Particulate carbon complex

Abstract

The present invention relates to a particulate carbon complex made from a porous, particulate carbon substrate and a plurality of carbon filaments each having a first end attached to the porous, particulate carbon substrate and a second end distal from substrate. The complex is capable of transferring electrical current at a density of 350 to 10,000 mA/cm.sup.2 for a Fe.sup.+2 /Fe.sup.+3 oxidation/reduction electrochemical reaction couple carried out in an aqueous electrolyte solution containing 6 mM potassium ferrocyanide and 1M potassium nitrate. The complex is prepared by providing a porous, particulate carbon substrate with impregnated metal catalyst and contacting the substrate with a gaseous carbonaceous material under conditions effective to form a plurality of carbon filaments on the substrate. Generally, the complex includes particles of metal catalyst material at the end of the filaments distal from the substrate. The carbon complex is useful in electrochemical applications as well as in structural composites.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.