Calgon Carbon Corporation

Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd.

Other

Thomas M Matviya

Richard A Hayden

David T Doughty

Richard W Farmer

John W Cobes, Iii

Netar P Wadhwa

Susan L Kovacic

Darren Kenneth Rogers

Brian E Joseph

Michael Greenbank

Rick D Lucas

Elizabeth N Kraftician

Robert S Gebhard

Robert V Carrubba

Isaac Post

Richerd A Hayden

Brett Leslie Pinker

Tools for the forming of composite parts from composite forming materials, having tool bodies that comprise, at least in part, high density carbon foam where a surface of the high density carbon foam may comprise a tool face or support tool face materials. The tools of the present invention may be lighter, more durable, and less costly to produce and/or use than conventional tools used for the production of composite parts, particularly those tools used for the production of carbon composites. Additionally, such tools may be reusable, repairable, and more readily modifiable.

High density carbon foam composite tooling

According to the present invention there is provided coal-based cellular or porous products, also referred to herein as 'carbon foams', having a density of preferably between about 0.1 g/cmand about 0.8 g/cmand most preferably between about 0.3 and about 0.4 g/cmthat are produced by the controlled heating of coal particulate preferably up to &#xbc; inch in diameter in a 'mold' and under a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The coal-based cellular or porous products of the present invention have ash contents typically greater than about 1%. More typically these coal-based cellular or porous products have ash contents greater than about 3%, with ash contents in the range of about 7% to 15% being most typical. The ash residue remaining after essentially complete combustion/oxidation of these coal-based cellular or porous products is predominately composed of oxides of aluminum and silicon. Additionally, the cellular coal-based products of the present invention have relatively low overall B.E.T. surface areas. Such surface areas are typically less than about 5 m/g and are commonly in the range of about 1 m/g to about 2 m/g.

Cellular coal products

Tools for the forming of composite parts from composite forming materials, having tool bodies that comprise, at least in part, carbon foam and high density carbon foam are described. In some embodiments, a surface of the carbon foam or high density carbon foam may comprise a tool face. In other embodiments, the carbon foam or high density carbon foam may support an other material, referred to as tool face material, wherein a surface of the tool face material may comprise a tool face. The tools of the present invention may be lighter, more durable, and less costly to produce and/or use than conventional tools used for the production of composite parts, particularly those tools used for the production of carbon composites. Additionally, such tools may be reusable, repairable, and more readily modifiable.

Carbon foam and high density carbon foam composite tooling

Enclosures for at least partially shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic interference and various methods for producing such enclosures are described. Enclosures for at least partially shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic interference may be prepared by bonding at least two sections of carbon foam with a carbonizable binder to provide an enclosure, wherein said enclosure defines an at least partially enclosed volume, and carbonizing the carbonizable binder to provide an electrically conductive carbon char. An enclosure for at least partially shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic interference may include at least two sections of electrically conductive carbon foam interconnected by an electrically conductive carbon char. The electrically conductive carbon char is substantially electrically continuous with the sections of electrically conductive carbon foam.

Carbon bonded carbon foam EMI shielding enclosures

A system comprising an activated carbon bed in contact with carbon foam is described. In some embodiments, the system, which may be a fluid treatment system, may comprise an activated carbon bed and a carbon foam section covering at least a portion of a surface of the activated carbon bed. In other embodiments, a fluid treatment system may comprise two or more activated carbon beds which are at least partially separated by one or more carbon foam sections. Further embodiments of a fluid treatment system may comprise a vessel, where one or more walls of the vessel comprises carbon foam, and an activated carbon bed contained within the vessel. Still further, a fluid treatment system may comprise an activated carbon bed and a carbon foam section at least partially contained within said activated carbon bed.

Fluid treatment with activated carbon and carbon foam

An assembly comprising carbon foam and high density carbon foam is described. In some embodiments, such an assembly may be a composite or composite assembly. One or more pieces of carbon foam and high density carbon foam may comprise the assembly. The assembly may comprise other materials in addition to the carbon foam and high density carbon foam. One or more of any given type of other material may be incorporated into the composite. Additionally, a given other material may be incorporated in more than one volume or location on or in the assembly. The other materials may provide for bonding of the elements of the assembly together, strengthening of the assembly, increased assembly oxidation and weathering resistance, modification of the electrical, thermal, or fluid transport properties of the assembly, and any of a number of other purposes.

Carbon foam and high density carbon foam assembly

A method for increasing the yield of carbon foam is described. The method includes placing a foaming sheet over the top surface of the material to be foamed. In certain embodiments, the foaming sheet is placed over the top surface of particulate coal prior to and during the foaming process. In some embodiments the foaming sheet is a smooth, continuous sheet, such as aluminum foil or the like. The resulting carbon product includes an increased amount of usable carbon foam.

Method of increasing carbon foam yield

Methods for the production of carbon foam from swelling coals that do not require the use of high process pressures, oxidized coal, devolatized coal, or high-strength, foam expansion confining molds are described. In some embodiments, a comminuted swelling bituminous coal is heated to a first elevated temperature sufficient to result in the coal particles softening and melting together to form a substantially homogeneous open cell plastic carbon material. The substantially homogeneous open cell plastic carbon material may then be heated to a second elevated temperature at a slow rate to form carbon foam. In some embodiments, the resulting carbon foam may be heated to a higher third elevated temperature. The resulting carbon foam may be subsequently heated to elevated temperatures as great as 3200&#xb0; C. or more.

Production of carbon foam from coals

A microsystem manipulation apparatus and an associated kit is described that may be used to facilitate the assembly and testing of Microsystems and microsystem components. The microsystem manipulation apparatus may include a scanning electron microscope imaging system, a stage, and at least one manipulator having an associated tool. The microsystem manipulation apparatus may be partially or fully automated to provide for routine microsystem assembly, disasembly, and/or testing. The associated kit may include one or more manipulators and associated tools for retrofitting an existing scanning electron microscope to produce a microsystem manipulation apparatus.

Microsystem manipulation apparatus

The present invention includes methods for simultaneously producing, within a single container, two or more sections of high density carbon foam materials of defined shape. A method used to prepare high density carbon foam sections may involve heating a comminuted agglomerating bituminous coal bed, that is at least partially divided into two or more sections by the use of partitions within the coal bed, to an elevated temperature sufficient to result in the coal particles softening and melting together to form sections of a generally homogeneous, continuous, open cell carbon material. The sections of homogeneous open cell carbon material are then maintained at an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to substantially reduce or essentially eliminate the plastic properties of the bituminous coal. As desired, the resultant high density carbon foam sections may be cooled to essentially ambient temperatures or immediately or subsequently heated to elevated temperatures as great as about 3200&#xb0; C., followed by cooling.

Simultaneous production of high density carbon foam sections

A method for producing self-supporting activated carbon structures is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of mixing a granular activated carbon, a binder material, a carbonization agent, and a liquid to produce a semi-plastic mixture; compacting the mixture using compacting pressures of or greater than about 100 pounds per square inch to form a three-dimensional structure; and heating the structure to an elevated temperature of or greater than about 300&deg; C. to produce a self-supporting activated carbon structure. The granular activated carbon is of any particle size between approximately 4 and 325 mesh U.S. Sieve Series, and the binder is a ground cereal grain, cereal rain flour or a tuber flour. The resultant structure may then be cooled to near-ambient temperatures under an essentially inert atmosphere. Such structures can exhibit good mechanical strengths, adsorption capacities nearly equivalent to those of the activated carbon used in their preparation, and appreciable electrical conductivity. Such structures can also exhibit the chemical inertness, very high temperature tolerance (>1000&deg; C.) in non-oxidizing environments, and the elevated temperature tolerance in mildly oxidizing environments typically associated with activated carbons.

Method for producing self-supporting activated carbon structures

A process is provided for the manufacture of a carbonaceous char capable of catalyzing the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solutions. This carbonaceous char is produced from a bituminous coal or a bituminous material that has been carbonized and extensively oxidized at low (less than 700&deg; C.) temperatures. The resultant carbonized and oxidized bituminous coal or bituminous material is then contacted with a nitrogen-containing compound in combination with at least one of sucrose or fructose as the temperature of the low-temperature char is increased to greater than 700&deg; C. This treatment results in a high-temperature char which may then be activated as desired. These activated chars show the aforementioned ability to rapidly decompose aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide and are also useful for the catalytic decomposition of H,S, SO,, NO,, chloramines, and/or peroxides in liquid and/or gaseous streams.

Process for making a co-impregnant catalyst carbon

An improved process is provided for the manufacture of N-phosphonomethylglycine from N-phophonomethyliminodiacetic acid in the presence of a molecular-oxygen containing gas utilizing a catalytically active carbonaceous char. The improvement is provided by the use of a carbonaceous char capable of rapidly decomposing hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous solution.

Method for the manufacture of N-phosphonomethylglycine from

Treatment of a wet activated carbon with carbon dioxide or with carbon dioxide followed by air results in a carbon having a reduced contact pH. The activated carbon is characterized by a modified contact pH less than about 9.0 and typically between about 7.3 and 9.0. Use of this carbon in a water treatment system eliminates the excessive effluent water pH rise which commonly occurs with activated carbon. Also use of this carbon in a water treatment system reduces the aluminum concentration of the water when compared to an untreated carbon.

Activated carbon treated by carbon dioxide for the stabilization of

A process is provided for the manufacture of a carbonaceous char capable of catalyzing the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solutions. This carbonaceous char is produced from a bituminous coal or a bituminous material that has been carbonized and extensively oxidized at low temperatures (less than 700.degree. C.). The resultant carbonized and oxidized bituminous coal or bituminous material is then contacted with a nitrogen-containing compound in combination with an aliphatic organic compound containing both ether and alcohol functionalities as the temperature of the low-temperature char is increased to minimally 700.degree. C. This treatment results in a high-temperature char which may then be activated as desired. These activated chars show the aforementioned ability to rapidly decompose aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide and are also useful for the catalytic chemical conversion of H.sub.2 S, SO.sub.x, NO.sub.x, chloramines, and/or peroxides in liquid and/or gaseous streams.

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McKees Rocks, PA, United States of America

Thomas M Matviya