Patent ID: 8119198
Filing Date: 2012-02-21
Classification: B82Y,D01F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for the production of three-dimensional (3D) carbon fiber structures having an original carbon fiber (OCF) covered with a network of secondary carbon fibers (SCF) comprising the steps of: (a) selecting an original carbon fiber (OCF) having a surface with nucleation sites for filament growth a metal weight content of less than approximately 100 parts per million; (b) heating the surface of the original carbon fiber (OCF) to temperatures from approximately 600° C. to approximately 2000° C.; (c) thermally decomposing a carbonaceous gas without an additional metal catalyst in an oxidant-free atmosphere over the surface of the heated original carbon fiber (OCF); and, (d) recovering original carbon fiber (OCF) with a network of straight secondary carbon fibers (SCF) grown as branches on the OCF surface without the addition of a metal catalyst, thereby realizing three-dimensional (3D) carbon fibers, wherein the straight secondary carbon fiber (SCF) has a thickness of from approximately 1 μm to approximately 100 μm and a length of from approximately 1 μm to approximately 1 cm.