# US 2016/0355402 A1 · Method of making activated nano-porous carbon

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- Number: US 2016/0355402 A1
- Document ID: US20160355402A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/242,113
- Filed: 2016-08-19
- Published: 2016-12-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-25
- Assignees: Farad Power, Inc.
- Applicants: Farad Power, Inc.,
- Inventors: Shantanu Mitra
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355402A1

## CPC

- C01B 32/30: Active carbon
- B01J 20/20: comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
- B01J 20/2808: {being less than 2 nm, i.e. micropores or nanopores}
- B01J 20/3078: {Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing}
- B01J 20/3085: {Chemical treatments not covered by groups B01J20/3007 - B01J20/3078}
- C01B 32/318: characterised by the starting materials
- C01B 32/336: characterised by gaseous activating agents
- C01B 32/342: characterised by non-gaseous activating agents
- C01B 32/366: by physical processes, e.g. by irradiation, by using electric current passing through carbonaceous feedstock or by using recyclable inert heating bodies
- H01G 11/34: characterised by carbonisation or activation of carbon
- H01G 11/36: Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes
- H01G 11/86: specially adapted for electrodes (carbonisation or activation of carbon for the manufacture of electrodes H01G11/34)
- H01M 4/587: for inserting or intercalating light metals
- C01P 2006/16: Pore diameter
- C01P 2006/40: Electric properties
- C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them}
- Y02C 20/40: of CO2
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 60/13: Energy storage using capacitors
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- Y02C: CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

An activated nano-porous carbon is produced using a liquid organic compound as a starting material. A combination of the liquid organic compound with organic acids is mixed with conductive carbon powder and polymerized. The polymerized material is then carbonized and activated using physical or chemical methods. The activated nano-porous carbon obtained using this method has been used to fabricate EDLC devices. The carbon has also shown large surface area (up to ˜2000 m2/gm, depending on the degree of activation) and can be used for various other activated carbon applications.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing an activated nano-porous carbon, comprising:
a) mixing a liquid organic compound, wherein the liquid organic compound is at least one of a furfuryl-functional-group compound, with an organic acid catalyst and an additive to make a mixture;
b) heating the mixture to make a solid polymerized material;
c) carbonizing the solid polymerized material by heating at a controlled temperature to drive out all the volatile compounds to form a carbonized material; and
d) activating the carbonized material in a controlled environment to form the activated nano-porous carbon to be used in an electric double layer capacitor electrode, liquid and gas phase filtration, purification and storage applications.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the furfuryl-functional-group compound is at least one of a furfuryl alcohol, furfuraldehyde, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and 5-methylfurfural.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid catalyst is at least one of an oxalic acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, citric acid and benzoic acid.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the additive is at least one of a carbon black, graphene, carbon nanotube and lignin.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
adding an organic solvent to the liquid organic compound before it is mixed with the organic acid catalyst, wherein the organic solvent is an acetone.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the additive is a carbon black, wherein the carbon black is first partially oxidized at a temperature between 100° C.-400° C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixing and polymerization are performed at a specific controlled temperature, wherein the specific controlled temperature ranges between room temperature—200° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbonizing is carried out between 360° C.-800° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the activation is done by heating under controlled atmosphere using at least one of a carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon and steam.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising;
activating is done using heat under the controlled environment, wherein the controlled environment includes one of an acid, a strong base and a salt.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein there is no etching step required.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbonizing step and the activating step are performed together in a controlled environment, wherein the controlled environment is a gas, wherein the gas is at least one of a nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide and steam.

### Claim 13

A method of producing an activated nano-porous carbon, comprising:
a) mixing a liquid organic compound, wherein the liquid organic compound is at least one of a furfuryl-functional-group compound, with an additive, wherein the additive is a carbon black, to make a mixture;
b) heating the mixture to make a solid polymerized material;
c) carbonizing the solid polymerized material by heating at a controlled temperature to drive out all the volatile compounds to form a carbonized material; and
d) activating the carbonized material in a controlled environment to form the activated nano-porous carbon.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the furfuryl-functional-group compound is one or more of a furfuryl alcohol, furfuraldehyde, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and 5-methylfurfural.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the carbon black additive is first partially oxidized at a controlled temperature, wherein the controlled temperature is between 100° C.-400° C.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the mixing and polymerization are performed at a controlled temperature, wherein the controlled temperature ranges between room temperature—200° C.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the carbonizing is carried out between 360° C.-800° C.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the activation is done by heating under controlled temperature with at least one of a carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon and steam atmosphere.

### Claim 19

A method of making an activated nano porous carbon, comprising:
a) mixing a furfuryl alcohol with an organic solvent, wherein the organic solvent is an acetone, to make a mixture;
b) adding a combination of organic acids and carbon black to the mixture;
c) polymerizing the mixture to form a solid polymerized material under atmospheric conditions;
d) heating the solid polymerized material between 600° C.-800° C. to make a carbonized material; and
e) carbonizing and activating are performed together in a controlled environment, wherein the controlled environment is a gas, wherein the gas is at least one of a nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide and steam.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein there is no etching step required.