Filamentous organism-derived carbon-based materials, and methods of making and using same
Inventors
Ren, Zhiyong • HUGGINS, MITCHELL TYLER • Biffinger, Justin C. • Love, Corey T. • Lee, Se-Hee • WHITELEY, JUSTIN M.
Assignees
US Department of Navy • University of Colorado Denver
Publication Number
US-11554990-B2
Publication Date
2023-01-17
Expiration Date
2037-07-21
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Abstract
The invention provides filamentous organism-derived carbonaceous materials doped with organic and/or inorganic compounds, and methods of making the same. In certain embodiments, these carbonaceous materials are used as electrodes in solid state batteries and/or lithium-ion batteries. In another aspect, these carbonaceous materials are used as a catalyst, catalyst support, adsorbent, filter and/or other carbon-based material or adsorbent. In yet another aspect, the invention provides battery devices incorporating the carbonaceous electrode materials.
Core Innovation
The invention provides filamentous organism-derived carbonaceous materials doped with organic and/or inorganic compounds, and methods of making these materials. These carbonaceous materials comprise a graphitic, partially graphitic, or amorphous carbon matrix containing a plurality of fibers, which may include pores distributed throughout the matrix. The materials can be produced by carbonizing filamentous organisms, such as filamentous algae, fungi, or bacteria, which may be grown in the presence of various compounds that become incorporated within or on the surface during carbonization.
The carbonaceous materials are suitable for use as electrodes in solid state batteries and lithium-ion batteries, as well as in roles such as catalysts, catalyst supports, adsorbents, and filters. The invention also provides battery devices incorporating these carbonaceous electrode materials. Methods of production include growing filamentous organisms in media potentially containing dopant compounds, harvesting and drying the biomass, optionally shaping or mixing with binders, and carbonizing under controlled atmospheres to produce the carbonaceous structure.
The problem addressed is the need for novel, sustainable, and environmentally friendly carbon-based materials and electrode materials made from sustainable feedstock. Existing advanced carbon architectures, such as carbon nanotubes and doped carbons, offer performance benefits for energy storage but suffer from limitations including high cost, energy, and resource demands during manufacturing. There is thus a need for carbon materials that can improve battery performance while being manufactured efficiently and flexibly from sustainable feedstock.
Claims Coverage
The patent contains a single independent method claim covering the production of carbonaceous materials derived from filamentous fungal organisms with defined structural and processing features.
Method of producing carbonaceous material from filamentous fungi
This method involves carbonizing a dried organic material comprising a fungal filamentous organism to yield a carbonaceous material that is graphitic, partially graphitic, or amorphous, with a surface area of about 1 m2/g to about 3,000 m2/g.
Optional shaping and conductive wire integration before carbonization
The method optionally includes shaping or pressing the dried organic material and contacting it with a conductive wire prior to carbonization to form a self-standing electrode structure.
Specific carbonization heating parameters
Carbonization involves heating at about 20 °C/min from room temperature to about 800 °C, holding this temperature for about 2 hours, and performing the process under controlled gas atmospheres such as N2, NH3, argon, H2S, or air, with nitrogen gas flow rates between 10 mL/min and 100 mL/min.
Carbon matrix structural features
The resultant carbon matrix comprises a plurality of pores distributed throughout, each pore ranging from about 0.1 μm to about 1 cm in diameter and interconnected, along with fibers having diameters ranging from about 0.1 μm to about 100 μm physically contacting each other.
Fungal organism growth and drying conditions
The fungal filamentous organism can be dried by low-heat drying, flash freezing, or lyophilizing to form the dried organic material. It can be grown under light, optionally with organic or inorganic compounds, for about 1 to 5 days, including growth in wastewater media containing selected inorganic compounds such as cobalt salts, sodium salts, magnesium salts, nickel salts, zinc salts, manganese salts, iron salts, or silicon particles.
The claims collectively cover a method of producing carbonaceous materials by carbonizing dried filamentous fungal biomass, potentially doped via growth media, with specific parameters regarding morphology, surface area, carbonization temperature profiles, atmosphere, and processing steps to yield materials suitable for battery electrodes and other applications.
Stated Advantages
Carbonaceous materials produced are derived from sustainable, environmentally friendly feedstock.
Production methods allow flexible and adaptable incorporation of doping elements to manipulate material properties.
Materials exhibit enhanced electrochemical properties such as increased capacity and stability compared to standard graphite electrodes.
Carbonization preserves three-dimensional porous structures of the fungal biomass, favorable for electrode performance.
The use of filamentous fungi enables growth in wastewater media, facilitating simultaneous wastewater remediation and biomass generation.
Documented Applications
Electrodes in solid state batteries.
Electrodes in lithium-ion batteries.
Catalysts and catalyst supports for electrochemical reactions.
Adsorbents and filters for environmental and chemical applications.
Battery devices incorporating the carbonaceous electrode materials.
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