R. Terry K. Baker

Influence of Petroleum Coke Sulphur Content on the Sodium Sensitivity of Carbon Anodes

Carbon anodes can contain significant quantities of sodium depending on the raw materials and recycled butts cleanliness. The extent of the catalytic effect of the sodium on the anode reactivity, i.e. the “sodium sensitivity”, is dependant on the coke nature.

Carbon Nanofibers as a Novel Catalyst Support

Catalytically grown carbon nanofibers have been prepared by the thermal decomposition of carbon containing gases over copper-nickel and iron surfaces. This material is found to be highly graphitic in nature when prepared from certain catalysts and gaseous reactants. In the as-grown state, carbon nanofibers have surface areas in the range 200 to 300 m 2 /g, and by following careful activation procedures this value can readily be increased to ˜700 m 2 /g. Electrical measurements indicate that the material has a conductivity approaching that of single crystal graphite. This material combines the attributes of active carbon and graphite and in addition, the physical form of carbon nanofibers offers some interesting opportunities for the design of unique catalyst systems.

Catalytic Materials: Nanofibers—From Research to Manufacture

Graphene nanofibers are materials that display extraordinary properties suitable for a number of advanced energy storage devices as well as chemical processes. These solids offer the most direct route for the manufacture of bulk quantities of high quality graphene . The cost of producing these materials on a commercial scale presents a major challenge, which we have sought to overcome via the use of natural gas as a source of carbon. The key breakthrough in the process has been the design of a catalyst system that is capable of generating high purity graphene nanofibers and hydrogen in a very efficient manner.