Patent US4957543A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4957543A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of forming nickel foam
Assignee: Vale Canada Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-06-16
•
Granted: 1990-09-18
•
Expires: 2009-06-16
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a nickel foam and a method of forming a nickel foam for a nickel containing battery. An open-cell foam structure is placed in a nickel carbonyl gas containing structure. The foam structure is heated to a temperature at which nickel carbonyl decomposes. Nickel from the nickel carbonyl gas decomposes on the foam structure to form a nickel plated foam structure. The nickel plated foam structure is then sintered leaving an open-cell nickel network to form the nickel foam. The open-cells of the nickel foam comprise substantially hollow wires having a substantially uniform transverse cross-section. The nickel foam is further characterized by the conductivity through the nickel foam multiplied by a factor of 3.4 being equal to or greater than the theoretical conductivity of nickel.
Inventors
- 👤 Juraj Babjak
- 👤 Victor A. Ettel
- 👤 Vladimir Paserin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:55
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B23/00; B; B01; B01D; B01D39/00; B01D39/14; B01D39/20; B01D39/2027; B01D39/2051; B22; B22F; B22F3/00; B22F3/10; B22F3/11; B22F3/1121; B22F3/1137; C22B5/00; C22B5/02; C22B5/20; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/06; C23C16/16; H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/02; H01M4/64; H01M4/70; H01M4/80; H01M4/808; B22F2998/00; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12479; Y10T428/12486
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of forming a nickel foam comprising: placing an open-cell thermally decomposable foam structure in an atmosphere containing nickel carbonyl gas, heating said foam structure to a temperature at which said nickel carbonyl gas decomposes, decomposing nickel from said nickel carbonyl gas on said foam structure to form a nickel plated foam structure, and sintering said nickel plated foam structure to thermally decompose and remove said foam structure from said nickel plated foam structure leaving an open-cell nickel network of interconnected nickel wires to form said nickel foam.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of forming a nickel foam comprising: placing an open-cell thermally decomposable foam structure in an atmosphere containing nickel carbonyl gas, heating said foam structure to a temperature at which said nickel carbonyl gas decomposes, decomposing nickel from said nickel carbonyl gas on said foam structure to form a nickel plated foam structure, and sintering said nickel plated foam structure to thermally decompose and remove said foam structure from said nickel plated foam structure leaving an open-cell nickel network of interconnected nickel wires to form said nickel foam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 additionally including the step of annealing said nickel foam to improve mechanical properties of said nickel foam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said open-cell foam structure is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, polyisocyanurates, polyphenols and polypropylene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said open-cell foam structure is of polyurethane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said heating of said open-cell foam structure comprises irradiating said open-cell foam structure with infrared radiation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1 including the additional step of adding a material which absorbs a band of infrared radiation that nickel carbonyl and carbon monoxide gases absorb inefficiently to said open-cell foam structure and wherein said coated open-cell foam structure is heated by irradiating with said band of infrared radiation said material absorbs and said nickel carbonyl and carbon monoxide gases absorb inefficiently.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said material which absorbs a band of infrared radiation that nickel carbonyl and carbon monoxide gases absorb inefficiently comprises carbon black.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said nickel carbonyl gas containing atmosphere contains from about 20 to about 90 percent nickel carbonyl and from about 10 to about 80 percent carbon monoxide by volume.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said open-cell foam structure comprises elongated cells to increase conductivity in a desired direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2986115A
Cited
US3075494A
Cited
US3111396A
Cited
US3160517A
Cited
US3213827A
Cited
US3769086A
Cited
US3900646A
Cited
US3877987A
Cited
US4251603A
Cited
EP0101681A1
Cited
US4443526A
Cited
EP0151064A2
Cited
US4761323A
Cited
US4687702A
Cited
JPH023942A
Cited
JPH028543A
Cited
JPH063974A
Cited
JPH07977A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-17 | 1994-03-19 | 1994-09-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-09-17 | 1998-03-19 | 1998-09-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-09-17 | 2002-03-19 | 2002-09-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |