Abstract: Provided is a graphene foam-based sealing material comprising: (a) a graphene foam framework comprising pores and pore walls, wherein the pore walls comprise a 3D network of interconnected graphene planes or graphene sheets; and (b) a permeation-resistant binder or matrix material that coats and embraces the exterior surfaces of the graphene foam framework and/or infiltrates into pores of the graphene foam, occupying from 10% to 100% (preferably from 10% to 98% and more preferably from 20% to 90%) of the pore volume of the graphene foam framework.

Abstract: A humic acid-bonded metal foil current collector in a battery or supercapacitor, comprising: (a) a thin metal foil having two opposed but parallel primary surfaces; and (b) a thin film of humic acid (HA) or a mixture of HA and graphene, having hexagonal carbon planes, wherein HA or both HA and graphene are chemically bonded to at least one of the two primary surfaces; wherein the thin film has a thickness from 10 nm to 10 ?m, an oxygen content from 0.01% to 10% by weight, an inter-planar spacing of 0.335 to 0.50 nm between hexagonal carbon planes, a physical density from 1.3 to 2.2 g/cm3, all hexagonal carbon planes being oriented substantially parallel to each other and parallel to the primary surfaces, exhibiting a thermal conductivity greater than 500 W/mK, and/or electrical conductivity greater than 1,500 S/cm when measured alone without the metal foil.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a solid graphene foam-based sealing material. The process comprises: (a) preparing a graphene dispersion having a graphene material dispersed in a liquid medium, which contains an optional blowing agent; (b) dispensing and depositing the graphene dispersion into desired shapes and partially or completely removing the liquid medium from these shapes to form dried graphene shapes; (c) heat treating the dried graphene shapes at a first heat treatment temperature from 50° C. to 3,200° C. at a desired heating rate sufficient to induce volatile gas molecules from the non-carbon elements or to activate the blowing agent for producing the graphene foam; and (d) coating or impregnating the graphene foam with a permeation-resistant binder or matrix material to form the sealing material.

Abstract: Provided is method of preparing an alkali metal-sulfur cell, comprising: (a) combining a quantity of a cathode active material (selected from sulfur, a metal-sulfur compound, a sulfur-carbon composite, a sulfur-graphene composite, a sulfur-graphite composite, an organic sulfur compound, a sulfur-polymer composite or a combination thereof), a quantity of an electrolyte, and a conductive additive to form a deformable cathode material, wherein the conductive additive, containing conductive filaments, forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways and the electrolyte contains an alkali salt and an ion-conducting polymer dissolved or dispersed in a solvent; (b) forming the cathode material into a quasi-solid cathode, wherein the forming includes deforming the cathode material into an electrode shape without interrupting the 3D network of electron-conducting pathways such that the cathode maintains an electrical conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm; (c) forming an anode; and (d) forming a cell by combining the c

Abstract: Provided is an anode for a lithium battery or sodium battery, the anode comprising multiple porous graphene balls and multiple particles or coating of a lithium-attracting metal or sodium-attracting metal at a graphene ball-to-metal volume ratio from 5/95 to 95/5, wherein the porous graphene ball comprises a plurality of graphene sheets forming into the ball having a diameter from 100 nm to 20 ?m and a pore or multiple pores having a pore volume fraction from 10% to 99.9% based on the total graphene ball volume, and wherein the particles or coating of lithium-attracting metal or sodium-attracting metal, having a diameter or thickness from 1 nm to 20 ?m, are selected from Au, Ag, Mg, Zn, Ti, K, Al, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Sn, V, Cr, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a solid state electrolyte composition for a rechargeable lithium battery. The electrolyte composition comprises a lithium ion-conducting polymer matrix or binder and lithium ion-conducting inorganic species that is dispersed in or chemically bonded by the polymer matrix or binder, wherein the lithium ion-conducting inorganic species is selected from Li2CO3, Li2O, Li2C2O4, LiOH, LiX, ROCO2Li, HCOLi, ROLi, (ROCO2Li)2, (CH2OCO2Li)2, Li2S, LixSOy, or a combination thereof, wherein X=F, Cl, I, or Br, R=a hydrocarbon group, 0<x?1, 1?y?4; and wherein the polymer matrix or binder is in an amount from 1% to 99% by volume of the electrolyte composition. Also provided are a process for producing this solid state electrolyte and a lithium secondary battery containing such a solid state electrolyte.

Abstract: A lithium- or sodium-ion battery anode layer, comprising a phosphorus material embedded in pores of a solid graphene foam composed of multiple pores and pore walls, wherein (a) the pore walls contain a pristine graphene or a non-pristine graphene material; (b) the phosphorus material contains particles or coating of P or MPy (M=transition metal and 1?y?4) and is in an amount from 20% to 99% by weight based on the total weight of the graphene foam and the phosphorus material combined, and (c) the multiple pores are lodged with particles or coating of the phosphorus material. Preferably, the solid graphene foam has a density from 0.01 to 1.7 g/cm3, a specific surface area from 50 to 2,000 m2/g, a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mK per unit of specific gravity, and/or an electrical conductivity no less than 1,000 S/cm per unit of specific gravity.

Abstract: A composite particulate for a lithium battery, wherein the composite particulate has a diameter from 10 nm to 50 ?m and comprises one or more than one anode active material particles that are dispersed in a high-elasticity polymer matrix (forming a continuous material phase) or encapsulated by a high-elasticity polymer shell, wherein the high-elasticity polymer (matrix or shell) has a fully recoverable tensile strain no less than 5%, when measured without an additive or reinforcement dispersed therein, and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?8 S/cm at room temperature and wherein the high-elasticity polymer comprises a crosslinked network of chains from at least one polymer containing carboxylic and/or hydroxyl groups.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium or sodium metal battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte or separator-electrolyte assembly disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) an anode current collector, initially having no lithium, lithium alloy, sodium or sodium alloy as an anode active material supported by the anode current collector when the battery is made and prior to a charge or discharge operation; and (b) a graphene foam, comprising multiple pores and pore walls, wherein the graphene foam either substantially constitutes the anode current collector or is disposed between the anode current collector and the electrolyte and wherein the graphene foam, when tested under compression, has a recoverable elastic deformation or compressibility from 5% to 150%.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing isolated graphene sheets, comprising: (a) providing a reacting slurry containing a mixture of particles of a graphite or carbon material and an intercalant and/or an oxidizing agent; (b) providing one or a plurality of flow channels to accommodate the reacting slurry, wherein at least one of the flow channels has an internal wall surface and a volume and an internal wall-to-volume ratio of from 10 to 4,000; (c) moving the reacting slurry continuously or intermittently through at least one or a plurality of flow channels, enabling reactions between the graphite or carbon particles and the intercalant and/or oxidant to occur substantially inside the flow channels to form a graphite intercalation compound (GIC) or oxidized graphite (e.g. graphite oxide) or oxidized carbon material as a precursor material; and (d) converting the precursor material to isolated graphene sheets.

Abstract: Provided is particulate of a cathode active material for a lithium battery, comprising one or a plurality of cathode active material particles being embraced or encapsulated by a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain no less than 5%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm at room temperature, and a thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 ?m, wherein the polymer contains an ultrahigh molecular weight (UHMW) polymer having a molecular weight from 0.5×106 to 9×106 grams/mole. The UHMW polymer is preferably selected from polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl ether acrylate), a copolymer thereof, a sulfonated derivative thereof, a chemical derivative thereof, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Provided is an alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising: (a) a quasi-solid cathode containing about 30% to about 95% by volume of a cathode active material (a sulfur-containing material), about 5% to about 40% by volume of a first electrolyte containing an alkali salt dissolved in a solvent and an ion-conducting polymer dissolved, dispersed in or impregnated by a solvent, and about 0.01% to about 30% by volume of a conductive additive wherein the conductive additive, containing conductive filaments, forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways such that the quasi-solid electrode has an electrical conductivity from about 10?6 S/cm to about 300 S/cm; (b) an anode; and (c) an ion-conducting membrane or porous separator disposed between the anode and the quasi-solid cathode; wherein the quasi-solid cathode has a thickness from 200 ?m to 100 cm and a cathode active material having an active material mass loading greater than 10 mg/cm2.

Abstract: Provided is a surface-metalized polymer article comprising a polymer component having a surface, a first layer of multiple functionalized graphene sheets having a first chemical functional group, multiple functionalized carbon nanotubes having a second chemical group functional group, or a combination of both, which are coated on the polymer component surface, and a second layer of a plated metal deposited on the first layer, wherein the multiple functionalized graphene sheets contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets and/or the multiple functionalized carbon nanotubes contain single-walled or multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and wherein the multiple functionalized graphene sheets or functionalized carbon nanotubes are bonded to the polymer component surface with or without an adhesive resin.

Abstract: Provided is a laminated graphitic layer as an elastic heat spreader, the layer comprising: (A) a plurality of graphitic or graphene films prepared from (i) graphitization of a polymer film or pitch film, (ii) aggregation or bonding of graphene sheets, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), wherein the graphitic or graphene film has a thermal conductivity of at least 200 W/mK, an electrical conductivity no less than 3,000 S/cm, and a physical density from 1.5 to 2.25 g/cm3; and (B) a conducting polymer network adhesive that bonds together the graphitic or graphene films to form the laminated graphitic layer; wherein the conductive polymer network adhesive is in an amount from 0.001% to 30% by weight and wherein the laminated graphitic layer preferably has a fully recoverable tensile elastic strain from 1% to 50% and an in-plane thermal conductivity from 100 W/mK to 1,750 W/mK.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium secondary battery comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte or separator-electrolyte assembly disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) An anode current collector, initially having no lithium or lithium alloy as an anode active material when the battery is made and prior to a charge or discharge operation; and (b) a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer in ionic contact with the electrolyte and having a recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 700%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?8 S/cm, and a thickness from 0.5 nm to 100 ?m. Preferably, the high-elasticity polymer contains a cross-linked network of polymer chains having an ether linkage, nitrile-derived linkage, benzo peroxide-derived linkage, ethylene oxide linkage, propylene oxide linkage, vinyl alcohol linkage, cyano-resin linkage, triacrylate monomer-derived linkage, tetraacrylate monomer-derived linkage, or a combination thereof in the cross-linked network of polymer chains.

Abstract: Provided is graphene-based personnel protection equipment (PPE) product, comprising: (a) a fabric, clothing, face shield, face mask, or glove body configured to support graphene sheets; and (b) graphene sheets deposited on a surface of the body or at least partially embedded in the body, wherein the graphene sheets comprise a plurality of discrete single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets selected from pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof. Preferably, surfaces of graphene sheets carry an anti-microbial compound, preferably in the form of a nanoparticle, nano-wire, or nano-coating.

Abstract: A process for producing an integrated layer (10 nm to 500 ?m) of highly oriented halogenated graphene sheets, comprising: (a) preparing a graphene oxide (GO) dispersion having GO sheets dispersed in a fluid medium; (b) dispensing and depositing a layer of GO dispersion onto a surface of a supporting substrate under a shear stress condition that induces orientation of GO sheets to form a wet layer of GO on the supporting substrate; (c) introducing a halogenating agent into the wet layer of graphene oxide and effecting a chemical reaction between the halogenating agent and GO sheets to form a wet layer of halogenated graphene, C6ZxOy, wherein Z is a halogen element selected from F, Cl, Br, I, or a combination thereof, x=0.01 to 6.0, y=0 to 5.0, and x+y?6.0; and (d) removing the fluid medium.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium secondary battery containing an anode, a cathode, a porous separator/electrolyte element disposed between the anode and the cathode, and a cathode-protecting layer bonded or adhered to the cathode, wherein the cathode-protecting layer comprises a lithium ion-conducting polymer matrix or binder and inorganic material particles that are dispersed in or chemically bonded by the polymer matrix or binder and wherein the cathode-protecting layer has a thickness from 10 nm to 100 ?m and the polymer matrix or binder has a lithium-ion conductivity from 10?8 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm. Additionally or alternatively, there can be a similarly configured anode-protecting layer adhered to the anode. Such an electrode-protecting layer prevents massive internal shorting from occurring even when the porous separator gets melted, contracted, or collapsed under extreme temperature conditions induced by, for instance, dendrite or nail penetration.

Abstract: A dual electroplating cell comprising: (a) an electrolyte component containing therein ions of a first metal; (b) a porous cathode current collector having surface areas to capture and store metal ions directly thereon, wherein the cathode current collector has a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/g that is in direct contact with said electrolyte; (c) a porous anode current collector having surface areas to capture and store metal ions thereon, wherein the anode current collector has a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/g that is in direct contact with the electrolyte; (d) a porous separator disposed between the anode and the cathode; and (e) an ion source of the first metal disposed in the anode current collector or the cathode current collector and in electronic contact therewith to obtain an open circuit voltage (OCV) from 0.3 volts to 3.5 volts when the cell is made.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium cell comprising: (a) a cathode having a cathode active material and a first electrolyte in ionic contact with the cathode active material; (b) an anode having an anode current collector but no anode active material and having no lithium metal when the cell is made; (c) an optional porous separator electronically separating the anode and the cathode; and (d) a second electrolyte, comprising a polymer electrolyte in ionic contact with the first electrolyte, wherein the polymer electrolyte is disposed substantially between the anode and the cathode, between the separator and the cathode, and/or between the separator and the anode. The polymer electrolyte substantially does not permeate into the anode or the cathode. Also provided is a method of preparing or operating such an anode-less lithium cell.