Abstract: Sensors for detecting analytes are disclosed. In various implementations, the sensing device may include a substrate and a sensor array. The sensor array may be arranged on the substrate, and may include a plurality of sensors. In some implementations, at least two of the sensors may include a first carbon-based sensing material disposed between a first pair of electrodes, and a second carbon-based sensing material disposed between a second pair of electrodes. The first carbon-based sensing material may be configured to detect a presence of each analyte of a group of analytes, and the second carbon-based sensing material may be configured to confirm the presence of each analyte of a subset of the group of analytes. In some instances, the group of analytes includes at least twice as many different analytes as the subset of analytes.

Abstract: In some implementations, a metal air battery includes an anode and an cathode opposite to the anode. The cathode may be formed as a textured carbon-based scaffold and include an opening into the metal air battery. The metal air battery may include a nano-fibrous membrane (NFM) containing a liquid electrolyte and a functionalized carbon structure may be disposed between the cathode and the NFM. The functionalized carbon structure may allow moisture and oxygen from ambient air to permeate through the NFM and diffuse throughout the textured scaffold of the cathode. A moisture barrier layer may be laminated over the cathode and positioned, by a user, in one of two states. When in a first state, the moisture barrier layer may seal the opening. When in a second state, the moisture barrier layer may allow the moisture and the oxygen to enter the textured scaffold.

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 nanoparticle or agglomerate which contains connected multi-walled spherical fullerenes coated in layers of graphite. In different embodiments, the nanoparticles and agglomerates have different combinations of: a high mass fraction compared to other carbon allotropes present, a low concentration of defects, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) specific surface area, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the nanoparticles and agglomerates at a high production rate without using catalysts.

Abstract: Carbon materials having carbon aggregates, where the aggregates include carbon nanoparticles and no seed particles, are disclosed. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles include graphene, optionally with multi-walled spherical fullerenes and/or another carbon allotrope. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles and aggregates have different combinations of: a Raman spectrum with a 2D-mode peak and a G-mode peak, and a 2D/G intensity ratio greater than 0.5, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer-Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area, a large particle size, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the carbon materials.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an electrode having a carbon-based structure with a plurality of localized reaction sites. An open porous scaffold is defined by the carbon-based structure and can confine an active material in the localized reaction sites. A plurality of engineered failure points is formed throughout the carbon-based structure and can expand in a presence of volumetric expansion associated with polysulfide shuttle. The open porous scaffold can inhibit a formation of interconnecting solid networks of the active material between the localized reaction sites. The plurality of engineered failure points can relax or collapse during an initial activation of the electrode. The open porous scaffold can define a hierarchical porous compliant cellular architecture formed of a plurality of interconnected graphene platelets fused together at substantially orthogonal angles.

Abstract: A nanoparticle or agglomerate which contains connected multi-walled spherical fullerenes coated in layers of graphite. In different embodiments, the nanoparticles and agglomerates have different combinations of: a high mass fraction compared to other carbon allotropes present, a low concentration of defects, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) specific surface area, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the nanoparticles and agglomerates at a high production rate without using catalysts.

Abstract: In some implementations, a metal air battery includes a body defined by a metal anode and a cathode, a first separator layer disposed on the metal anode, a second separator layer disposed on the cathode, and a plurality of beads disposed within the body. The beads may confine a liquid electrolyte, and may be configured to release the liquid electrolyte into interior portions of the battery in response to a compression of the cathode into the body of the battery.

Abstract: In some implementations, a metal air battery includes an anode and an cathode opposite to the anode. The cathode may be formed as a textured carbon-based scaffold and include an opening into the metal air battery. The metal air battery may include a nano-fibrous membrane (NFM) containing a liquid electrolyte and a functionalized carbon structure may be disposed between the cathode and the NFM. The functionalized carbon structure may allow moisture and oxygen from ambient air to permeate through the NFM and diffuse throughout the textured scaffold of the cathode. A moisture barrier layer may be laminated over the cathode and positioned, by a user, in one of two states. When in a first state, the moisture barrier layer may seal the opening. When in a second state, the moisture barrier layer may allow the moisture and the oxygen to enter the textured scaffold.

Abstract: In some implementations, a metal air battery includes a metal anode, a cathode, a body, a nano-fibrous membrane (NFM), and a hygroscopic interphase layer disposed between the cathode and the NFM. The cathode may be a carbon-based textured scaffold including a plurality of macroporous pathways to distribute oxygen and water vapor supplied by ambient air throughout the cathode and into interior portions of the body. The NFM may include dry salts to produce a liquid electrolyte when exposed to water vapor delivered by the macroporous pathways of the cathode. The hygroscopic interphase layer may include a plurality of microporous pathways configured to drain excess quantities of the water vapor from the cathode and hydrate the dry salts with the water vapor.

Abstract: A nanoparticle or agglomerate which contains connected multi-walled spherical fullerenes coated in layers of graphite. In different embodiments, the nanoparticles and agglomerates have different combinations of: a high mass fraction compared to other carbon allotropes present, a low concentration of defects, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) specific surface area, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the nanoparticles and agglomerates at a high production rate without using catalysts.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a lithium ion battery includes a first substrate, a cathode, a second substrate, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode is arranged on the first substrate and can contain a cathode mixture including LixSy, wherein x is from 0 to 2 and y is from 1 to 8, and a first particulate carbon. The anode is arranged on the second substrate and can contain an anode mixture containing silicon particles, and a second particulate carbon. The electrolyte can contain a solvent and a lithium salt and is arranged between the cathode and the anode. In some embodiments, the first particulate carbon or the second particulate carbon contains carbon aggregates comprising a plurality of carbon nanoparticles, each carbon nanoparticle comprising graphene. In some embodiments, the particulate carbon contains carbon meta particles with mesoporous structures.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an electrode having a carbon-based structure with a plurality of localized reaction sites. An open porous scaffold is defined by the carbon-based structure and can confine an active material in the localized reaction sites. A plurality of engineered failure points is formed throughout the carbon-based structure and can expand in a presence of volumetric expansion associated with polysulfide shuttle. The open porous scaffold can inhibit a formation of interconnecting solid networks of the active material between the localized reaction sites. The plurality of engineered failure points can relax or collapse during an initial activation of the electrode. The open porous scaffold can define a hierarchical porous compliant cellular architecture formed of a plurality of interconnected graphene platelets fused together at substantially orthogonal angles.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a lithium ion battery includes a first substrate, a cathode, a second substrate, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode is arranged on the first substrate and can contain a cathode mixture including LixSy, wherein x is from 0 to 2 and y is from 1 to 8, and a first particulate carbon. The anode is arranged on the second substrate and can contain an anode mixture containing silicon particles, and a second particulate carbon. The electrolyte can contain a solvent and a lithium salt and is arranged between the cathode and the anode. In some embodiments, the first particulate carbon or the second particulate carbon contains carbon aggregates comprising a plurality of carbon nanoparticles, each carbon nanoparticle comprising graphene. In some embodiments, the particulate carbon contains carbon meta particles with mesoporous structures.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a lithium ion battery includes a first substrate, a cathode, a second substrate, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode is arranged on the first substrate and can contain a cathode mixture including LixSy, wherein x is from 0 to 2 and y is from 1 to 8, and a first particulate carbon. The anode is arranged on the second substrate and can contain an anode mixture containing silicon particles, and a second particulate carbon. The electrolyte can contain a solvent and a lithium salt, and is arranged between the cathode and the anode. In some embodiments, the first particulate carbon or the second particulate carbon contains carbon aggregates comprising a plurality of carbon nanoparticles, each carbon nanoparticle comprising graphene. In some embodiments, the particulate carbon contains carbon meta particles with mesoporous structures.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a lithium ion battery includes a first substrate, a cathode, a second substrate, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode is arranged on the first substrate and can contain a cathode mixture including LixSy, wherein x is from 0 to 2 and y is from 1 to 8, and a first particulate carbon. The anode is arranged on the second substrate and can contain an anode mixture containing silicon particles, and a second particulate carbon. The electrolyte can contain a solvent and a lithium salt, and is arranged between the cathode and the anode. In some embodiments, the first particulate carbon or the second particulate carbon contains carbon aggregates comprising a plurality of carbon nanoparticles, each carbon nanoparticle comprising graphene. In some embodiments, the particulate carbon contains carbon meta particles with mesoporous structures.

Abstract: Carbon materials having carbon aggregates, where the aggregates include carbon nanoparticles and no seed particles, are disclosed. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles include graphene, optionally with multi-walled spherical fullerenes and/or another carbon allotrope. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles and aggregates have different combinations of: a Raman spectrum with a 2D-mode peak and a G-mode peak, and a 2D/G intensity ratio greater than 0.5, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer-Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area, a large particle size, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the carbon materials.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a lithium ion battery includes a first substrate, a cathode, a second substrate, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode is arranged on the first substrate and can contain a cathode mixture including LixSy, wherein x is from 0 to 2 and y is from 1 to 8, and a first particulate carbon. The anode is arranged on the second substrate and can contain an anode mixture containing silicon particles, and a second particulate carbon. The electrolyte can contain a solvent and a lithium salt, and is arranged between the cathode and the anode. In some embodiments, the first particulate carbon or the second particulate carbon contains carbon aggregates comprising a plurality of carbon nanoparticles, each carbon nanoparticle comprising graphene.

Abstract: A thermal cracking apparatus and method includes a body having an inner volume with a longitudinal axis, where a reaction zone surrounds the longitudinal axis. A feedstock process gas is flowed into the inner volume and longitudinally through the reaction zone during thermal cracking operations. A power control system controls electrical power to an elongated heating element, which is disposed within the inner volume. During thermal cracking operations, the elongated heating element is heated to a molecular cracking temperature to generate the reaction zone, the feedstock process gas is heated from the elongated heating element, the power control system uses a feedback parameter for adjusting the electrical power to maintain the molecular cracking temperature at a substantially constant value, and the heat thermally cracks molecules of the feedstock process gas that are within the reaction zone into constituent components of the molecules.

Abstract: Carbon materials having carbon aggregates, where the aggregates include carbon nanoparticles and no seed particles, are disclosed. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles include graphene, optionally with multi-walled spherical fullerenes and/or another carbon allotrope. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles and aggregates have different combinations of: a Raman spectrum with a 2D-mode peak and a G-mode peak, and a 2D/G intensity ratio greater than 0.5, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer-Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area, a large particle size, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the carbon materials.