Nanotube-based high energy material and method
AssigneeUniversity of North Carolina, The Chapel
InventorsOtto Z. Zhou, Bo Gao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carbon-based material containing an allotrope of carbon, such as single-walled carbon nanotubes, is capable of accepting and intercalated alkali metal. The material exhibits a reversible capacity ranging from approximately 650 mAh/g-1,000 mAh/g. The high capacity of the material makes it attractive for a number of applications, such as a battery electrode material. A method of producing a single-walled carbon nanotube material includes purifying an as-recovered nanotube material, and depositing the purified material onto a conductive substrate. The coated substrate is incorporated into an electrochemical cell, an its ability to accept intercalated materials, such as an alkali metal (e.g.—lithium) is measured.
Claims17
A method of manufacture comprising:
- forming a carbon-based single-walled nanotube-containing material;
- suspending said carbon-based single-walled nanotube-containing material in a suspension medium;
- purifying and recovering said carbon-based single-walled nanotube-containing material;
- creating a mixture by adding said purified and recovered carbon-based material to a solvent;
- and
- depositing a film of said carbon-based material on at least one surface of a substrate.
A method of manufacture comprising:
- striking a target with a high-energy laser beam thereby producing an ablated material comprising at least 50% by volume single-walled nanotubes;
- creating a suspension by adding said ablated material to a suspension medium, and introducing ultrasonic energy, thereby suspending said nanotubes within said suspension medium;
- passing said suspension through a filter and recovering said carbon-based material comprising at least 80% by volume carbon nanotubes;
- creating a mixture by adding the recovered carbon-based material comprising at least approximately 80% by volume single-walled nanotubes to a solvent;
- immersing a substrate within the mixture;
- and
- volatizing said solvent thereby leaving a film of said carbon-based material on at least one surface of said substrate.
A method of manufacture comprising:
- creating a mixture by adding a purified and recovered carbon-based nanotube-containing material to a solvent;
- immersing a substrate within the mixture;
- depositing a film of said carbon-based material on at least one surface of said substrate;
- and
- heat treating said film to promote adhesion to said substrate.
A method of manufacture comprising:
- forming a carbon-based single-walled nanotube-containing material;
- suspending said carbon-based single-walled nanotube-containing material in a suspension medium;
- purifying and recovering said carbon-based single-walled nanotube-containing material;
- creating a mixture by adding a purified and recovered carbon-based material to a solvent;
- immersing a substrate within the mixture;
- depositing a film of said carbon-based material on at least one surface of said substrate;
- and
- heat treating said film to promote adhesion to said substrate.
A method of manufacture comprising:
- striking a target with a high-energy laser beam thereby producing an ablated material comprising at least 50% by volume single-walled nanotubes;
- creating a suspension by adding said ablated material to a suspension medium, and introducing ultrasonic energy, thereby suspending said nanotubes within said suspension medium;
- passing said suspension through a filter and recovering said carbon-based material comprising at least 80% by volume carbon nanotubes;
- creating a mixture by adding the recovered carbon-based material comprising at least approximately 80% by volume single-walled nanotubes to a solvent;
- depositing said carbon-based material on a substrate;
- and
- volatizing said solvent thereby leaving a film of said carbon-based material on at least one surface of said substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.