Patents by Inventor Christopher Kuhnt

Christopher Kuhnt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250128948
    Abstract: A method for producing carbon coated particles or aggregates of carbon coated particles includes providing a number of particles to be coated, producing an intermediate molten pitch product, directly dispersing the intermediate pitch product on the particles, and subsequently carbonizing the particles. A method of manufacturing a battery electrode based on the method for producing the carbon-coated particles or the aggregates of carbon coated particles is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Applicants: Rain Carbon BV, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Spahr, Christopher Kuhnt, Joris Claes
  • Publication number: 20250106958
    Abstract: A carbon precursor material characterized by a flashpoint above 290° C. and a softening point between 110 and 300° C. Mettler is provided that includes petroleum-derived pitch product derived from a petroleum-based raw material having a concentration of less than 40% by weight of asphaltenes as measured by SARA analysis. The use of such carbon precursor material in in the production of graphite electrodes for electric arc furnaces used in steel/ferro-alloy/silicon production or in carbon electrodes for aluminum production and/or manufacture of graphite particles for the manufacturing of battery electrodes. A process for producing a coating and/or binding and/or impregnation carbon precursor material is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicants: Rain Carbon BV, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Spahr, Christopher Kuhnt, Joris Claes, Bram Denoo
  • Publication number: 20250100884
    Abstract: A carbon precursor material is provided that includes a distillation residue from a distillate fraction of coal tar and/or petroleum-based raw material, or of coal tar-based and/or petroleum-based pitch. The distillation residue has a softening point between 7° and 120° C. Mettler. The carbon precursor material functions as a binder and/or impregnation material in the manufacturing of graphite electrodes for electric arc furnaces and carbon anodes for aluminum production, or as coating material for carbon-coated particles for the manufacturing of battery electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicants: Rain Carbon BV, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Spahr, Christopher Kuhnt, Joris Claes, Bram Denoo
  • Publication number: 20250051647
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to coating material for coating primary particles, said coating material comprising a petroleum-derived pitch product, characterized in that said pitch product has a melt viscosity index log10 (visc)*100/SPM between 1.2 and 3.0 at 220° C. and between 1.0 and 2.5 at 240° C., wherein visc=melt viscosity (mPa·s) and SPM=Mettler softening point ° C. The present invention is directed as well to the use of said coating material to coat the primary particles of electrode materials in the manufacturing of battery electrodes, more specifically Li-Ion batteries. Further, the present invention is directed to a battery electrode comprising a coating made of said coating material, as well as directed to a battery comprising an electrode having a coating made of said coating material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicants: Rain Carbon BVBA, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Spahr, Christopher Kuhnt, Joris Claes, Bram Denoo, Jens Stiegert
  • Publication number: 20240182789
    Abstract: A pitch product having a petroleum-derived distillation residue and a coal tar-derived distillation residue, said pitch product characterized by a concentration of at least 84% asphaltenes (SARA). Further, the present invention is directed to a pitch binder including said pitch product useable in manufacturing of graphite electrodes for electric arc furnaces, and carbon anodes and Soederberg paste for aluminum production. The present invention is further directed also to a graphite electrode having said pitch binder, as well as to a carbon anode comprising said pitch binder. The present invention also provides a process for producing a pitch product including a petroleum-derived distillation residue and a coal tar-derived distillation residue, said process including a petroleum vacuum distillation process step for obtaining said petroleum-derived distillation residue, and a process for manufacturing a graphite electrode or a carbon anode including said process for producing a pitch product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicants: RAIN CARBON BVBA, RAIN CARBON GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Joris CLAES, Christopher KUHNT, Vincent VAN DE VYVERE, Bram DENOO, Michael SPAHR
  • Publication number: 20150218054
    Abstract: An industrial process for the manufacture of carbon electrodes (artefacts) comprises the steps of (a) mixing a high melting pitch with a Softening Point Mettler (SPM) above 150° C. with carbonaceous solids at a temperature of 50° C. to 120° C. above the SPM of the pitch, pressing or compacting by vibration or extrusion without intentional cooling at a temperature close to the mixing temperature, (b) transferring the artefacts to a carbonization furnace without intentional cooling, (c) carbonizing the artefacts, said process does not need to cool the pitch/coke paste after mixing and/or the green electrode after forming, thus, the heat trapped in the green electrode can be conserved and reduces the total energy consumption and residence time in a subsequent carbonisation step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: RUTGERS Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Henri Steinmetz, Winfried Boenigk, Christopher Kuhnt