Lithium ion batteries using discrete carbon nanotubes, methods for production thereof and products obtained therefrom
AssigneeMolecular Rebar Design, LLC
InventorsClive P. Bosnyak, Kurt W. Swogger
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Abstract
Compositions, and methods of obtaining them, useful for lithium ion batteries comprising discrete oxidized carbon nanotubes having attached to their surface lithium ion active materials in the form of nanometer sized crystals or layers. The composition can further comprise graphene or oxygenated graphene.
Claims15
1-7. (canceled)
A process for the production of discrete carbon nanotubes having crystals or layers of lithium ion active materials attached to their surface, comprising the steps of:
- a) selecting carbon nanotubes of aspect ratio 10 to 500 and oxidation level 1% to 15% percent by weight;
- b) mixing the carbon nanotubes with a high boiling point liquid;
- c) adding reagents in correct balance to synthesize a lithium salt;
- d) reacting the mixture at a temperature to form the lithium salt while sonicating the mixture;
- e) separating the solid discrete carbon nanotube salts from the liquid;
- and
- f) drying and annealing the solid discrete carbon nanotube salts under an inert atmosphere at sufficient temperature to obtain an olivine crystal structure.
A process for the production of discrete carbon nanotubes having crystals or layers of lithium ion active materials attached to their surface, comprising the steps of:
- selecting carbon nanotubes of aspect ratio 10 to 500 and oxidation level of 1% to 15% by weight;
- b) mixing the carbon nanotubes and a lithium salt in a liquid with surfactant;
- c) sonicating the liquid carbon nanotube/lithium salt mixture;
- d) separating the solid salts from the liquid;
- and
- e) drying and annealing the solid discrete carbon nanotubes with attached lithium salts under an inert atmosphere at sufficient temperature to obtain an olivine crystal structure.
10-13. (canceled)
A composition useful for lithium ion batteries comprising:
- discrete carbon nanotubes having crystals or layers of lithium ion active material attached to their surface, wherein the discrete carbon nanotubes have an aspect ratio of 10 to 500 and oxidation levels from 1% to 15% by weight of the carbon nanotube.
The composition of claim 13, wherein the crystals or layers of lithium ion active material comprise tin, silicon, copper, antimony, aluminum, germanium, titanium, or mixtures thereof.
The composition of claim 13, further comprising graphene or oxygenated graphene.
The composition of claim 13, wherein the carbon nanotubes are in a weight ratio of carbon nanotubes to lithium salts of 0.1% to 10%.
The composition of claim 13, comprising oxidized carbon nanotubes having crystals or layers of lithium ion active materials attached to their surface, wherein the carbon nanotubes are uniformly dispersed without clustering on a dimension scale less than 1 micrometer.
The composition of claim 13, comprising uniformly dispersible oxidized carbon nanotubes having crystals or layers of lithium ion active materials attached to their surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.