# US 8,999,550 B2 · Charge storage devices containing carbon nanotube films as electrodes and charge collectors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,999,550 B2 - Document ID: US8999550B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/576,937 - Filed: 2009-10-09 - Published: 2010-07-15 - Granted: 2015-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-04-10 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of California - Applicants: George Gruner; Martti Kaempgen; Andreas Kiebele - Inventors: George Gruner; Martti Kaempgen; Andreas Kiebele - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8999550B2 ## CPC - H01G 11/36: Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - H01G 11/56: Solid electrolytes, e.g. gels; Additives therein - H01G 11/68: characterised by their material - H01M 4/625: {Carbon or graphite} - H01M 4/663: {containing carbon or carbonaceous materials as conductive part, e.g. graphite, carbon fibres} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An energy storage device includes a nanostructured network and an electrolyte in contact with the nanostructured network. The nanostructured network is an electrically conducting nanostructured network that provides combined functions of an electrode and a charge collector of the energy storage device. An electrical device includes an energy storage device that includes a nanostructured network and an electrolyte in contact with the nanostructured network, and a load-bearing electrical circuit electrically connected to the electrical energy storage device. The energy storage device is suitable to power the electrical device while in operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for use as an electrode or charge collector in an energy storage device, the device, comprising: (a) an electrical contact; (b) a first nanostructured network of a nanoscale electrically conducting material connected to the electrical contact; and (c) a second nanostructured network of an electrochemically active material in contact with the first nanostructured network; (d) wherein said first nanostructured network comprises: a layer of a first electrically conducting material; and a layer of a second electrically conducting material in contact the layer of a first electrically conducting material; wherein said first and second electrically conducting materials have different densities. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said nanoscale electrically conducting material is selected from the group of conductors consisting of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, graphene flakes, metal nanowires, Ag nanowires, a mixture of two carbonaceous materials having different electrical conducting properties, a mixture of a carbonaceous material and a metal material, and conductive polymer nanowires. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of polyaniline, polythiophene, polypyrrol, PEDOT and carbon black. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of Zn, Co, Ni, Li, Ru, TiO2, PbO2, RuO2, IrO2, MnO2, Fe3O4, In2O3, WO3, SnO2, V2O5, Ni(OH)2, Ni(OOH), LiCoO2, Li4Ti5O12, and Ir0.3Mn0.7O2. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes; and wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon black. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a first density; and wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a second density. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises metal nanowires; and wherein said second layer of electrical conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a first electrical conducting property; and wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a second electrical conducting property different than said first electrical conducting property. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a conductive polymer protective layer disposed between the first nanostructured network and the second nanostructured network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first nanostructured network has a thickness that is greater or less than the second nanostructured network. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first nanostructured network interpenetrates the second nanostructured network to form a composite structure. ### Claim 12 An energy storage device, comprising: (a) a first electrode; (b) a second electrode; and (c) an electrolyte between the first and second electrodes; (d) wherein at least one said electrode comprises: an electrical contact; a first nanostructured network of a nanoscale electrically conducting material connected to the electrical contact; and a second nanostructured network of an electrochemically active material in contact with the first nanostructured network; (e) wherein said first nanostructured network comprises: a layer of a first electrically conducting material; and a layer of a second electrically conducting material in contact the layer of a first electrically conducting material; wherein said first and second electrically conducting materials have different densities. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12, wherein said nanoscale electrically conducting material is selected from the group of conductors consisting of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, graphene flakes, metal nanowires, Ag nanowires, a mixture of two carbonaceous materials having different electrical conducting properties, a mixture of a carbonaceous material and a metal material, and conductive polymer nanowires. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12, wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of polyaniline, polythiophene, polypyrrol, PEDOT and carbon black. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12, wherein said electrochemically active material is selected from the group of materials consisting of Zn, Co, Ni, Li, Ru, TiO2, PbO2, RuO2, IrO2, MnO2, Fe3O4, In2O3, WO3, SnO2, V2O5, Ni(OH)2, Ni(OOH), LiCoO2, Li4Ti5O12, and Ir0.3Mn0.7O2. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes; and wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon black. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a first density; and wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes having a second density. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises metal nanowires; and wherein said second layer of electrical conducting material comprises carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12: wherein said first layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a first electrical conducting property; and wherein said second layer of electrically conducting material comprises a carbonaceous material having a second electrical conducting property different than said first electrical conducting property. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12, further comprising a conductive polymer protective layer disposed between the first nanostructured network and the second nanostructured network. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12, wherein the first nanostructured network has a thickness that is greater or less than the second nanostructured network. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The energy storage device of claim 12, wherein the first nanostructured network interpenetrates the second nanostructured network to form a composite structure.