Patents Assigned to Global Graphene Group, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11121359
    Abstract: Provided is a bi-polar electrode for a battery, the electrode comprising: (a) a current collector comprising a conductive material foil (e.g. metal foil) having a thickness from 10 nm to 100 ?m and two opposed, parallel primary surfaces, wherein one or both of the primary surfaces is coated with a layer of exfoliated graphite or expanded graphite material having a thickness from 10 nm to 50 ?m; and (b) a negative electrode layer and a positive electrode layer respectively disposed on the two sides of the current collector, each in physical contact with the layer of exfoliated graphite or expanded graphite material or directly with a primary surface of the conductive material foil (if not coated with a exfoliated or expanded graphite layer). Also provided is a battery comprising multiple (e.g. 2-300) bipolar electrodes internally connected in series. There can be multiple bi-polar electrodes that are connected in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Evan House, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Publication number: 20210280871
    Abstract: Provided is a composite particulate for use in a lithium-ion battery anode. The composite particulate comprises one or a plurality of nanowires of an anode active material (e.g. Si, Ge, Sn, SiOx, SnO2, etc., where 0.1?x?1.9), having a diameter or thickness from 0.5 nm to 500 nm, encapsulated by or embedded in an electrically and/or ionically conducting polymer gel network. The polymer gel network may further comprise graphene sheets and/or other conductive additives (e.g. carbon nanotubes, CNT) dispersed therein. Also provided is a process for producing multiple composite particulates herein described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11043694
    Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-selenium cell comprising an anode active material layer, an electrolyte, and a cathode active material layer containing multiple particulates of a selenium-containing material selected from a selenium-carbon hybrid, selenium-graphite hybrid, selenium-graphene hybrid, conducting polymer-selenium hybrid, a metal selenide, a Se alloy or mixture with Sn, Sb, Bi, S, or Te, a selenium compound, or a combination thereof and wherein at least one of the particulates comprises one or a plurality of selenium-containing material particles being embraced or encapsulated by a thin layer of an elastomer having a recoverable tensile strain no less than 5% when measured without an additive or reinforcement, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?7 S/cm at room temperature, and a thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 ?m This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high selenium content, high selenium utilization efficiency, high energy density, and long cycle life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11043662
    Abstract: Provided is a lithium battery cathode electrode comprising multiple particulates of a cathode active material, wherein at least a particulate is composed of one or a plurality of particles of a cathode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of inorganic filler-reinforced elastomer having from 0.01% to 50% by weight of an inorganic filler dispersed in an elastomeric matrix material based on the total weight of the inorganic filler-reinforced elastomer, wherein the encapsulating thin layer of inorganic filler-reinforced elastomer has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, and a lithium ion conductivity from 10?7 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm and the inorganic filler has a lithium intercalation potential from 1.1 V to 4.5 V (preferably 1.2-2.5 V) versus Li/Li+.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Baofei Pan, Hui He, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11038205
    Abstract: A surface-enabled, metal ion-exchanging battery device comprising a cathode, an anode, a porous separator, and a metal ion-containing electrolyte, wherein the metal ion is selected from aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), or bismuth (Bi), and at least one of the electrodes contains therein a metal ion source prior to the first charge or discharge cycle of the device and at least the cathode comprises a functional material or nano-structured material having a metal ion-capturing functional group or metal ion-storing surface in direct contact with the electrolyte. This energy storage device has a power density significantly higher than that of a lithium-ion battery and an energy density dramatically higher than that of a supercapacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11038164
    Abstract: A method of producing a pre-sulfurized active cathode layer for a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell; the method comprising: (a) preparing an integral layer of mesoporous structure of a carbon, graphite, metal, or conductive polymer having a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/g; (b) preparing an electrolyte comprising a solvent and a sulfur source; (c) preparing an anode; and (d) bringing the integral layer and the anode in ionic contact with the electrolyte and imposing an electric current between the anode and the integral layer (serving as a cathode) to electrochemically deposit nanoscaled sulfur particles or coating on the graphene surfaces. The sulfur particles or coating have a thickness or diameter smaller than 20 nm (preferably <10 nm, more preferably <5 nm or even <3 nm) and occupy a weight fraction of at least 70% (preferably >90% or even >95%).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui He, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11037693
    Abstract: A process for producing a transparent conductive film, comprising (a) providing a graphene oxide gel; (b) dispersing metal nanowires in the graphene oxide gel to form a suspension; (c) dispensing and depositing the suspension onto a substrate; and (d) removing the liquid medium to form the film. The film is composed of metal nanowires and graphene oxide with a metal nanowire-to-graphene oxide weight ratio from 1/99 to 99/1, wherein the metal nanowires contain no surface-borne metal oxide or metal compound 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-jun Lin, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11038195
    Abstract: Provided is graphene-embraced particulate for use as a lithium-ion battery anode active material, wherein the particulate comprises primary particle(s) of an anode active material and multiple sheets of a first graphene material overlapped together to embrace or encapsulate the primary particle(s) and wherein a single or a plurality of graphene-encapsulated primary particles, along with an optional conductive additive, are further embraced or encapsulated by multiple sheets of a second graphene material, wherein the first graphene and the second graphene material is each in an amount from 0.01% to 20% by weight and the optional conductive additive is in an amount from 0% to 50% by weight, all based on the total weight of the particulate. Also provided are an anode and a battery comprising multiple graphene-embraced particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Jun Yin, Jen-Hsien Yang, Yu-Sheng Su, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11038172
    Abstract: Provided is an impact-transfer method of producing multiple porous anode particulates for a lithium battery, the method comprising: (a) mixing multiple particles of a graphitic material, multiple composite particles comprising primary anode active material particles dispersed in or bonded by a sacrificial material, optional milling balls to form a mixture in an impacting chamber of an energy impacting apparatus; (b) operating the energy impacting apparatus for peeling off graphene sheets from the particles of graphitic material and transferring the peeled graphene sheets to surfaces of composite particles to produce particulates of graphene-encapsulated composite particles; (c) recovering the particulates from the impacting chamber; and (d) partially or completely removing the sacrificial particles from the particulates of graphene-encapsulated composite particles to obtain the multiple porous anode particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11031589
    Abstract: Provided is an anode particulate for a lithium battery, the particulate comprising a core and a thin encapsulating layer that encapsulates or embraces the core, wherein the core comprises a single or a plurality of primary particles of an anode active material, having a volume Va, dispersed or embedded in a porous carbon matrix (a carbon foam), wherein the porous carbon matrix contains pores having a pore volume Vp, and the thin encapsulating layer comprises graphene sheets and has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, an electric conductivity from 10?6 S/cm to 20,000 S/cm and a lithium ion conductivity from 10?8 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm and wherein the volume ratio Vp/Va is from 0.5/1.0 to 5.0/1.0. The carbon foam is preferably reinforced with a high-strength material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaw Yuh Ko, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11027252
    Abstract: Provided is a continuous reactor system for producing graphene or an inorganic 2-D compound, the reactor comprising: (a) a first body comprising an outer wall and a second body comprising an inner wall, wherein the inner wall defines a bore and the first body is configured within the bore and a motor is configured to rotate the first and/or second body; (b) a reaction chamber between the outer wall of the first body and the inner wall of the second body; (c) a first inlet and a second inlet disposed at first end of the reactor and in fluid communication with the reaction chamber; (d) a first outlet and a second outlet disposed downstream from the first inlet, the outlets being in fluid communication with the reaction chamber; and (e) a flow return conduit having two inlets/outlets in fluid communication with two ends of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-jun Lin, Hsuan-Wen Lee, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11024849
    Abstract: Provided is a lithium secondary battery containing an anode, a cathode, a porous separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, an electrolyte, and a lithium ion reservoir disposed between the anode and the porous separator and configured to receive lithium ions from the cathode when the battery is charged and enable the lithium ions to enter the anode in a time-delayed manner, wherein the reservoir comprises a conducting porous framework structure having pores (pore size from 1 nm to 500 ?m) and lithium-capturing groups residing in the pores, wherein the lithium-capturing groups are selected from (a) redox forming species that reversibly form a redox pair with a lithium ion; (b) electron-donating groups interspaced between non-electron-donating groups; (c) anions and cations wherein the anions are more mobile than the cations; or (d) chemical reducing groups that partially reduce lithium ions from Li+1 to Li+?, wherein 0<?<1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui He, Chueh Liu, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11024840
    Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode active material layer, a cathode active material layer, a discrete anode-protecting layer disposed between the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer, and an electrolyte (but no porous separator), wherein the anode-protecting layer has a thickness from 1 nm to 100 ?m and comprises an elastomer having a fully recoverable tensile elastic strain from 2% to 1,000% and a lithium ion conductivity from 10?8 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm when measure at room temperature. The cathode layer comprises a sulfur-containing material selected from a sulfur-carbon hybrid, sulfur-graphite hybrid, sulfur-graphene hybrid, conducting polymer-sulfur hybrid, metal sulfide, sulfur compound, or a combination thereof. This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high sulfur content, high sulfur utilization efficiency, high energy density, no known dendrite issue, no dead lithium or dead sodium issue, and a long cycle life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11021371
    Abstract: Provided is a powder mass of multiple individual hollow graphene balls, wherein at least one of the hollow graphene balls has a graphene shell composed of graphene sheets bonded by a carbon material and a hollow core enclosed by the graphene shell. These hollow graphene sheets can be used in a broad array of applications, such as for thermal management, for separating an organic solvent from a solvent-water mixture, and for separating oil from water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11018336
    Abstract: Provided is graphene-embraced particulate for use as a lithium-ion battery anode active material, wherein the particulate comprises primary particle(s) of an anode active material and multiple sheets of a first graphene material overlapped together to embrace or encapsulate the primary particle(s) and wherein a single or a plurality of graphene-encapsulated primary particles, along with an optional conductive additive, are further embraced or encapsulated by multiple sheets of a second graphene material, wherein the first graphene and/or the second graphene material is attached to a redox partner species (e.g. sulfonyl group, —NH2, etc.) capable of reversibly forming a redox pair with lithium. The invention also provides an anode electrode and a battery comprising multiple graphene-embraced particulates having redox forming species bonded thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11005094
    Abstract: Provided is a lithium battery anode electrode comprising 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 inorganic filler-reinforced elastomer having from 0.01% to 50% by weight of an inorganic filler dispersed in an elastomeric matrix material based on the total weight of the inorganic filler-reinforced elastomer, wherein the encapsulating thin layer of inorganic filler-reinforced elastomer has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, and a lithium ion conductivity from 10?7 to S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm and the inorganic filler has a lithium intercalation potential from 1.1 V to 4.5 V (preferably 1.2-2.5 V) versus Li/Li+. The anode active material is preferably selected from Si, Ge, Sn, SnO2, SiOx, Co3O4, Mn3O4, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Baofei Pan, Hui He, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 10985365
    Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising: (a) an anode; (b) a cathode active material layer comprising a sulfur-containing material; and (c) an electrolyte or an electrolyte/separator layer; wherein the anode comprises (i) an anode active material layer; (ii) a first anode-protecting layer, in physical contact with the anode active material layer, having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 ?m and comprising a thin layer of an electron-conducting material having a specific surface area greater than 50 m2/g; and (iii) a second anode-protecting layer in physical contact with the first anode-protecting layer, having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 ?m and comprising an elastomer having a fully recoverable tensile elastic strain from 2% to 1,000% and a lithium ion conductivity from 10?8 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm when measure at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui He, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 10985376
    Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode layer, an electrolyte and a porous separator, a cathode layer, and a discrete anode-protecting layer disposed between the anode layer and the separator and/or a discrete cathode-protecting layer disposed between the separator and the cathode active material layer; wherein the anode-protecting layer or cathode-protecting layer comprises a conductive sulfonated elastomer composite having from 0.01% to 40% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material and from 0.01% to 40% by weight of an electrochemically stable inorganic filler dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material and the protective layer has a thickness from 1 nm to 50 ?m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, a lithium ion conductivity from 10?7 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm, and an electrical conductivity from 10?7 S/cm to 100 S/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui He, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 10985373
    Abstract: Provided is cathode active material layer for a lithium battery. The cathode active material layer comprises multiple cathode active material particles and an optional conductive additive that are bonded together by a binder comprising a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain from 5% to 700% (preferably from 10% to 100%) when measured without an additive or reinforcement in said polymer and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?5 S/cm (preferably and typically from 1.0×10?5 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm) at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Baofei Pan, Hui He, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Publication number: 20210111403
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Sheng Su, Minjie Li, Hui He, Qing Fang, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang