Appeal 2007-1938
Application 10/050,437
electrical properties of an aerogel with the strength of an RVC
(Specification ¶ 4).
[3] According to the specification, "[t]he structure of the final carbon
product of this invention consists of a matrix of porous carbon
aerogel, reinforced by solid carbon struts, all in intimate contact so
that the strength of the composite is maximized" (Specification ¶ 11).
[4] Further according to the specification, the composite is made by
infiltration of an organic gel precursor into a pre-
formed organic polymer foam, where it gels. The
gel composite is then dried by any method that
minimizes shrinkage of composite material.
Whereafter, the dried gel composite is heated in a
furnace to pyrolyze the composite, reducing it to a
glassy carbon form. [Specification ¶ 11.]
[5] The organic gel precursor may be an aqueous solution comprising
resorcinol, formaldehyde and sodium carbonate (Specification ¶ 14).
[6] The organic polymer foam may comprise a phenol-formaldehyde
resin (Specification ¶ 14).
[7] Gelling may occur at a 80oC for 30 to 180 minutes (Specification ¶
14).
[8] Drying may occur by evaporation for 12 to 48 hours or by
supercritical drying after fluid exchange with liquid carbon dioxide
(Specification ¶ 14)
[9] Pyrolyis may be at a temperature of 700 to 1100oC for 8 to 12 hours
(Specification ¶ 14).
[10] Pyrolysis is said to simultaneously decompose both the organic
polymers "so that the shrinkage of each occurs in a manner that
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