Electro-conductive porous ceramics prepared by chemical vapor infiltration of TiN

Using pressure-pulsed chemical vapor infiltration (PCVI) method, TiN was partially infiltrated at 850 C from gas system of TiCl4 (1%)–N2 (10%)–H2 into the highly porous carbon substrates prepared by the carbonization of cotton-wool, filter paper, and wood at 1,000 C in Ar for 4 h. After 10,000 pulses of PCVI, electro-conductive porous ceramics having the three-dimensionally continuous current paths were obtained, which had the porosity of 80% and more, the resistivity of 10-5–10-6 X m, and the average pore sizes of 10–40 lm. The geometric surface area per unit volume of the sample was higher than that of the conventional foil-type current collector for lithium-ion battery. The surface area showed the highest value for the sample obtained from carbonized wood substrate.