Abstract: Provided is a multivalent metal-ion battery comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte in ionic contact with the anode and the cathode to support reversible deposition and dissolution of a multivalent metal, selected from Ni, Zn, Be, Mg, Ca, Ba, La, Ti, Ta, Zr, Nb, Mn, V, Co, Fe, Cd, Cr, Ga, In, or a combination thereof, at the anode, wherein the anode contains the multivalent metal or its alloy as an anode active material and the cathode comprises a cathode active layer of a graphite or carbon material having expanded inter-graphene planar spaces with an inter-planar spacing d002 from 0.43 nm to 2.0 nm as measured by X-ray diffraction. Such a metal-ion battery delivers a high energy density, high power density, and long cycle life.

Abstract: A method of producing isolated graphene sheets directly from a graphitic material, comprising: a) mixing multiple particles of a graphitic material and multiple particles of a solid carrier material to form a mixture in an impacting chamber of an energy impacting apparatus; b) operating the impacting apparatus for peeling off graphene sheets from the graphitic material and transferring these graphene sheets to surfaces of solid carrier material particles to produce graphene-coated solid particles inside the impacting chamber; c) separating the graphene sheets from the solid carrier material particle surfaces to recover isolated graphene sheets. The method enables production of graphene sheets directly from a graphitic material without going through a chemical intercalation or oxidation procedure. The process is fast (hours as opposed to days of conventional processes), has low or no water usage, environmentally benign, cost effective, and highly scalable.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing isolated graphene sheets directly from a carbon/graphite precursor. The method comprises: (a) providing a mass of halogenated aromatic molecules selected from halogenated petroleum heavy oil or pitch, coal tar pitch, polynuclear hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof; (b) heat treating this mass at a first temperature of 25 to 300° C. in the presence of a catalyst and optionally at a second temperature of 300-3,200° C. to form graphene domains dispersed in a disordered matrix of carbon or hydrocarbon molecules, and (c) separating and isolating the planes of hexagonal carbon atoms or fused aromatic rings to recover graphene sheets from the disordered matrix.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a polymer composite film, comprising the steps of: (a) mixing a phthalocyanine compound with a polymer or its precursor and a liquid to form a slurry and forming the slurry into a wet film on a solid substrate, wherein the polymer is preferably selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyamide, polyoxadiazole, polybenzoxazole, polybenzobisoxazole, polythiazole, polybenzothiazole, polybenzobisthiazole, poly(p-phenylene vinylene), polybenzimidazole, polybenzobisimidazole, and combinations thereof; and (b) removing the liquid from the wet film and, in some embodiments, converting the precursor to the polymer to form the polymer composite film comprising from 0.1% to 50% by weight of the phthalocyanine compound dispersed in the polymer.

Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable battery system comprising at least a battery cell and an external cooling means, wherein the battery cell comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode, a protective housing that at least partially encloses the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte, and at least one heat-spreader element disposed partially or entirely inside the protective housing and wherein the external cooling means is in thermal contact with the heat spreader element configured to enable transporting internal heat of the battery through the heat spreader element to the external cooling means. Also provided is a method of operating a rechargeable battery system, the method comprising implementing a heat spreader element in one or each of a plurality of battery cells and bringing the heat spreader element in thermal contact with one or a plurality of external cooling means.

Abstract: Provided is particulate of an anode active material for a lithium battery, comprising one or a plurality of anode 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 method of producing graphene-embraced anode particulates for a lithium battery, the method comprising: (A) providing anode active material-decorated carbon or graphite particles, wherein the carbon or graphite particles have a diameter or thickness from 500 nm to 50 ?m and the anode active material, in a form of particles or coating having a diameter or thickness from 0.5 nm to 2 ?m, is bonded to surfaces of the carbon or graphite particles; and (B) embracing the anode active material-decorated carbon or graphite particles with a shell comprising multiple graphene sheets to produce the graphene-embraced anode particulates.

Abstract: A lithium metal battery comprising a cathode, an anode, and an elastic polymer separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the elastic polymer separator comprises a high-elasticity polymer and the elastic polymer separator has a thickness from 50 nm to 100 µm and a lithium ion conductivity from 10-6 S/cm to 5 × 10-2 S/cm at room temperature and the high elasticity polymer has a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 1,000% when measured without any additive dispersed therein. Preferably, the high-elasticity polymer contains a lithium salt and/or a lithium-ion conducting additive dissolved or dispersed therein. Also provided is a process for producing the elastic polymer separator and a lithium metal battery.

Abstract: A rechargeable sodium-ion cell, comprising an anode, a cathode, a separator that electronically isolates the anode from the cathode, and an electrolyte in ionic contact with the anode active and the cathode, wherein the anode comprises a graphite or carbon material having expanded inter-graphene planar spaces with an inter-planar spacing d002 from 0.43 nm to 3.0 nm, as measured by X-ray diffraction, and the expanded inter-graphene planar spaces store sodium ions to a specific capacity no less than 150 mAh/g when the cell is in a charged state. Also provided is a method of producing such an anode and sodium-ion cell.

Abstract: Provided is an anode active material layer for a lithium battery. This layer comprises multiple particulates of an anode active material, wherein at least a particulate is composed of one or a plurality of particles of an anode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of graphene/elastomer composite having from 0.01% to 50% by weight of graphene sheets dispersed in an elastomeric matrix material, wherein the encapsulating shell (the thin layer of composite) has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m and the graphene/elastomer composite has a lithium ion conductivity from 10?7 S/cm to 10?2 S/cm and an electrical conductivity from 10?7 S/cm to 100 S/cm when measured at room temperature. The anode active material is preferably selected from Si, Ge, Sn, SnO2, SiOx, Co3O4, Mn3O4, etc., which has a specific capacity of lithium storage greater than 372 mAh/g (the theoretical lithium storage limit of graphite).

Abstract: An anode layer for a lithium battery, said anode layer comprising (a) 50% to 95% by weight of multiple anode active material particles; (b) 0.01% to 30% by weight of a conductive additive; and (c) a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain from 5% to 1,000% and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm, wherein the high-elasticity polymer comprises (i) an elastomer or rubber and (ii) a lithium ion-conducting phase comprising plastic crystal and/or organic plasticizer domains containing an optional lithium salt therein, wherein the elastomer or rubber and the lithium ion-conducting phase, separately or in combination, form a network of lithium ion-conducting pathways; the conductive additive forms a network of electron-conducing pathways that are in electrical contact with the anode particles; and the high-elasticity polymer bonds, encapsulates, embraces, or coats on the surfaces of the anode particles and the conductive additive.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium-ion cell comprising an anode, a cathode, a separator that electrically separates the anode and the cathode, and an elastic, ion-conducting polymer protective layer disposed between the anode and the separator, wherein the anode comprises multiple particles of an anode active material, an optional conductive additive, and an optional polymer binder that bonds the anode material particles and conductive additive together to form the anode and wherein the polymer protective layer comprises an elastic polymer having a recoverable tensile strain from 5% to 1,000%, when measured without an additive dispersed in the elastic polymer, and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm (preferably greater than 10?4 S/cm). Also provided is a method of producing such a cell.

Abstract: Provided is anode active material for use in a lithium ion battery, wherein the anode active material is capable of reversibly storing lithium ions therein up to a maximum lithium storage capacity Cmax during a charge or discharge of the battery and the anode active material comprises an amount of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) on a surface or in an internal structure of the anode active material wherein the SEI is pre-formed prior to incorporating the anode active material in an anode electrode of the battery. Also provided is a method of producing the pre-formed SEI substances in the anode material; e.g. through repeated lithiation/delithiation procedures.

Abstract: A hybrid solid electrolyte particulate for use in a rechargeable lithium battery cell, wherein said particulate comprises one or more than one inorganic solid electrolyte particles encapsulated by a shell of conducting polymer electrolyte wherein (i) the hybrid solid electrolyte particulate has a lithium-ion conductivity from 10?6 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm and both the inorganic solid electrolyte and the conducting polymer electrolyte individually have a lithium-ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm; (ii) the conducting polymer electrolyte has an electron conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm; and (iii) the conducting polymer electrolyte-to-inorganic solid electrolyte ratio is from 1/100 to 100/1 or the conducting polymer electrolyte shell has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m. Also provided is a lithium-ion or lithium metal cell containing multiple hybrid solid electrolyte particulates in the anode and/or the cathode. Processes for producing hybrid solid electrolyte particulates are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hybrid solid electrolyte particulate for use in a rechargeable lithium battery cell, wherein said particulate comprises one or more than one inorganic solid electrolyte particles encapsulated by a shell of elastic polymer electrolyte wherein (i) the hybrid solid electrolyte particulate has a lithium-ion conductivity from 10?6 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm and both the inorganic solid electrolyte and the elastic polymer electrolyte individually have a lithium-ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm; (ii) the elastic polymer electrolyte-to-inorganic solid electrolyte ratio is from 1/100 to 100/1 or the elastic polymer electrolyte shell has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m; and (iii) the elastic polymer electrolyte has a recoverable elastic tensile strain from 5% to 1,000%. Also provided is a lithium-ion or lithium metal cell containing multiple hybrid solid electrolyte particulates in the anode, cathode and/or the separator. Processes for producing hybrid solid electrolyte particulates are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hybrid solid electrolyte particulate (or multiple particulates) for use in a rechargeable lithium battery cell, wherein the particulate comprises one or more than one inorganic solid electrolyte particles encapsulated by a shell of polymer electrolyte wherein the hybrid solid electrolyte particulate has a lithium-ion conductivity from 10?6 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm and both the inorganic solid electrolyte and the polymer electrolyte individually have a lithium-ion conductivity no less than 1031 6 S/cm. Also provided is a lithium-ion or lithium metal cell containing multiple hybrid solid electrolyte particulates in the anode, cathode and/or the separator. Processes for producing hybrid solid electrolyte particulates are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrochemical battery cell comprising an anode having a primary anode active material, a cathode, and an ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein the cell has an initial output voltage, Vi, measured at 10% depth of discharge (DoD), selected from a range from 0.3 volts to 0.8 volts, and a final output voltage Vf measured at a DoD no greater than 90%, wherein a voltage variation, (Vi?Vf)/Vi, is no greater than ±10% and the specific capacity between Vi and Vf is no less than 100 mAh/g or 200 mAh/cm3 based on the cathode active material weight or volume, and wherein the primary anode active material is selected from lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), a mixture thereof, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a graphene-based aqueous coating suspension comprising multiple graphene sheets, particles of an anti-corrosive pigment or sacrificial metal, and a waterborne binder resin dissolved or dispersed in water, 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 and wherein the coating suspension does not contain a silicate binder or microspheres dispersed therein. Also provided is an object or structure coated at least in part with such a coating.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery comprising a cathode, an anode, and an elastic polymer protective layer disposed between the cathode and the anode, and a working electrolyte, wherein the elastic polymer protective layer comprises a high-elasticity polymer having a thickness from 50 nm to 100 ?m, a lithium ion conductivity from 10?8 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm at room temperature, and a fully recoverable tensile elastic strain from 2% to 1,000% when measured without any additive or filler dispersed therein and wherein the high-elasticity polymer comprises a crosslinked polymer network of chains derived from at least one multi-functional monomer or oligomer selected from an acrylate, polyether, polyurethane acrylate, tetraethylene glycol diacrylate, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, or di(trimethylolpropane) tetraacrylate, wherein a multi-functional monomer or oligomer comprises at least three reactive functional groups.

Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable battery system comprising at least a battery cell and an external cooling means, wherein the battery cell comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode, a protective housing that at least partially encloses the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte, and at least one heat-spreader element disposed partially or entirely inside the protective housing and wherein the external cooling means is in thermal contact with the heat spreader element configured to enable transporting internal heat of the battery through the heat spreader element to the external cooling means. Also provided is a method of operating a rechargeable battery system, the method comprising implementing a heat spreader element in one or each of a plurality of battery cells and bringing the heat spreader element in thermal contact with one or a plurality of external cooling means.