Patent ID: 6290880
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: H01B

Abstract:
A method of creating an electrically conductive composite comprising an aerogel structure and an electrically connected conductive deposit of RuO.sub.2 throughout the structure, the method comprising the steps of:providing an aerogel structure,exposing the aerogel structure to a mixture of RuO.sub.4 and a nonpolar solvent in an inert atmosphere, wherein the mixture is held initially at a first temperature that is below the ambient temperature and below the temperature at which RuO.sub.4 decomposes into RuO.sub.2 in the nonpolar solvent and in the presence of the aerogel, andallowing the mixture to warm to a second temperature that is above the temperature at which RuO.sub.4 decomposes to RuO.sub.2 in the nonpolar solvent and in the presence of the aerogel, wherein the rate of warming is controlled so that as the mixture warms and the RuO.sub.4 begins to decompose into RuO.sub.2, the newly formed RuO.sub.2 is deposited throughout the aerogel structure as an electrically connected conductive deposit.