System, method and composition for making thin-walled carbon nanomaterials
AssigneeC2Cnt LLC
InventorStuart Licht
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to thin-walled carbon nanomaterial, such as thin-walled carbon nanotubes, and systems, methods and compositions for production thereof. The method for producing a thin walled carbon nanotube comprises heating a carbonate electrolyte to obtain a molten carbonate electrolyte; disposing the molten carbonate electrolyte between an anode and a cathode in a cell; applying an electrical current to the cathode and the anode in the cell; and, limiting a diameter of the carbon nanomaterial.
Claims26
1 A system for making a thin-walled carbon nanomaterial product (CNM), the system comprising:
- a. an anode;
- b. a cathode;
- c. an inter-electrode space that is defined between the anode and the cathode;
- d. a carbonate electrolyte media positionable within the inter-electrode space,
- e. a source of current for applying a current density is at least 0.01 A/cm2 across the electrodes;
- f. a source of heat configured to heat the electrolyte media to a temperature so as to create a molten electrolyte media;
- g. a diameter-limiting component that is mixable with the electrolyte media;
- and
- h. a source of carbon for introducing a carbon input into the inter-electrode space.
The system of claim 1, wherein the diameter-limiting component comprises calcium metaborate, boric acid combined with calcium oxide, lithium oxide, or a combination thereof.
The system of claim 1, wherein the diameter-limiting component is calcium metaborate.
The system of claim 1, wherein the diameter-limiting component comprises a combination of boric acid and calcium oxide.
The system of claim 1, wherein the diameter-limiting component comprises lithium oxide.
The system of claim 1 wherein the diameter-limiting component is present in amount of about 0.01 to about 5 molal with respect to the carbonate electrolyte media or the molten carbonate electrolyte media. The system of claim 1, wherein the anode and cathode are positioned substantially parallel to each other and aligned substantially vertically within the system.
The system of claim 7, wherein the anode is a Nichrome sheet that is about 0.01 to 1 inch thick and the cathode is a brass sheet that is about 0.01 to 1 inch thick.
The system of claim 1, wherein the source of carbon is carbon dioxide.
A method for producing a thin-walled carbon nanomaterial (CNM), the method comprising:
- a. heating a carbonate electrolyte media to obtain a molten carbonate electrolyte contained within a cell;
- b. disposing the molten carbonate electrolyte between an anode and a cathode;
- c. applying an electrical current to the cathode and the anode in the cell;
- and
- d. limiting a diameter of the thin-walled CNM.
An electrolyte media for making a thin-walled carbon nanomaterial product, the electrolyte media comprising:
- a. a carbonate;
- and
- b. a diameter-limiting component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.