Carbon fibrils and method for producing same

Abstract

Carbon fibril characterised by having surface area of 150˜500 m 2 /g, diameter of 5˜50 nm and aspect ratio of 100˜1000, are produced by contacting a suitable gaseous carbon-containing compound with a suitable metal-containing particle at a temperature between 550° C. and 800° C., the ratio on a dry weight basis of carbon containing compound to metal-containing particles being about from about 10:1 to about 30:1 by weight, the reaction pressure is between atmosphere and atmosphere+10 mm H 2 O. The carbon fibril can be used as filler in composites.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An essentially cylindrical discrete carbon fibril characterised by having surface area of 150˜500 m 2 /g, diameter of 5˜50 nm and aspect ratio of 100˜1000.  
     
     
         2 . A method for producing an essentially cylindrical discrete carbon fibril according to  claim 1 , which comprises contacting for an appropriate period time and at a suitable pressure a suitable gaseous, carbon-containing compound with a suitable metal-containing particle at a temperature between 550° C. and 800° C., the ratio on a dry weight basis of carbon-containing compound to metal-containing particles being about from about 10:1 to about 30:1 by weight, the reaction pressure is between atmosphere and atmosphere+10 mm H 2 O.  
     
     
         3 . An essentially cylindrical discrete carbon fibril characterized by having surface area of 150˜500 m 2 /g, diameter of 5˜50 nm and aspect ratio of 100˜1000 m 2 /g by contacting carbon-containing compound gas with metal-containing particle produced by adding solution of ferric and IA or IIIA family transition metallic salt to water disperse of alkaline metal oxide maintaining the pH value from 6 to 10, drying and calcining it.