Abstract: Provided is a process for manufacturing a graphene material, the process comprising (a) injecting a rust stock into a first end of a continuous reactor having a toroidal vortex flow, wherein the first stock comprises graphite and a non-oxidizing liquid (or, alternatively, graphite, an acid, and an optional oxidizer) and the continuous flow reactor is configured to produce the toroidal vortex flow, enabling the formation of a reaction product suspension or slurry at the second end, downstream from the first end, of the continuous reactor; and (b) introducing the reaction product suspension/slurry from the second end back to enter the continuous reactor at or near the first end, allowing the reaction product suspension/slurry to form a toroidal vortex flow and move down to or near the second end to produce a graphene suspension or graphene oxide slurry. The process may further comprise repeating step (b) for at least one time.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing an integral graphene film, comprising: (a) preparing a graphene dispersion having chemically functionalized graphene sheets dispersed in a fluid medium wherein the graphene sheets contain chemical functional groups attached thereto; (b) dispensing and depositing a wet film of the graphene dispersion onto a supporting substrate, wherein the dispensing and depositing procedure includes mechanical shear stress-induced alignment of the graphene sheets along a film planar direction, and partially or completely removing the fluid medium to form a relatively dried film comprising aligned chemically functionally graphene sheets; and (c) using heat, electromagnetic waves, UV light, or high-energy radiation to induce chemical reactions or chemical bonding between chemical functional groups attached to adjacent chemically functionalized graphene sheets to form the integral graphene film.

Abstract: An optically transparent and electrically conductive film composed of metal nanowires or carbon nanotubes combined with pristine graphene with a metal nanowire-to-graphene or carbon nanotube-to-graphene weight ratio from 1/99 to 99/1, wherein the pristine graphene is single-crystalline and contains no oxygen and no hydrogen, and the film exhibits an optical transparence no less than 80% and sheet resistance no higher than 300 ohm/square. This film can be used as a transparent conductive electrode in an electro-optic device, such as a photovoltaic or solar cell, light-emitting diode, photo-detector, touch screen, electro-wetting display, liquid crystal display, plasma display, LED display, a TV screen, a computer screen, or a mobile phone screen.

Abstract: A method of producing crystalline graphite, the method comprising: (a) providing a graphene/biomass mixture comprising multiple biomass particles (chips, granules, flakes, pellets, etc.) and a first amount of multiple sheets of a first graphene material, wherein the first graphene-to-biomass weight ratio is from 0 to 1.0; (b) heat-treating the mixture at a first temperature (150° C. to 1,500° C.) for a first period of time to carbonize the mixture into a graphene/carbon mixture; (c) optionally adding a second amount of multiple sheets of a second graphene material into the graphene/carbon mixture, wherein the second graphene-to-biomass weight ratio, based on the original non-carbonized biomass weight, is from 0 to 1.0 and the total graphene-to-biomass weight ratio is no less than 0.001; and (d) heat-treating the graphene/carbon mixture at a second temperature for a second period of time to produce a crystalline graphite, wherein the second temperature is selected from 900° C. to 3,500° C.

Abstract: A method of producing crystalline graphite, the method comprising: (a) providing a graphene/plastic mixture of multiple plastic particles (chips, granules, pellets, etc.) and a first amount of multiple sheets of a first graphene material, wherein the first graphene-to-plastic weight ratio is from 0 to 1.0; (b) heat-treating the mixture at a first temperature (250° C. to 1,500° C.) for a first period of time to carbonize the mixture into a graphene/carbon mixture; (c) optionally adding a second amount of multiple sheets of a second graphene material into the graphene/carbon mixture, wherein the second graphene-to-plastic weight ratio, based on the original non-carbonized plastic weight, is from 0 to 1.0 and the total graphene-to-plastic weight ratio is no less than 0.001; and (d) heat-treating the graphene/carbon mixture at a second temperature for a second period of time to produce a crystalline graphite, wherein the second temperature is selected from 900° C. to 3,500° C.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a graphitic film, comprising: (a) providing a suspension of a mixture of graphene oxide (GO) and aromatic molecules selected from petroleum heavy oil or pitch, coal tar pitch, a polynuclear hydrocarbon, a halogenated variant thereof, or a combination thereof, dispersed or dissolved in a liquid medium; (b) dispensing and depositing the suspension onto a surface of a supporting substrate to form a wet layer, wherein the procedure includes subjecting the suspension to an orientation-inducing stress or strain; (c) partially or completely removing the liquid medium; and (d) heat treating the resulting dried layer at a first temperature selected from 20° C. to 3,200° C. so that the GO and aromatic molecules are cross-linked, merged or fused into larger aromatic molecules to form the graphitic film, wherein the larger aromatic molecules or graphene planes in the graphitic film are substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: Provided is a humic acid-based coating suspension comprising humic acid, particles of an anti-corrosive pigment or sacrificial metal, and a binder resin dissolved or dispersed in a liquid medium, wherein the humic acid has a weight fraction from 0.1% to 50% based on the total coating suspension weight excluding the liquid medium. Also provided is an object or structure coated at least in part with such a coating.

Abstract: Provided is a elastic heat spreader film comprising: (a) an elastomer or rubber as a binder material or a matrix material; and (b) multiple graphene sheets that are bonded by the binder material or dispersed in the matrix material, wherein the multiple graphene sheets are substantially aligned to be parallel to one another and wherein the elastomer or rubber is in an amount from 0.001% to 20% by weight based on the total heat spreader film weight; wherein the multiple graphene sheets contain 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; and wherein the elastic heat spreader film has a fully recoverable tensile elastic strain from 2% to 100% and an in-plane thermal conductivity from 200 W/mK to 1,750 W/mK.

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.

Abstract: Provided is a graphene-based coating suspension comprising multiple graphene sheets, thin film coating of an anti-corrosive pigment or sacrificial metal deposited on graphene sheets, and a binder resin dissolved or dispersed in a liquid medium, wherein the multiple graphene sheets contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets selected from a pristine graphene material having essentially zero % of non-carbon elements, or a non-pristine graphene material having 0.001% to 47% by weight of non-carbon elements wherein the non-pristine graphene is selected from 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. The invention also provides a process for producing this coating suspension. Also provided is an object or structure coated at least in part with such a coating.

Abstract: Provided is a battery assembly having a distributed cooling and fire protection system, the battery assembly comprising: (a) a plurality of battery cells; (b) a case configured to hold the plurality of battery cells; and (c) a cooling liquid distribution system, having a cooling liquid reservoir and/or pipes that are in proximity to at least a subset of the plurality of the cells and configured to deliver, on demand, a desired amount of the first cooling liquid on a cell or multiple cells in the vicinity of the cell when a temperature of the cell exceeds a threshold temperature; wherein the first cooling liquid comprises a fire protection or fire suppression substance which, on contact with the cell, prevents, retards, or extinguishes a cell fire and prevents a propagation or cell-to-cell cascading reactions of a thermal runaway or fire event.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a thin film graphene-bonded metal foil current collector for a battery or supercapacitor, said process comprising: (a) providing a graphene suspension comprising graphene sheets dispersed in a liquid medium; (b) operating a micro-gravure coater to deposit a layer of the graphene suspension onto at least one of the two primary surfaces of a metal foil to form a wet layer of graphene deposited thereon; and (c) removing said fluid medium from the deposited wet layer to form a dry layer of graphene, having a layer thickness from 1 nm to 100 nm. Optionally, the process may include heat treating the dry layer of graphene at a temperature from 35° C. to 3,000° C.

Abstract: Provided is apparatus for introducing a quasi-solid electrolyte into one or a plurality of lithium battery cells, the apparatus comprising: (a) a cell-holding device to hold one or a plurality of lithium battery cells and is in a working relation to a liquid electrolyte-filling device that injects a liquid electrolyte into the battery cells, wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises a lithium salt dissolved in a first liquid solvent having a first lithium salt concentration from 0.001 M to 3.0 M (mole/L); and (b) a solvent vapor-removing device in a working relation to the cell-holding device, wherein the vapor-removing device comprises a pumping device to move solvent vapors away from the battery cells so that the electrolyte has a final lithium salt concentration higher than the first concentration and higher than 2.0 M. Also provided is a method of operating the apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode active material layer, an electrolyte, and a cathode active material layer comprising multiple particulates, wherein at least one of the particulates comprises one or a plurality of sulfur-containing material particles being partially or fully embraced or encapsulated by a thin shell layer of a conducting polymer network, having a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?8 S/cm, an electron conductivity from 10?8 to 103 S/cm at room temperature (typically up to 5×10?2 S/cm), and a shell layer thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 ?m. This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high sulfur content, high sulfur utilization efficiency, high energy density, and long cycle life. Also provided are a powder mass containing such multiple particulates, a cathode layer comprising such multiple particulates, and a method of producing the cathode layer and the battery cell.

Abstract: A bipolar electrode for a lithium battery, the bipolar electrode comprising: (a) a current collector comprising a conductive material foil having two opposing primary surfaces, wherein one or both of the primary surfaces is optionally coated with a layer of graphene or expanded graphite material having a thickness from 5 nm to 50 ?m; and (b) a negative electrode layer and a positive electrode layer respectively disposed on the two primary surfaces, wherein the positive electrode layer comprises a mixture of particles of a cathode active material and a quasi-solid or solid-state electrolyte and the electrolyte comprises a polymer, which is a polymerization or crosslinking product of a reactive additive, wherein the reactive additive comprises (i) a first liquid solvent that is polymerizable, (ii) an initiator or curing agent, and (iii) a lithium salt. Also provided is a bipolar battery comprising a plurality of bipolar electrodes connected in series.

Abstract: Provided is graphene-based protective layer deposited on a surface of a clean facility (e.g., a medical facility), wherein the protective layer comprises graphene sheets coated on the surface or at least partially embedded in the surface, 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 method of producing a rechargeable lithium battery cell, the method comprising (a) preparing a liquid electrolyte solution comprising an ion-conducting polymer dispersed in a first liquid solvent and an optional lithium salt dissolved in the first liquid solvent; (b) impregnating the electrolyte solution into the cathode, the anode, a porous structure of the separator, or the battery cell; (c) removing the first liquid solvent; and (d) impregnating a second liquid solvent, comprising an optional lithium salt dissolved therein, into the cathode, the anode, the separator porous structure, or the battery cell; wherein the ion-conducting polymer comprises a polymer having an ion conductivity from 10?8 S/cm to 10?2 S/cm when measured at room temperature without the presence of a liquid solvent and the polymer does not occupy more than 25% by weight of the cathode, not counting a current collector weight.

Abstract: A bipolar electrode for a lithium battery, the bipolar electrode comprising: (a) a current collector comprising a conductive material foil having two opposing primary surfaces, wherein one or both of the primary surfaces is optionally coated with a layer of graphene or expanded graphite material; and (b) a negative electrode layer and a positive electrode layer respectively deposited on the two primary surfaces, wherein the positive electrode layer comprises a mixture of particles of a cathode active material and a quasi-solid or solid-state electrolyte and the electrolyte comprises a nitrile and a polymer, which is a polymerization or crosslinking product of a reactive additive comprising (i) a first liquid solvent that is polymerizable, (ii) an initiator or a curing agent, and (iii) a lithium salt. Also provided is a bipolar battery that comprises a plurality of bipolar electrodes connected in series.

Abstract: Provided is a method of improving the cycle-life of a lithium metal secondary battery, the method comprising implementing an anode-protecting layer between an anode active material layer (or an anode current collector layer substantially without any lithium when the battery is made) and a porous separator/electrolyte assembly, wherein the anode-protecting layer is in a close physical contact with the anode active material layer (or the anode current collector), has a thickness from 10 nm to 500 ?m and comprises an electrically and ionically conducting network of cross-linked polymer chains having a lithium ion conductivity from 10?8 to 5×10?2 S/cm and an electron conductivity from 10?8 to 103 S/cm and wherein the anode active material layer contains a layer of lithium or lithium alloy, in a form of a foil, coating, or multiple particles aggregated together, as an anode active material.

Abstract: Provided is a method of improving fast-chargeability of a lithium secondary battery containing an anode, a cathode, a porous separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein the method comprises packing particles of an anode active material to form an anode active material layer having interstitial spaces and disposing a lithium ion reservoir in the interstitial spaces, configured to receive lithium ions from the cathode through the porous separator when the battery is charged and to enable the lithium ions to enter the particles of anode active material in a time-delayed manner.