Solution-based formation of a nanostructured, carbon-coated, inorganic composite

Abstract

A process for solution-based formation of a nanostructured, carbon-coated, inorganic composite includes selecting a supply of inorganic material in a solution, selecting a supply of a carbon-containing solution, and synthesizing the composite by causing the inorganic material to react in the carbon-containing solution. The synthesized composite may be conductive-carbon-coated, and may be for electrochemical applications such as battery cathodes and anodes. The selecting step may involve varying relative amounts of polar fluid, microblender and water components to synthesize a crystalline inorganic composite. There may be a step of retaining and reusing the supply of carbon-containing solution that remains after the synthesizing, and testing the supply of carbon-containing solution that remains to determine whether it can be used again. There may be steps of controlling the composite particle size and morphology and forming desired particle size as a function of the chemical composition of the carbon-containing solution.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A process for solution-based formation of a nanostructured, carbon-coated, inorganic composite, comprising:
 selecting a supply of inorganic material in a solution;   selecting a supply of a carbon-containing solution; and   synthesizing a nanostructured, carbon-coated, inorganic composite by causing the supply of inorganic material to react in the presence of the carbon-containing solution.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting step involves selecting a supply of the carbon-containing solution that includes a fatty acid. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting step involves selecting a supply of a carbon-containing solution that includes a polar fluid component, a microblender component and a water component. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the synthesizing step involves synthesizing a crystalline inorganic composite. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein the selecting step also involves varying the relative amounts of the polar fluid, microblender and water components so that the synthesizing step produces a crystalline inorganic composite. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , further including the step of retaining the supply of carbon-containing solution that remains after the synthesizing. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the retaining step includes testing the supply of carbon-containing solution that remains to determine whether it can be used again. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , further including the step of repeating the synthesizing by causing the inorganic materials to react in the presence of the retained carbon-containing solution. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the synthesizing step includes controlling the particle size and morphology of the composite. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the controlling involves forming desired particle size as a function of the chemical composition of the carbon-containing solution. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting step involves selecting a supply of conductive-carbon-containing solution. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the synthesizing produces a nanostructured, conductive-carbon-coated, inorganic composite that is suitable for electrochemical applications. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the synthesized composite is suitable for use as a battery composite. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the synthesized composite is chosen from the group of battery composites consisting of battery-cathode and battery-anode composites. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the synthesized group of battery-cathode composites consisting of LFP, NMC, LMO, LCO and NCAO. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the battery-anode composite is LTO. 
     
     
         17 . A nanostructured, carbon-coated, inorganic composite formed from a solution-based reaction, comprising:
 selecting a supply of inorganic materials in an aqueous solution;   selecting a supply of a carbon-containing solution; and   synthesizing a nanostructured, carbon-coated, inorganic composite by causing the supply of inorganic materials to react in the presence of the carbon-containing solution.   
     
     
         18 . The composite of  claim 17 , wherein the selecting step involves selecting a supply of the carbon-containing solution that includes a fatty acid. 
     
     
         19 . The composite of  claim 18 , wherein the selecting step involves selecting a supply of a carbon-containing solution that includes a polar fluid component, a microblender component and a water component. 
     
     
         20 . The composite of  claim 18 , wherein the synthesizing step involves synthesizing a crystalline inorganic composite. 
     
     
         21 . The composite of  claim 20 , wherein the selecting step also involves varying the relative amounts of the polar fluid, microblender and water components so that the synthesizing step produces a crystalline inorganic composite. 
     
     
         22 . The composite of  claim 21 , further including the step of retaining the supply of carbon-containing solution that remains after the synthesizing. 
     
     
         23 . The composite of  claim 22 , wherein the retaining step includes testing the supply of carbon-containing solution that remains to determine whether it can be used again. 
     
     
         24 . The composite of  claim 23 , further including the step of repeating the synthesizing by causing the inorganic materials to react in the presence of the retained carbon-containing solution. 
     
     
         25 . The composite of  claim 17 , wherein the synthesizing step includes controlling the particle size and morphology of the composite. 
     
     
         26 . The composite of  claim 25 , wherein the controlling involves forming desired particle size as a function of the chemical composition of the carbon-containing solution. 
     
     
         27 . The composite of  claim 26 , wherein the selecting step involves selecting a supply of conductive-carbon-containing solution. 
     
     
         28 . The composite of  claim 27 , wherein the synthesizing produces a nanostructured, conductive-carbon-coated, inorganic composite that is suitable for electrochemical applications. 
     
     
         29 . The composite of  claim 28 , wherein the synthesized composite is suitable for use in the group consisting of a battery cathode and battery anode. 
     
     
         30 . The composite of  claim 29 , wherein the synthesized composite is chosen from the group consisting of LFP, NMC, LMO, LCO, NCAO, and LTO.