Patent ID: 6776936
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: C04B

Abstract:
A method of producing porous graphite, comprising the steps of:introducing pitch into a mold, the pitch having a characteristic boiling point at a given pressure and for a given temperature; purging air from the mold; pressurizing the pitch between a preselected initial processing pressure and a relatively lower final processing pressure, the preselected initial pressure serving to increase the boiling point of the pitch above the boiling point at the final processing pressure; heating the pitch while at the initial processing pressure to a temperature below the solidification point but above the boiling point which typically occurs at the final processing pressure; depressurizing the pitch from the initial processing pressure to the final processing pressure while maintaining the process temperature above the typical boiling temperature at the final pressure to thereby produce a porous artifact; heating the porous artifact to a temperature that solidifies and cokes the porous artifact to form a solid, porous carbon; and cooling the solid, porous carbon artifact to room temperature with a simultaneous release of pressure heating the solid, porous carbon to a temperature between 900Â° C. and 1100Â° C. to completely carbonize the artifact; and heating the solid porous carbon artifact to a temperature between 2500Â° C. and 3200Â° C. to graphitize the artifact thus producing a porous graphite artifact.