High surface area, electrically conductive nanocarbon-supported metal oxide

Abstract

A metal oxide-carbon composite includes a carbon aerogel with an oxide overcoat. The metal oxide-carbon composite is made by providing a carbon aerogel, immersing the carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum, raising the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol to atmospheric pressure, curing the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol at room temperature, and drying the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol to produce the metal oxide-carbon composite. The step of providing a carbon aerogel can provide an activated carbon aerogel or provide a carbon aerogel with carbon nanotubes that make the carbon aerogel mechanically robust.

1 . A method of making a metal oxide-carbon composite, comprising the steps of:
 providing a carbon aerogel,   immersing said carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum,   returning said carbon aerogel with said metal oxide sol to atmospheric pressure,   curing said carbon aerogel with said metal oxide sol to produce a metal oxide-carbon wet gel composite, and   drying said metal oxide-carbon wet gel composite so producing a metal oxide-carbon composite.   
     
     
         2 . The method of making a metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 1  wherein said step of providing a carbon aerogel comprises providing an activated carbon aerogel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of making a metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 1  wherein said step of providing a carbon aerogel comprises providing a carbon aerogel carbon aerogel with carbon nanotubes that make said carbon aerogel mechanically robust. 
     
     
         4 . The method of making a metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 1  wherein said step of immersing said carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum comprises immersing said carbon aerogel in titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of making a metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 1  wherein said step of immersing said carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum comprises immersing said carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol made from Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr salts in combination with propylene oxide, and sol-gel forming components. 
     
     
         6 . The method of making a metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 1  wherein said step of immersing said carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum comprises immersing said carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol for metal species including but not limited to manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, tin, aluminum and chromium. 
     
     
         7 . A method of making a metal oxide-carbon composite, comprising the steps of:
 providing an aqueous media or other media to form a suspension,   adding reactants and catalyst to said suspension to create a reaction mixture,   curing said reaction mixture to form a wet gel,   drying said wet gel to produce a dry gel,   pyrolyzing said dry gel to produce an aerogel,   immerse said aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum,   returning said aerogel and said metal oxide sol to atmospheric pressure,   curing said sol, and   drying said sol-gel producing a metal oxide-carbon composite.   
     
     
         8 . A metal oxide-carbon composite, comprising:
 a carbon aerogel, said carbon aerogel having inner surfaces, and   an oxide coating said inner surfaces of said carbon aerogel providing a metal oxide-carbon composite.   
     
     
         9 . The metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 8  wherein said carbon aerogel is a carbon aerogel with carbon nanotubes that make said carbon aerogel mechanically robust. 
     
     
         10 . The metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 8  wherein said carbon aerogel is an activated carbon aerogel. 
     
     
         11 . The metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 8  wherein said oxide is titanium oxide. 
     
     
         12 . The metal oxide-carbon composite of  claim 8  wherein said oxide is an oxide from metal oxide made with forming precursors including but not limited to manganese or iron or cobalt or nickel or copper or zinc or zirconium or aluminum or silicon or tin salts or alkoxides. 
     
     
         13 . A metal oxide-carbon composite, comprising:
 a carbon aerogel with carbon nanotubes that make said carbon aerogel mechanically robust, said carbon aerogel having inner surfaces, and   an oxide coating said inner surfaces of said carbon aerogel providing an metal oxide-carbon composite.   
     
     
         14 . A metal oxide-carbon composite, comprising:
 an activated carbon aerogel, said activated carbon aerogel having inner surfaces, and   an oxide coating said inner surfaces of said activated carbon aerogel providing an metal oxide-carbon composite.