Method of producing homogeneous carbon and graphite bodies
AssigneeAdvanced Technology Center, Inc.
InventorWarren C. Schwemer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are methods of converting organic materials to dense bodies of homogeneous amorphous carbon or graphite. The organic material is converted by pyrolysis to an amorphous plastic carbon precursor which is then comminuted. The plastic carbon precursor particles are pressed into a monolithic body without the use of any binder material and the precursor body converted to carbon or graphite by application of heat at controlled rates.
Claims34
The method of making a precursor for forming green bodies suitable for conversion to unitary bodies of carbon comprising the steps of:
- a. producing a substantially infusible plastic residue having a volatile content of from about 3% to about 11% by heating a graphitizable carbon source which passes through a liquid phase during pyrolysis in a substantially non-oxidizing environment,
- b. discontinuing said heating while the residue remains plastic, and
- c. comminuting said substantially infusible plastic residue to form particles thereof having an average particle size less than about 1000 microns in the largest dimension.
The process of making a coherent green body suitable for conversion to a dense body of carbon comprising the steps of:
- a. producing a substantially infusible plastic residue having a volatile content of from about 3% to about 11% by heating a graphitizable carbon source which passes through a liquid phase during pyrolysis in a non-oxidizing environment but heating said carbon source no more than necessary to produce a truly infusible residue,
- b. discontinuing said heating while the residue remains plastic,
- c. comminuting said residue into particles, and
- d. pressing said particles into a coherent body.
The method of producing unitary homogeneous bodies of carbon comprising the steps of:
- a. producing a substantially infusible plastic mass having a volatile content of from about 3% to about 11% by heating an organic material which passes through a liquid phase during pyrolysis in a non-oxidizing environment.
- b. discontinuing said heating while said mass remains plastic,
- c. comminuting said substantially infusible plastic mass into particles,
- d. pressing said particles into a coherent body, and
- e. heating said coherent body to a temperature between about 800.degree. C and about 1200.degree. C in a non-oxidizing environment.
The process of making a homogeneous unitary body of graphite comprising the steps of:
- a. producing a substantially infusible plastic mass having a volatile content of from about 3% to about 11% by heating an organic material which passes through a liquid phase during pyrolysis in a non-oxidizing environment,
- b. discontinuing said heating while said mass remains plastic,
- c. comminuting said substantially infusible plastic mass into particles,
- d. pressing said particles into a coherent body, and
- e. heating said coherent body to a temperature of at least 1800.degree. C in a non-oxidizing environment and until graphitization has occurred.
The method of making a unitary, homogeneous body of graphite comprising the steps of:
- a. producing a substantially infusible plastic residue having a volatile 3% to about 11% by heating a graphitizable carbon source which passes through a liquid phase during pyrolysis in a substantially non-oxidizing environment.
- b. discontinuing said heating when the residue is substantially infusible and remains plastic,
- c. comminuting said substantially infusible plastic residue into particles,
- d. forming said particles into a coherent body, and
- e. heating said coherent body to a temperature of at least about 1800.degree. C in a substantially non-oxidizing environment and until graphitization has occurred.
A precursor for forming green bodies suitable for conversion to unitary bodies of carbon and made by heating an organic material which passes through a liquid phase during pyrolysis in a non-oxidizing environment until the liquid is converted to a substantially infusible plastic mass having a volatile content of from about 3% to about 11%, discontinuing the heating while said mass remains plastic, and comminuting said mass to form particles.
A green body suitable for conversion to carbon by heating in a substantially non-oxidizing environment comprising a unitary, homogeneous body consisting essentially of self-bonded particles made by heating an organic material which is converted from a liquid to a solid during pyrolysis until said material reaches the point where the material is plastic and where controlled heating of a body formed from particles thereof will not cause said particles to melt or said body to lose its structural integrity, discontinuing heating at a point at which said material remains plastic and has a volatile content of from about 3% to about 11%, and comminuting said material to form particles, the particles thus formed being pressed together into a coherent body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.