Abstract: A composition of matter suitable for usage as a formative material for a lithium-sulfur battery cathode is provided. The composition of matter may include a carbon structure formed by multiple carbon particles interconnected to one another. Each carbon particle may include pores and exposed surfaces. In this way, an electrically conductive material (ECM) (e.g., silver and/or antimony) may be deposited in the pores and coated (e.g., conformally coated) on the exposed surfaces of respective carbon particles. In addition, at least some carbon particles may disintegrate and provide exposed surfaces prior to deposition of the ECM. For example, disintegrated carbon particles may have a greater surface-area-to-volume ratio than whole carbon particles, thereby providing an increased amount of surface area available for subsequent ECM deposition. In addition, in some aspects, an active material may be infiltrated in one or more carbon particles and pores.

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: 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: Presently disclosed is a multi-layered carbon-based scaffolded structure having a conductive substrate. A first film is deposited on the conductive substrate and includes: a first concentration of three-dimensional (3D) carbon-based particles comprising: a plurality of conductive 3D aggregates formed of graphene sheets that are sintered together to define a 3D hierarchical open porous structure with mesoscale structuring in combination with micron-scale fractal structuring that is also configured to provide conduction between contact points of the graphene sheets. A porous arrangement is formed in the 3D hierarchical open porous structure and contains a liquid electrolyte configured to provide ion transport through a plurality of interconnected porous channels. The first film is configured to provide a first conductivity. A second film is deposited on the first film and comprising a second concentration of 3D carbon-based particles.

Abstract: Methods include receiving a request from a user device to download an application and providing access to the application in response to the request. The application is configured to transmit a first electromagnetic radiation and receive, from an electromagnetic state sensing device (EMSSD) that is affixed to product packaging, a first electromagnetic radiation return signal. The first electromagnetic radiation return signal is transduced by the EMSSD to produce an electromagnetic radiation signal that encodes first information comprising a product identification code.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing and/or reinforcing a carbon-containing glass material are disclosed. The method includes supplying a non-thermal equilibrium plasma including a plurality of positive charged gas particles and a plurality of ionized inert gas particles into a reaction chamber, and accelerating at least the plurality of positive charged gas particles through the reaction chamber based on application of an external electric potential to the non-thermal equilibrium plasma. The method includes bombarding a surface-to-air interface of the glass material with the accelerated positive charged gas particles and the ionized inert gas particles, and forming an interphase region in the glass material in response to the bombardment. The method includes forming a compressive stress layer in the glass material in response to the bombardment by at least the ionized inert gas particles.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a carbon-containing glass material are disclosed. The method includes flowing a hydrocarbon gas and silane into a reactor, and providing an additive to the reactor. The method includes generating a non-thermal equilibrium plasma based on excitement of the hydrocarbon gas and the silane by a microwave energy, where the non-thermal equilibrium plasma includes a plurality of methyl radicals. The method includes ion-bombarding the glass material with at least the methyl radicals to create an interphase region. The method includes forming a plurality of FLG nanoplatelets within the interphase region based on recombination or self-nucleation of the methyl radicals. The FLG nanoplatelets may be dispersed throughout the interphase region in a non-periodic orientation that at least partially inhibits formation of cracks in the glass material.

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: A container includes a surface and an electromagnetic state sensing device including one or more resonance portions printed on the surface of the container. Each resonance portion may include an assembly of 3D carbon-containing structures that convey information of a stored item by resonating at a predetermined frequency in response to an electromagnetic radiation ping received from a user device. The resonance portions may include at least a first resonance portion configured to convey product identification information of the stored item and a second resonance portion configured to convey product state information of the stored item. The first resonance portion conveys product identification information of the stored item in response to a first electromagnetic radiation ping having a first frequency, and the second resonance portion conveys product state information of the stored item in response to a second electromagnetic radiation ping having a second frequency different than the first frequency.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a composition of matter nucleated from a homogenous nucleation to form a self-assembled binder-less mesoporous carbon-based particle. In some implementations, the composition includes: a plurality of electrically conductive 3D aggregates formed of graphene sheets and sintered together to define a 3D hierarchical open porous structure comprising mesoscale structuring with micron-scale fractal structuring and configured to provide an electrical conduction between contact points of the graphene sheets. A porous arrangement is formed in the 3D hierarchical open porous structure and is arranged to contain a liquid electrolyte configured to provide ion transport through a plurality of interconnected porous channels in the 3D hierarchical open porous structure.

Abstract: Systems for detection of tire strain in a vehicle are disclosed. In some implementations, the system may include an antennae disposed on one or more of the vehicle or a vehicle component and may output an electromagnetic ping. The system may include a tire with a body formed of one or more tire plies. Any one or more of the tire plies may include split-ring resonators (SRRs). Each SRR may have a natural resonance frequency that may proportionately shift in response to a change in an elastomeric property of a respective one or more tire plies, the elastomeric property including one or more of a reversible deformation, stress, or strain. The SRRs may include split-ring resonator (SRR) with carbon particles that may uniquely resonate in response to an electromagnetic ping based at least in part on a concentration level of the carbon particles within the SRR.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a graded composition including at least a first, second, and third material property zone each having a crystallographic configuration distinct from other zones. In some implementations, the graded composition has a first material in the first material property zone including a metal, the first material composed of metallic bonds between metal atoms present in the first material property zone; a second material that at least partially overlaps the first material in the first material property zone including carbon, the second material composed of covalent bonds between the carbon in the second material and the metal in the first material; and, a third material that at least partially overlaps the second material property zone including carbon, the third material composed of covalent bonds between the carbon of the third material. Each crystallographic configuration may include a cubic crystallographic lattice, a hexagonal lattice, a face or body-centered cubic lattice.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a sensor for detecting an analyte. The sensor can include an antenna and sensing material both disposed on a substrate, where the sensing is electrically coupled to the antenna. The sensing material can include a carbon structure including a multi-modal distribution of pore sizes that define a surface area including bonding sites configured to interact with one or more additives and the analyte. The carbon structure is configured to generate a resonant signal indicative of one or more characteristics of the analyte in response to an electromagnetic signal. The carbon structure can include distinctly sized interconnected channels defined by the surface area and configured to be infiltrated by the analyte, and exposed surfaces configured to adsorb the analyte. Each of the interconnected channels can include microporous pathways and/or mesoporous pathways, which can increase a responsiveness of the sensing material proportionate to the analyte within the carbon structure.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a lithium (Li) ion battery that includes an anode, a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, a porous separator positioned between the anode and the cathode, and a liquid electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode. The anode includes an electrically conductive substrate. A first film is deposited on the electrically conductive substrate. The first film includes a first concentration of carbon particles in contact with each other and defines a first electrical conductivity for the first film. Each of the carbon particles includes a plurality of aggregates formed of few layer graphene sheets. The plurality of aggregates form a porous structure configured to undergo a lithiation, which can include any one or more of an intercalation operation or a plating operation. The anode and the cathode can include an electroactive material. The porous structure can provide conduction between the few layer graphene sheets.

Abstract: Tires including a bodies formed of one or more tire plies are disclosed. In various implementations, a tire may include several split-ring resonators (SRRs), each associated with a natural resonance frequency configured to shift in response to a change in an elastomeric property of a respective one or more tire plies. The elastomeric property may include one or more of a reversible deformation, stress, or strain. In some implementations, the one or more SRRs may include a first split-ring resonator (SRR) including first carbon particles that may uniquely resonate in response to an electromagnetic ping based at least in part on a concentration level of the first carbon particles within the first SRR and a second SRR including second carbon particles that may uniquely resonate in response to the electromagnetic ping based at least in part on a concentration level of the second carbon particles within the second SRR.

Abstract: Tires including a tire bodies 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 a ceramic material organized as a matrix and one or more split-ring resonators (SRRs). Each of the SRRs may have a natural resonance frequency configured to shift 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. The temperature sensor may include an electrically-conductive layer dielectrically separated from a respective one or more SRRs. A thickness each of the SRRs may be approximately between 0.1 micrometers (?m) and 100 ?m.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an electrochemical cell electrode including a film layer deposited on an electrically conductive substrate. The film layer includes a concentration of carbon aggregates formed from a plurality of few layer graphene sheets orthogonally fused together. A porous structure is defined by the plurality of few layer graphene sheets and is configured to any provide for electrical conduction between contact points between any two or more of the plurality of few layer graphene sheets or host an electroactive material. The electrochemical cell electrode can be an anode. The electroactive material can include an elemental lithium (Li) interspersed in a D-spacing between adjacent few layer graphene sheets in the anode. An additional film can be deposited on the film. The film can be configured to provide a first electrical conductivity and the additional film can be configured to provide a second electrical conductivity different from the first electrical conductivity.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods of manufacturing an anode, which can include nucleating a plurality of carbon particles at a first concentration level, forming a first film on a sacrificial substrate based on the first concentration level, each of the carbon particles defined by a plurality of aggregates formed of few layer graphene sheets fused together, defining a porous structure based on the few layer graphene sheets; and infusing a molten lithium (Li) metal into the porous structure. A plurality of interconnected porous channels can be defined based on the plurality of carbon particles. A second film can be formed by nucleating the carbon particles at a second concentration level on the first film. The first film can be configured to provide a first electrical conductivity and the second film can be configured to provide a second electrical conductivity different than the first electrical conductivity.

Abstract: A microwave energy source that generates a microwave energy is disclosed. The microwave energy source has an on-state and an off-state. A control circuit is coupled to the microwave energy source and includes an output to generate a control signal that adjusts a pulse frequency of the microwave energy. A voltage generator applies a non-zero voltage to the microwave energy source during the off-state. A frequency and a duty cycle of the non-zero voltage is based on a frequency and a duty cycle of the control signal. A waveguide is coupled to the microwave energy source. The waveguide has a supply gas inlet that receives a supply gas, a reaction zone that generates a plasma, a process inlet that injects a raw material into the reaction zone, and an outlet that outputs a powder based on a mixture of the supply gas and the raw material within the plasma.

Abstract: A container includes a surface and an electromagnetic state sensing device including one or more resonance portions printed on the surface of the container. Each resonance portion may include an assembly of 3D carbon-containing structures that convey information of a stored item by resonating at a predetermined frequency in response to an electromagnetic radiation ping received from a user device. The resonance portions may include at least a first resonance portion configured to convey product identification information of the stored item and a second resonance portion configured to convey product state information of the stored item. The first resonance portion conveys product identification information of the stored item in response to a first electromagnetic radiation ping having a first frequency, and the second resonance portion conveys product state information of the stored item in response to a second electromagnetic radiation ping having a second frequency different than the first frequency.