Microtubular honeycomb carbon material obtained by heat-treating cellulose fiber, production method of thereof, microtubular reactor module comprising the microtubular honeycomb carbon material and method for producing the microtubular reactor module

A method for producing a microtubular reactor module for use in microcatalytic reactor systems, the method comprising:

• preparing a metal catalyst solution having a nano-sized metal catalyst dispersed therein;
• coating the metal catalyst solution on the surface of a microtubular honeycomb carbon material from cellulose microfiber, the surface being in contact with fluid flow;
• drying the coated microtubular honeycomb carbon material, and then reducing the nano-sized metal catalyst-coated surface of the carbon material in a reducing atmosphere;
• and
• assembling and sealing a reactor frame around the reduced microtubular honeycomb carbon material using an adhesive,
• wherein the coating of the metal catalyst solution on the surface of the microtubular honeycomb carbon material is performed by:
• placing the catalyst dispersion in a first micro-pipette to form a drop, and locating the micro-pipette at one side;
• placing the above-produced microtubular honeycomb carbon material in a second micro-pipette, sealing the gap between the second micro-pipette and the microtubular honeycomb carbon material with an optical adhesive, and locating the second micro-pipette at another side;
• and
• forming a pressure gradient between both ends of the microtubular honeycomb carbon material using capillary force of the microtubular honeycomb carbon material and a vacuum pump so as to suck minutely the catalyst solution drop formed in the first micro-pipette and to coat the catalyst on the surface of the microtubules fixed in the second micro-pipette, and repeating this pressure gradient-forming process to coat the catalyst the surface of the microtubules.

A method for producing a microtubular reactor module for use in microcatalytic reactor systems, the method comprising:

• preparing a metal catalyst solution having a nano-sized metal catalyst dispersed therein;
• coating the metal catalyst solution on a surface of a microtubular honeycomb carbon material obtained from cellulose microfiber only and having a honeycomb structure in a sectional view thereof the surface being in contact with fluid flow;
• drying the coated microtubular honeycomb carbon material, and, then reducing the nano-sized metal catalyst-coated surface of the carbon material in a reducing atmosphere;
• and
• assembling and sealing a reactor frame around each of the reduced microtubular honeycomb carbon materials using an adhesive,
• wherein the microtubular honeycomb carbon material is produced by:
• wetting and washing cellulose microfiber with distilled water and drying the washed cellulose microfiber at room temperature;
• placing the dried cellulose microfiber in a reactor system for high-temperature heat treatment and removing oxygen remaining in the reactor system by means of a vacuum pump;
• and
• heat-treating the cellulose microfiber in the reactor system in an atmosphere of reducing gas such as hydrogen while controlling the temperature of the reactor system in a range of 500-1500° C.;
• and
• wherein the coating includes at least:
• placing the catalyst dispersion in a first micro-pipette to form a drop, and locating the micro-pipette at one side;
• and
• placing the above-produced microtubular honeycomb carbon material in a second micro-pipette, and sealing the gap between the second micro-pipette and the microtubular honeycomb carbon material with an optical adhesive.