Methods, apparatuses, and electrodes for carbide-to-carbon conversion with nanostructured carbide chemical compounds

Abstract

Nanostructured carbide chemical compound is used to convert carbide to carbon. A method comprising: providing at least one carbide chemical compound and reducing a metal cation with use of the carbide chemical compound to form elemental carbon, wherein the carbide chemical compound is nanostructured. The nanostructured carbide chemical compound can be in the form of a nanoparticle, a nanowire, a nanotube, a nanofilm, a nanoline. The reactant can be a metal salt. Electrochemical reaction, or reaction in the melt or in solution, can be used to form the carbon. The nanostructured carbide chemical compound can be an electrode.

1 . An apparatus comprising at least one electrochemical cell comprising: at least one anode comprising at least one carbide chemical compound, and at least one cathode, wherein the carbide chemical compound is nanostructured. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is in nanoparticulate form. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is in nanowire form. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is in nanofilm form. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is characterized by at least one nanodimension of 1 nm to 1,000 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is characterized by at least one nanodimension of 1 nm to 100 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode is part of a cathode system which includes a metal salt as reactant. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carbide chemical compound is a salt-like carbide. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carbide chemical compound is calcium carbide or aluminum carbide. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carbide chemical compound is calcium carbide. 
     
     
         11 . An electrode structure comprising at least one carbide chemical compound, wherein the carbide chemical compound is nanostructured. 
     
     
         12 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is in nanoparticulate form. 
     
     
         13 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is in nanowire form. 
     
     
         14 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is in nanofilm form. 
     
     
         15 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is characterized by at least one nanodimension of 1 nm to 1,000 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the nanostructured carbide chemical compound is characterized by at least one nanodimension of 1 nm to 100 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the electrode structure further comprises at least one electronically conductive structural element different from the carbide chemical compound and contacting the carbide chemical compound. 
     
     
         18 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the carbide chemical compound is a salt-like carbide. 
     
     
         19 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the carbide chemical compound is calcium carbide or aluminum carbide. 
     
     
         20 . The electrode structure of  claim 11 , wherein the carbide chemical compound is calcium carbide.