon nanospheres impart beneficial properties to the composites incorporating these nanomaterials.
Claims25
A composite material comprising:
- a polymeric material comprising a polymer or a polymerizable material;
- and
- a plurality of carbon nanospheres dispersed in the polymeric material, wherein the carbon nanospheres comprise at least about 0.1% by weight of the composite material.
A composite material comprising a polymer or a polymerizable material and a carbon nanomaterial mixed therewith, wherein the carbon nanomaterial is manufactured according to a method comprising:
- forming a precursor mixture comprising a carbon precursor and a plurality of templating nanoparticles, the templating nanoparticles comprising a catalytic metal;
- carbonizing the precursor mixture to form an intermediate carbon material comprising a plurality of carbon nanostructures, amorphous carbon, and optionally remaining catalytic metal;
- and
- purifying the intermediate carbon material by removing at least a portion of the amorphous carbon and optionally a portion of remaining catalytic metal.
A method of making a composite, comprising
- heating a thermoplastic polymer to a temperature above the polymer's melting point or glass transition temperature;
- mixing between about 1% and about 50% by weight of a graphitic material into the heated polymer, the graphitic material comprising greater than 3% by weight of carbon nanospheres;
- and
- allowing the thermoplastic polymer to cool to yield the composite.
A method of making a composite, comprising:
- mixing between about 1% and 50% by weight of a graphitic material with a polymerizable material, the graphitic material comprising at least about 3% by weight of carbon nanospheres;
- and
- polymerizing the polymerizable material to form a polymeric material having the nanospheres dispersed therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.