Through cutting-edge nanotechnology, Y-Carbon’s Tunable Nanoporous Carbon has been developed specifically for high performance industrial and commercial applications requiring carbon that is designed for a particular application. Y-Carbon’s manufacturing process allows the synthesis of tunable nanoporous carbon, in which pore size can be tuned between 0.5 and 2.2 nanometer with sub-Ångström accuracy, and up to 30 nm with nanometer accuracy. This level of control is unattainable with conventional routes of carbon synthesis. Our technology is highly versatile and can produce carbon with surface area up to 3,500 square meter per gram, leading to dramatic advances in applications including electrical energy, gas storage, sepsis, poisoning treatment, water filtration, and desalination.

Technology Validation

• University originated peer reviewed nanotechnology. • Based on 10 years of research work.        30 peer reviewed journal publications - 3 in Nature & Science        Over 30 invited talks        4 Ph.D. dissertations       12 patents pending • Independently evaluated by experts in industries/academia • Numerous awards (R&D 100, TR 35, Nanotech Briefs® Nano 50)

Technology Comparison

Y-Carbon Technology Pores in our material are made by removing non-carbon elements from metal carbides (such as SiC, TiC, etc.). Amount of carbon remains the same in the raw material and the final product. By varying the raw material and various synthesis conditions, our method provides limitless possibilities of manufacturing porous carbon materials with the ability to control the properties on the nano-scale. Our manufacturing process provides a powerful advantage over traditional activated carbon technology, making it possible for the first time to nano-engineer a porous carbon materials with extreme accuracy.

Traditional Porous Carbon Technologies Porous carbon (commonly known as activated carbon or charcoal) has been known for over 3,000 years and are made by burning carbonaceous material such as coconut shells, wood, nutshells, peat, lignite, coal, etc. in an oxidizing environment (water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, phosphoric acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, zinc chloride, etc.) at elevated temperature. Burning of carbon leads to formation of pores. Such method has poor or random control on the property of porous carbon.

Y-Carbon’s technology is a one step process resulting in minimization of labor and operation cost.

Traditional porous carbon manufacturing processes involves several cumbersome steps (washing, crushing, milling, carbonizing, soaking, activation, grinding, sieving, etc) consuming time (> 24 hours), energy and generating waste gases and making the property uncontrollable at each step.

Features

• Control of pore size: Our carbon material may have a narrow or broad pore-size distribution that can be tuned in the range of 0.5 - 30 nm with high accuracy. Every molecule requires a certain pore size for the most efficient adsorption - large pores are not fully used, and pores that are too small are not available for sorption. The ability to finely tune pore size in our material makes it an ideal choice for any sorbent as molecules of most gases, liquids and proteins fit in this size range.
• Large surface area: Tunable nanoporous carbon has a specific surface area of 1500 - 3500 square meter per gram. High specific surface area is a key requirement for sorbents.
• Large pore volume: Our material offers pore volume in the range of 50-80%. The high pore volume allows the highest volumetric and gravimetric density of adsorbed molecules to be reached while using as little carbon as possible. Pores in our material are open.
• Controlled morphology: This technology allows production of carbons in the form of powder, film, and coatings on different substrates including fibers. Production of monothic porous carbon avoids interparticle voids which can further improve the properties. Large and complex shapes can be produced using this technology.