Abstract: Provided is a lithium battery cathode electrode comprising multiple particulates of a cathode active material, wherein at least a particulate comprises one or a plurality of particles of a cathode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of a sulfonated elastomer, wherein the encapsulating thin layer of sulfonated elastomer has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 800%, and a lithium ion conductivity from 10?7 S/cm to 5×10?2 S/cm. The encapsulating layer may further contain an electron-conducting additive and/or a lithium ion-conducting additive dispersed in the sulfonated elastomer.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium-selenium battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, and a porous separator/electrolyte assembly, wherein the anode comprises an anode active layer containing lithium or lithium alloy as an anode active material, and the cathode comprises a cathode active layer comprising a selenium-containing material, wherein an anode-protecting layer is disposed between the anode active layer and the separator/electrolyte and/or a cathode-protecting layer is disposed between the cathode active layer and the separator/electrolyte; the protecting layer comprising 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 having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 ?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.

Abstract: Provided is an anode particulate, having a dimension from 10 nm to 300 ?m, for use in an alkali metal battery, the particulate comprising (i) an anode active material capable of reversibly absorbing/desorbing lithium or sodium ions, (ii) an electron-conducting material, and (iii) a lithium or sodium salt with an optional polymer or its monomer, but without a liquid solvent, for an electrolyte, wherein the electron-conducting material forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways in electronic contact with the anode active material and the lithium or sodium salt is in physical contact with the anode active material (so that the salt, when later impregnated with a liquid solvent, becomes an electrolyte forming a 3D network of lithium or sodium ion-conducting channels in ionic contact with the anode active material). The particulate can be of any shape, but preferably spherical or ellipsoidal in shape. Also provided is a cathode particulate.

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 long fiber comprising chemically functionalized graphene sheets that are chemically bonded with one another having an inter-planar spacing d002 from 0.36 nm to 1.5 nm as determined by X-ray diffraction and a non-carbon element content of 0.1% to 40% by weight, wherein the functionalized graphene sheets are substantially parallel to one another and parallel to the fiber axis direction and the fiber contains no core-shell structure, have no helically arranged graphene domains, and have a length no less than 0.5 cm and a physical density from 1.5 to 2.2 g/cm3. The graphene fiber typically has a thermal conductivity from 300 to 1,600 W/mK, an electrical conductivity from 600 to 15,000 S/cm, or a tensile strength higher than 1.0 GPa.

Abstract: A graphene oxide-coated graphitic foil, composed of a graphitic substrate or core layer having two opposed primary surfaces and at least a graphene oxide coating layer deposited on at least one of the two primary surfaces, wherein the graphitic substrate layer has a thickness preferably from 0.34 nm to 1 mm, and the graphene oxide coating layer has a thickness preferably from 0.5 nm to 1 mm and an oxygen content of 0.01%-40% by weight based on the total graphene oxide weight. The graphitic substrate layer may be preferably selected from flexible graphite foil, graphene film, graphene paper, graphite particle paper, carbon-carbon composite film, carbon nanofiber paper, or carbon nanotube paper. This graphene oxide-coated laminate exhibits a combination of exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, surface smoothness, surface hardness, and scratch resistance unmatched by any thin-film material of comparable thickness range.

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 50% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material 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. This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high sulfur content, high sulfur utilization efficiency, high energy density, and long cycle life.

Abstract: Provided is lithium secondary battery comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte or separator-electrolyte assembly disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) a foil or coating of lithium or lithium alloy; and (b) a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer disposed between the foil/coating and the electrolyte (or separator-electrolyte assembly), having a recoverable tensile strain no less than 2%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm at room temperature, and a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, wherein the high-elasticity polymer contains a cross-linked network of polymer chains having an ether linkage, nitrile-derived linkage, benzo peroxide-derived linkage, ethylene oxide linkage, propylene oxide linkage, vinyl alcohol linkage, cyano-resin linkage, triacrylate monomer-derived linkage, tetraacrylate monomer-derived linkage, or a combination thereof in the cross-linked network of polymer chains.

Abstract: Provided is a simple, fast, scalable, and environmentally benign method of producing a graphene-reinforced inorganic matrix composite directly from a graphitic material, the method comprising: (a) mixing multiple particles of a graphitic material and multiple particles of an inorganic solid carrier material to form a mixture in an impacting chamber of an energy impacting apparatus; (b) operating the energy impacting apparatus with a frequency and an intensity for a length of time sufficient for peeling off graphene sheets from the graphitic material and transferring the graphene sheets to surfaces of solid inorganic carrier material particles to produce graphene coated or graphene-embedded inorganic particles inside the impacting chamber; and (c) forming graphene-coated or graphene-embedded inorganic particles into the graphene-reinforced inorganic matrix composite. Also provided is a mass of the graphene-coated or graphene-embedded inorganic particles produced by this method.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of improving the cycle-life of a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell. The method comprises implementing an anode-protecting layer between an anode active material layer and a porous separator/electrolyte, and/or implementing a cathode-protecting layer between a cathode active material and the porous separator/electrolyte, wherein the anode-protecting layer or cathode-protecting layer comprises a conductive sulfonated elastomer composite having from 0.01% to 50% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material and the protecting layer has a thickness from 1 nm to 100 ?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 when measured at room temperature. This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high sulfur content, high sulfur utilization efficiency, high energy density, and long cycle life.

Abstract: Provided is a method of improving fast-dischargeability or high rate capability 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 a cathode active material to form a cathode active material layer having interstitial spaces and disposing a lithium ion receptor in the interstitial spaces, configured to receive lithium ions from the anode through the porous separator when the battery is discharged and to enable the lithium ions to enter the particles of cathode active material in a time-delayed manner.

Abstract: Provided is an anode active material layer for a lithium battery. The anode active material layer comprises multiple anode active material particles and an optional conductive additive that are bonded together by a binder comprising a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable or elastic tensile strain no less than 10% when measured without an additive or reinforcement in the polymer and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?5 S/cm at room temperature. The anode active material preferably has a specific lithium storage capacity greater than 372 mAh/g (e.g. Si, Ge, Sn, SnO2, Co3O4, etc.).

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a sulfur cathode for a metal-sulfur battery. The process comprises: (a) Preparing a humic acid-derived foam or combined humic acid/graphene-derived foam composed of multiple pores and pore walls, wherein the pore walls contain one or a plurality of hexagonal carbon atomic planes; and (b) Impregnating the foam with sulfur or sulfide in a form of thin particles or coating, having a diameter or thickness less than 500 nm, which are lodged in the pores or deposited on the pore walls of the foam.

Abstract: A unitary graphene-based continuous graphitic fiber comprising at least 90% by weight of graphene planes that are chemically bonded with one another having an inter-planar spacing from 0.3354 to 0.4 nm and an oxygen content of 0.01 to 5% by weight, wherein the graphene planes are parallel to one another and parallel to a fiber axis direction and the graphitic fiber contains no core-shell structure, have no helically arranged graphene domains, and have a porosity level less than 5% by volume. This fiber can be produced by a continuous filament of graphene oxide gel having living graphene oxide molecules or functionalized graphene chains dissolved in a fluid medium. The filament is deposited onto a supporting substrate under a molecule-aligning stress condition along the filament axis direction and then subjected to drying and heating treatments.

Abstract: A zinc ion-exchanging battery device comprising: (A) a cathode comprising two cathode active materials (a zinc ion intercalation compound and a surface-mediating material); (B) an anode containing zinc metal or zinc alloy; (C) a porous separator disposed between the cathode and the anode; and (D) an electrolyte containing zinc ions that are exchanged between the cathode and the anode during battery charge/discharge. The zinc ion intercalation compound is selected from chemically treated carbon or graphite material having an expanded inter-graphene spacing d002 of at least 0.5 nm, or an oxide, carbide, dichalcogenide, trichalcogenide, sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, iron, nickel, or a combination thereof. The surface-mediating material contains exfoliated graphite or multiple single-layer sheets or multi-layer platelets of a graphene material.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing graphene from a microwave-expandable un-exfoliated graphite or graphitic carbon, comprising: (a) feeding a powder of the microwave-expandable material onto a non-metallic solid substrate, wherein the powder is in a ribbon shape having a first ribbon width and a first ribbon thickness; (b) moving the ribbon-shape powder into a microwave applicator chamber containing a microwave power zone having a microwave application width (no less than the first ribbon width) and a microwave penetration depth (no less than the first ribbon thickness) so that the entire ribbon-shape powder receives and absorbs microwave power with a sufficient power level for a sufficient length of time to exfoliate and separate the powder for producing graphene sheets; and (c) moving the graphene sheets out of the microwave chamber, cooling the graphene sheets, and collecting the graphene sheets in a collector container or for a subsequent use.

Abstract: A method of producing a powder mass for a lithium battery, comprising: (a) mixing an inorganic filler and an elastomer or its precursor in a liquid medium or solvent to form a suspension; (b) dispersing a plurality of particles of an anode active material in the suspension to form a slurry; and (c) dispensing the slurry and removing the solvent and/or polymerizing or curing the precursor to form the powder mass, wherein at least a particulate is composed of one or a plurality of anode particles being encapsulated by a layer of inorganic filler-reinforced elastomer having 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 versus Li/Li+.

Abstract: A process for producing a unitary graphene matrix composite, the process comprising: (a) preparing a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dispersed in a fluid medium, wherein the graphene oxide gel is optically transparent or translucent; (b) mixing a carbon or graphite filler phase in said graphene oxide gel to form a slurry; (c) dispensing said slurry onto a surface of a supporting substrate or a cavity of a molding tool; (d) partially or completely removing the fluid medium from the slurry to form a composite precursor; and (e) heat-treating the composite precursor to form the unitary graphene composite at a temperature higher than 100° C. This composite exhibits a combination of exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, surface hardness, and scratch resistance.

Abstract: Provided is an anode active material layer for a lithium battery, comprising multiple particulates of an anode active material, wherein a particulate is composed of one or a plurality of particles of a high-capacity anode active material being embraced or encapsulated by a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain no less than 5% when measured without an additive or reinforcement, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm at room temperature, and a thickness from 0.5 nm (or a molecular monolayer) to 10 ?m (preferably less than 100 nm), and wherein the high-elasticity polymer contains a polyrotaxane network having a rotaxane structure or a polyrotaxane structure at a crosslink point of the polyrotaxane network.

Abstract: Provided is method of producing anode or cathode particulates for an alkali metal battery. The method comprises: (a) preparing a slurry containing particles of an anode or cathode active material, an electron-conducting material, and an electrolyte containing a lithium salt or sodium salt and an optional polymer dissolved in a liquid solvent; and (b) conducting a particulate-forming means to convert the slurry into multiple anode or cathode particulates, wherein an anode or a cathode particulate is composed of (i) particles of the active material, (ii) the electron-conducting material, and (iii) an electrolyte, wherein the electron-conducting material forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways and the electrolyte forms a 3D network of lithium ion- or sodium ion-conducting channels and wherein the anode particulate or cathode particulate has a dimension from 10 nm to 100 ?m and an electrical conductivity from about 10?6 S/cm to about 300 S/cm.