Abstract: A method for continuously producing a composite material is disclosed. In some implementations, the method includes supplying a thermoplastic resin having an initial density, mixing polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PPgMA) formed of a plurality of interconnected PPgMA molecules throughout the thermoplastic resin, distributing a plurality of carbon particles throughout the thermoplastic resin and the plurality of interconnected PPgMA molecules, and forming, by rotational molding, the composite material based on a combination of the thermoplastic resin, the PPgMA, and at least some of the plurality of carbon particles.

Abstract: A composite material is provided. In some aspects, the composite material may include a combination of a thermoplastic resin mixed with a polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PPgMA). Carbon particles may be mixed in the combination. In this way, the composite material may include between 80 wt. % and 90 wt. % of the thermoplastic resin, between 0.5 wt. % and 15 wt. % of PPgMA, and between 0.1 wt. % to 7 wt. % of carbon particles. Carbon particles may have exposed carbon surfaces with carbon atoms bonded to molecular sites on adjacent PPgMA molecules. At least some carbon atoms may be oxidized with one or more of oxygen-containing groups. Oxidation of carbon atoms may be associated with an increase in at least some PPgMA molecules chemically bonding with adjacent carbon atoms per unit volume. In this way, interaction between carbon atoms and PPgMA molecules may maintain composite material density within +/?3% of thermoplastic resin density.

Abstract: In some implementations, a carbon-containing glass material includes a surface-to-air interface and an interphase region extending from the surface-to-air interface along a direction to a depth within the carbon-containing glass material. The surface-to-air interface may be exposed to ambient air, and the interphase region may include a plurality of few layer graphene (FLG) nanoplatelets formed in response to recombination and/or self-nucleation of a plurality of carbon-containing radicals implanted within the interphase region. The FLG nanoplatelets have a non-periodic orientation configured to at least partially inhibit formation or propagation of microcracks and/or micro-voids in the carbon-containing glass material.

Abstract: Techniques for refining valuable materials from aqueous sources, along with corresponding apparatuses, are disclosed. The disclosed techniques enable “green” and “conflict-free” acquisition of critical minerals. These advantages are impactful in applications including refinement of rare materials such as certain metals, especially metals necessary for production of energy storage devices required to advance environmental goals, such as in the Paris climate agreement. The inventive concepts include economically viable approaches to refinement, as well as economically viable apparatuses. In some approaches, valuable materials such as metals are refined from salts obtained from aqueous sources. Power required to refine materials is provided by renewable energy sources. Real world implementations involve co-locating a dissociative reactor with a geothermal energy plant near an aquifer with salt(s) therein. Refined minerals are produced on site.

Abstract: The invention enables “green” and “conflict-free” acquisition of critical minerals via refinement from aqueous sources. These advantages are impactful in applications including refinement of rare materials such as certain metals, especially metals necessary for production of energy storage devices required to advance environmental goals, such as in the Paris climate agreement. The inventive concepts include economically viable approaches to refinement, as well as economically viable apparatuses. In some approaches, valuable materials such as metals are refined from salts obtained from aqueous sources. Power required to refine materials is provided by renewable energy sources. Real world implementations involve co-locating a dissociative reactor with a geothermal energy plant near an aquifer with salt(s) therein. Refined minerals are produced on site. Practice of the disclosed techniques reduce or eliminate many negative environmental impacts such as those incurred by legacy mining based techniques.

Abstract: Methods include producing tunable carbon structures and combining carbon structures with a polymer to form a composite material. Carbon structures include crinkled graphene. Methods also include functionalizing the carbon structures, either in-situ, within the plasma reactor, or in a liquid collection facility. The plasma reactor has a first control for tuning the specific surface area (SSA) of the resulting tuned carbon structures as well as a second, independent control for tuning the SSA of the tuned carbon structures. The composite materials that result from mixing the tuned carbon structures with a polymer results in composite materials that exhibit exceptional favorable mechanical and/or other properties. Mechanisms that operate between the carbon structures and the polymer yield composite materials that exhibit these exceptional mechanical properties are also examined.

Abstract: A disclosed component may include at least one split-ring resonator, which may be embedded within a material. The split ring resonator may be formed from a three-dimensional (3D) monolithic carbonaceous growth and may detect an electromagnetic ping emitted from a user device. The split ring resonator may generate an electromagnetic return signal in response to the electromagnetic ping. The electromagnetic return signal may indicate a state of the material in a position proximate to a respective split ring resonator. In some aspects, the split-ring resonator may resonate at a first frequency in response to the electromagnetic ping when the material is in a first state, and may resonate at a second frequency in response to the electromagnetic ping when the material is in a second state. A resonant frequency of the 3D monolithic carbonaceous growth may be based on physical characteristics of the material.

Abstract: The invention enables “green” and “conflict-free” acquisition of critical minerals via refinement from aqueous sources. These advantages are impactful in applications including refinement of rare materials such as certain metals, especially metals necessary for production of energy storage devices required to advance environmental goals, such as in the Paris climate agreement. The inventive concepts include economically viable approaches to refinement, as well as economically viable apparatuses. In some approaches, valuable materials such as metals are refined from salts obtained from aqueous sources. Power required to refine materials is provided by renewable energy sources. Real world implementations involve co-locating a dissociative reactor with a geothermal energy plant near an aquifer with salt(s) therein. Refined minerals are produced on site. Practice of the disclosed techniques reduce or eliminate many negative environmental impacts such as those incurred by legacy mining based techniques.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for producing covetic materials by exciting a hydrocarbon gas with pulse microwaves to form hydrocarbon radicals in a hot first region of a microwave reactor. Graphene nanoplatelets are formed by the nucleation, growth and assembly of the hydrocarbon radicals, and contact a metal melt introduced downstream of the hot region to produce a mixture of molten metal and graphene nanoplatelets which assemble in-flight to form covetic materials. Graphene planes are infused in the metal matrix to achieve carbon loadings of at least 60%.

Abstract: Carbon composites, including carbon fibers, are disclosed and exhibit unique, advantageous mechanical properties, including inter laminar shear strength, compression strength, and resistance to forces applied at angles deviating from parallel to the longitudinal axis of the overall fiber. These improvements allow use of less material while conveying improved strength in myriad practical applications, reducing overall financial cost of fabrication, distribution, and practical utilization of resulting products. These advantages are optimized via utilizing inventive fabrication techniques that incorporate carbon filaments into carbon fibers, preferably incorporating carbon filaments including three-dimensional (3D) graphene platelets into said fibers. The filaments mechanically reinforce both individual fibers, as well as compositions including multiple fibers strung together in a single cord, by “crosslinking” the individual fibers with 3D graphene ligands.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing having a length and a width, the casing including at least an anode and a cathode wound into a jelly roll oriented parallel to the length of the casing, an electrolyte disposed in the lithium-sulfur battery, a negative terminal extending along the length of the casing, and a positive terminal extending along the length of the casing, the positive terminal and the negative terminal parallel to one another.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for producing covetic materials by exciting a hydrocarbon gas with pulse microwaves to form hydrocarbon radicals in a hot first region of a microwave reactor. Graphene nanoplatelets are formed by the nucleation, growth and assembly of the hydrocarbon radicals, and contact a metal melt introduced downstream of the hot region to produce a mixture of molten metal and graphene nanoplatelets which assemble in-flight to form covetic materials. Graphene planes are infused in the metal matrix to achieve carbon loadings of at least 60%.

Abstract: A battery may include an anode, a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode, an electrolyte dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode, and a dual-pore system. The anode may be configured to release a plurality of lithium ions. The cathode may include a plurality of pathways defined by a plurality of porous non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles and may include a plurality of carbonaceous structures each based on a coalescence of a group of the porous non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles. The dual-pore system may be disposed in the cathode and defined in shape and orientation by the plurality of carbonaceous structures. In some aspects, the dual-pore system may be configured to receive gaseous oxygen from the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a battery including a cathode, an anode positioned opposite the cathode and a carbon interface layer. The carbon interface layer includes an electrically insulating flaky carbon layer conformally encapsulating the anode. A plurality of carbon nano-onions (CNOs) defining a plurality of interstitial pore volumes are interspersed throughout the electrically insulating flaky carbon layer. An electrolyte is in contact with the carbon interface layer and the cathode. A separator is positioned between the anode and the cathode. The electrically insulating flaky carbon layer can include graphene oxide (GO). The plurality of interstitial pore volumes can be configured to transport lithium (Li) ions between the anode and the cathode via the plurality of interstitial pore volumes in a bulk phase of the electrolyte. The carbon interface layer can be configured to inhibit growth of Li dendritic structures from the anode towards the cathode.

Abstract: A container includes a surface defining a volume of the container, a first resonance portion disposed on a first portion of the surface of the container using one or more first carbon-based inks, and a second resonance portion disposed on a second portion of the surface of the container using one or more second carbon-based inks different than the one or more first carbon-based inks. The first resonance portion can resonate within a first range of frequencies in response to one or more electromagnetic pings received from a user device, and the second resonance portion can resonate within a second range of frequencies in response to the one or more electromagnetic pings, the second range of frequencies being different than the first range of frequencies. In some instances, the user device may be a smartphone, a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, or a near-field communication (NFC) device.

Abstract: A wireless device can transmit, over a communications network to a server, a request to download an application associated with obtaining information pertaining to a package. The wireless device can receive the requested application from the server, and can execute the application using the one or more processors. The wireless device can transmit one or more electromagnetic pings in a vicinity of the package, receive a first return signal from the first resonance portion, and receive a second return signal from the second resonance portion. The first return signal has a frequency based on the one or more electromagnetic pings and a first resonant frequency of the first resonance portion, and the second return signal has a frequency based on the one or more electromagnetic pings and a second resonant frequency of the second resonance portion.

Abstract: Tires formed of one or more tire plies are disclosed. In some implementations, tire plies may include a temperature sensor that may detect a temperature of a respective tire ply. The temperature sensor may include one or more split-ring resonators (SRRs), each having a resonance frequency that changes in response to one or more of a change in an elastomeric property or a change in the temperature of a respective one or more tire plies. In some aspects, the temperature sensor may include an electrically-conductive layer dielectrically separated from a respective one or more SRRs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for eliminating carbon dioxide and capturing solid carbon are disclosed. By eliminating carbon dioxide gas, e.g., from an effluent exhaust stream of a fossil fuel fired electric power production facility, the inventive concepts presented herein represent an environmentally-clean solution that permanently eliminates greenhouse gases while at the same time producing captured solid carbon products that are useful in various applications including advanced composite material synthesis (e.g., carbon fiber, 3D graphene) and energy storage (e.g., battery technology). Capture of solid carbon during the disclosed process for eliminating greenhouse gasses avoids the inefficiencies and risks associated with conventional carbon dioxide sequestration.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to create porous surface coatings. In use, a material layer includes synthesized carbon-containing composite materials, wherein the synthesized carbon-containing composite materials comprise a porosity characteristic, and at least one of: heat transfer characteristics, resistance to corrosion characteristics, or non-ablative erosion characteristics. Additionally, a bonding layer comprising at least some of the synthesized carbon-containing composite materials is bonded by at least one of, a carbon-to-carbon bond, or a metal-to-carbon bond to a substrate. Further, a surface interfacial layer comprising at least some of the synthesized carbon-containing composite materials is hydraulically smooth.

Abstract: A system for producing carbonaceous materials is disclosed that includes an energy source configured to emit microwave energy and a plasma reactor coupled to receive the microwave energy and configured to produce plasma in response to exposure of one or more process gases to the microwave energy. In some instances, the plasma reactor includes a first chamber having a rectangular cross-section and configured to receive the microwave energy from the energy source as sinusoidal waveform, a second chamber having a cylindrical cross-section and configured to receive microwave energy from the first chamber as a radial waveform having an energy maxima at a radial center of the cylindrical cross-section, the second chamber including an opening to receive one or more process gases and configured to ignite a plasma plume, and a gas-solid separator configured to separate solid materials from the plasma plume.