Templated carbon fibers and their application

Abstract

Disclosed is a carbon fiber with a template derived shape and method for making the same by (a) mixing a precursor with a fibrous template, (b) forming the mixture into a pre-determined shape, (c) curing the mixture to form a precursor composite, (d) carbonizing the precursor composite, and (e) decomposing the fibrous template.

1 . A method for forming a carbon fiber comprising: 
 mixing a carbon precursor with a fibrous template so that the carbon precursor is formed within a void created by the template shape;    curing the mixture to form a precursor composite with a stable shape;    carbonizing the precursor composite; and    decomposing the fibrous template to yield a carbon fiber shaped by the void of the fibrous template.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous template comprises polypropylene.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein carbonizing is performed in an inert media, under vacuum or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbonizing step and decomposing step occur simultaneously.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaped carbon fiber has a template derived shape.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon precursor is a phenolic resin.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon fiber is activated by heating in the presence of C0 2  or water steam.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein activation occurs at a temperature within the range of approximately 800° C. to approximately 950° C. for approximately  30  minutes.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the outside of the template is cleaned so that precursor predominantly remains only in the void created within the cross section of the template.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a solvent is used to control the viscosity of the precursor during mixing.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template is multilobal shaped.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template is V-shaped.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template is stylized I-shaped.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template is C-shaped.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the template is irregular shaped.  
   
   
       16 . A filter comprising the carbon fiber formed according to the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       17 . A cigarette comprising the filter of  claim 16 .  
   
   
       18 . A carbon fiber formed according to the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       19 . A smoking article comprising: 
 a plug,    a carbon filter comprising carbon fibers, and    a tobacco rod.    
   
   
       20 . A method for forming a carbon fiber comprising: 
 mixing a fibrous template comprising polypropylene with a carbon precursor comprising phenolic resin so that the carbon precursor is formed within a void created by the template shape;    cleaning the perimeter of the template;    curing the mixture at a temperature of approximately 120-160° C. for approximately 15 to approximately 60 minutes to form a precursor composite with a stable shape; carbonizing the precursor composite at a temperature within the range of approximately 600° C. to approximately 950° C.; and    decomposing the fibrous template to yield a carbon fiber shaped by the void of the fibrous template.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising activating the carbon fiber by heating the fiber in the presence of C0 2  or water steam at a temperature within the range of approximately 800° C. to approximately 950° C. for approximately 30 minutes.