Graphite-elastomer sandwich as impervious connector for an electrical capacitor

Claim 2

An electron-conducting, impervious connector comprising two layers of a thin, flexible, graphite sheet having interposed therebetween an ion-insulating elastomer having electrically-conductive carbon black blended therein for imparting electrical conductivity thereto, said elastomer and graphite layers forming an electronically conductive, ion-insulating, sandwich structure.

Claim 3

The connector in claim 1 wherein the elastomer in the graphite-elastomer composite has been pressure-cured at a temperature from about room temperature to 220° C and at a pressure at from about 15 to 13,500 psi.

Claim 4

The connector in claim 2 wherein the elastomer is a member selected from the group consisting of butyl rubber and chlorobutyl rubber.

Claim 5

The connector in claim 3 wherein the elastomer has blended therein from about 50 to 200 parts by weight of electrically-conductive carbon black per 100 parts of elastomer.

Claim 6

The connector in claim 4 wherein the graphite sheet has a thickness ranging from about 0.3 to 10 mils.

Claim 7

The connector in claim 5 wherein the elastomer layer has a thickness ranging from about 2 to 10 mils.

Claim 8

The connector in claim 6 wherein the elastomer in the graphite-elastomer composite is cured by vulcanizing.

Claim 9

The connector in claim 7 wherein the graphite sheet is composed of compressed, expanded graphite particles and having anisotropic electrical properties.

Claim 10

An electrical capacitor comprising a housing, at least one pair of spaced carbon paste electrodes in said housing, said electrodes being compressed from a viscous paste of carbon particles and an electrolyte, an ionically-conductive separator means between and in contact with said electrodes electronically separating said electrodes from each other, and an impervious electron-conducting, ion insulating connector positioned adjacent to the outerside of each of said electrodes, each of said impervious connectors comprising two layers of a thin, flexible, graphite sheet having interposed therebetween an ion-insulating elastomer having electrically-conductive carbon black blended therein for imparting electrical conductivity thereto, said elastomer and graphite layers forming an electronically conductive, ion-insulating, sandwich structure.

Claim 11

An electrical capacitor comprising a housing, at least one pair of spaced carbon paste electrodes in said housing, said electrodes being compressed from a viscous paste of carbon particles and an electrolyte, an ionically-conductive separator means between and in contact with said electrodes electronically separating said electrodes from each other, and an impervious electron-conducting, ion insulating connector positioned adjacent to the outerside of each of said electrodes, each of said impervious connectors comprising two layers of a thin, flexible, graphite sheet having interposed therebetween an ion-insulating elastomer having electrically-conductive carbon black blended therein for imparting electrical conductivity thereto, said elastomer and graphite layers forming an electronically conductive, ion-insulating, sandwich structure.

Claim 12

The capacitor in claim 9 wherein the elastomer in the graphite-elastomer composite is cured by vulcanizing.

Claim 13

A process for producing an electron-conducting, ion-insulating, impervious connector for use in an electrical capacitor comprising: a. interposing between two layers of thin, flexible graphite a layer of electrically-conducting elastomer containing electrically-conductive carbon black in admixture therewith, forming a graphite-elastomer composite; and b. pressure-curing the graphite-elastomer composite obtained in (a) at a temperature of from about room temperature to 220° C and at a pressure of from about 15 to 13,500 psi.

Claim 14

A process for producing an electron-conducting, ion-insulating, impervious connector for use in an electrical capacitor comprising: a. interposing between two layers of thin, flexible graphite a layer of electrically-conducting elastomer containing electrically-conductive carbon black in admixture therewith, forming a graphite-elastomer composite; and b. pressure-curing the graphite-elastomer composite obtained in (a) at a temperature of from about room temperature to 220° C and at a pressure of from about 15 to 13,500 psi.

Claim 15

The process in claim 11 wherein the elastomer is selected from the group consisting of butyl rubber and chlorobutyl rubber.

Claim 16

The process in claim 12 wherein the graphite-elastomer composite is cured by vulcanizing.

Claim 17

The process in claim 13 wherein the carbon-filled elastomer layer is pre-pressed before interposing between the two layers of graphite.

Claim 18

The process in claim 13 wherein the elastomer has blended therein from about 50 to 200 parts by weight of electrically-conductive carbon black per 100 parts of elastomer.

Claim 19

The process in claim 15 wherein the graphite sheet has a thickness ranging from about 0.3 to 10 mils.

Claim 20

The process in claim 16 wherein the elastomer layer has a thickness ranging from about 2 to 10 mils.