	US 11,611,071 C1 (12,616th)
	Decomposition of silicon-containing precursors on porous scaffold materials
Henry R. Costantino, Woodinville, WA (US); Aaron M. Feaver, Seattle, WA (US); Avery J. Sakshaug, Everett, WA (US); and Christopher Timmons, Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Group14 Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to GROUP14 TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Woodinville, WA (US)
Reexamination Request No. 90/019,281, Oct. 16, 2023.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 11,611,071, issued Mar. 21, 2023, Appl. No. 16/491,423, Sep. 5, 2019.
PCT Filed Mar. 9, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/021843 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 5, 2019, PCT Pub. No. WO2018/165610, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 13, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/469,424, filed on Mar. 9, 2017.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on May 31, 2024.
Int. Cl. H01M 4/36 (2006.01); B01J 23/34 (2006.01); B01J 23/72 (2006.01); B01J 23/745 (2006.01); B01J 23/755 (2006.01); C23C 16/24 (2006.01); C23C 16/56 (2006.01); H01G 11/06 (2013.01); H01G 11/24 (2013.01); H01G 11/34 (2013.01); H01G 11/38 (2013.01); H01G 11/50 (2013.01); H01G 11/86 (2013.01); H01M 4/04 (2006.01); H01M 4/1393 (2010.01); H01M 4/1395 (2010.01); H01M 4/38 (2006.01); H01M 4/587 (2010.01)

CPC H01M 4/366 (2013.01) [B01J 23/34 (2013.01); B01J 23/72 (2013.01); B01J 23/745 (2013.01); B01J 23/755 (2013.01); C23C 16/24 (2013.01); C23C 16/56 (2013.01); H01G 11/06 (2013.01); H01G 11/24 (2013.01); H01G 11/34 (2013.01); H01G 11/38 (2013.01); H01G 11/50 (2013.01); H01G 11/86 (2013.01); H01M 4/0428 (2013.01); H01M 4/1393 (2013.01); H01M 4/1395 (2013.01); H01M 4/364 (2013.01); H01M 4/386 (2013.01); H01M 4/587 (2013.01)]

AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:

Claim 1 is determined to be patentable as amended.

Claims 2-16, dependent on an amended claim, are determined to be patentable.

New claims 17-20 are added and determined to be patentable.

1. A method for producing a composite material comprising a porous carbon scaffold and silicon, comprising ~~the following steps~~:

a. mixing polymer precursors and storing the resulting mixture for a period of time at sufficient temperature to allow for polymerization of the precursors to form a polymer material;

b. carbonizing the ~~resulting~~ polymer material to create a porous carbon material;

c. subjecting the porous carbon material to elevated temperature in a reaction vessel in the presence of a silicon-containing precursor and a hydrocarbon material that decomposes at a higher temperature than the silicon containing precursor;

d. ~~elevating the temperature to~~ [ decomposing the silicon-containing precursor at a first temperature] between 300° C. and 500° C., ~~to decompose the silicon containing precursor,~~ thereby impregnating silicon into pores of the porous carbon material, resulting in a silicon impregnated carbon material; and

e. ~~further elevating the temperature to decompose the hydrocarbon material,~~ [ decomposing the hydrocarbon material at a higher temperature than the first temperature] , resulting in a carbon-coated, silicon impregnated carbon material,

wherein:

[ the silicon-containing precursor and the hydrocarbon material are both present in the reaction vessel prior to the decomposing of the silicon-containing precursor; and ]

the impregnating of the silicon into the pores of the porous carbon material reduces a pore volume of the silicon impregnated carbon material relative to a pore volume of the porous carbon material.

[ 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing precursor and the hydrocarbon material are simultaneously charged into the reaction vessel prior to the decomposing of the silicon-containing precursor.]

[ 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon material is heptane, nonane, decane, or a combination thereof.]

[ 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel is an elevator kiln or a roller hearth kiln.]

[ 20. The method of claim 13, wherein the catalyst is aluminum, manganese, or a combination thereof.]