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: A heat dissipation system, comprising: (a) an electronic device comprising a heat source, wherein the heat source transmits heat to a second component or an external surface of the device; (b) a heat-conducting layer being positioned such that one of its major surfaces is in operative contact with the heat source such that it is interposed between the heat source and the second component or the external surface. The heat-conducting layer comprises at least one graphene oxide-coated graphitic foil laminate which thermally shields the second component or the external surface from heat generated by the heat source, and wherein the laminate is composed of a graphitic substrate/core layer with at least one primary surface coated with a graphene oxide coating layer. This graphene oxide-coated laminate exhibits a combination of exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, surface hardness, and scratch resistance, making this the most effective heat dissipation system.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrochemical cell, comprising: (A) continuously depositing a wet cathode active material mixture onto a surface of a cathode current collector to form a cathode electrode, wherein the wet cathode active material mixture contains 30% to 85% by volume of a cathode active material and 0% to 15% by volume of a conductive additive dispersed in a first liquid or polymer gel electrolyte; (B) continuously depositing a wet anode active material mixture onto a surface of an anode current collector to form an anode electrode, wherein the wet anode active material mixture contains an anode active material and a conductive additive dispersed in a second electrolytes; and (C) combining the cathode electrode or a portion thereof and the anode electrode or a portion thereof to form the cell; wherein the anode electrode and/or the cathode electrode has a thickness from 200 ?m to 3,000 ?m.

Abstract: Provided is 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 10% when measured without an additive or reinforcement, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?5 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-capacity anode active material has a specific lithium storage capacity greater than 372 mAh/g (e.g. Si, Ge, Sn, SnO2, Co3O4, etc.).

Abstract: Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode active material layer, an electrolyte, and a cathode active material layer containing multiple particulates of a sulfur-containing material and wherein at least one of the particulates is composed of one or a plurality of sulfur-containing material particles being embraced or encapsulated by a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer (containing a polyrotaxane network having a rotaxane structure or a polyrotaxane structure at a crosslink point of the polyrotaxane network) having a recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 1,500%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm at room temperature, and a 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.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium secondary battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, and a porous separator or electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) an anode active layer containing a layer of lithium or lithium alloy, in a form of a foil, coating, or multiple particles aggregated together, as an anode active material; and (b) a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer, disposed between the anode active layer and the porous separator or electrolyte; the polymer having a recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 1,500%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm (typically up to 5×10?2 S/cm) at room temperature, and a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, 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 rolled supercapacitor comprising an anode, a cathode, a porous separator, and an electrolyte, wherein the anode contains a wound anode roll of an anode active material having an anode roll length, width, and thickness and the anode active material contains flakes of graphite worms or expanded graphite that are oriented substantially parallel to the plane defined by the anode roll length and width; and/or the cathode contains a wound cathode roll of a cathode active material having a cathode roll length, width, and thickness, wherein the cathode active material contains flakes of graphite worms or expanded graphite that are oriented substantially parallel to the plane defined by the cathode roll length and width; and wherein the anode roll width and/or the cathode roll width is substantially perpendicular to the separator.

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 an alkali metal-sulfur cell comprises: (A) an anode comprising (i) an anode active material layer composed of fine particles of a first anode active material, an optional conductive additive, and an optional binder and, prior to assembly of the cell, (ii) a layer of an alkali metal or alkali metal alloy having greater than 50% by weight of lithium, sodium, or potassium therein, wherein the layer of alkali metal or alkali metal alloy is in physical contact with the anode active material layer; (B) a cathode active material layer and an optional cathode current collector, wherein the cathode active material layer contains multiple particulates of 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; and (C) an electrolyte in ionic contact with the anode active material layer and the cathode active material layer.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium ion battery that exhibits a significantly improved specific capacity and much longer charge-discharge cycle life. In one preferred embodiment, the battery comprises a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte in ionic contact with both the cathode and the anode, and an optional separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein, prior to the battery being assembled, the anode comprises (a) an anode active material layer composed of fine particles of a first anode active material having an average size from 1 nm to 10 ?m, an optional conductive additive, and an optional binder that bonds the fine particles and the conductive additive together to form the anode active material layer having structural integrity and (b) a layer of lithium metal or lithium metal alloy having greater than 80% by weight of lithium therein, wherein the layer of lithium metal or lithium metal alloy is in physical contact with the anode active material layer.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium or sodium metal battery having an anode, a cathode, and a porous separator and/or an electrolyte, wherein the anode contains a graphene-metal hybrid foam composed of multiple pores, pore walls, and a lithium- or sodium-attracting metal residing in the pores; wherein the metal is selected from Au, Ag, Mg, Zn, Ti, Na (or Li), K, Al, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Sn, V, Cr, or an alloy thereof and is in an amount of 0.1% to 90% of the total hybrid foam weight or volume, and the pore walls contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets, wherein graphene sheets contain a pristine graphene or non-pristine graphene 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.

Abstract: Provided is a solid state electrolyte composition for a rechargeable lithium battery. The electrolyte composition comprises a lithium ion-conducting polymer matrix or binder and lithium ion-conducting inorganic species that is dispersed in or chemically bonded by the polymer matrix or binder, wherein the lithium ion-conducting inorganic species is selected from Li2CO3, Li2O, Li2C2O4, LiOH, LiX, ROCO2Li, HCOLi, ROLi, (ROCO2Li)2, (CH2OCO2Li)2, Li2S, LixSOy, or a combination thereof, wherein X=F, Cl, I, or Br, R=a hydrocarbon group, 0<x?1, 1?y?4; and wherein the polymer matrix or binder is in an amount from 1% to 99% by volume of the electrolyte composition. Also provided are a process for producing this solid state electrolyte and a lithium secondary battery containing such a solid state electrolyte.

Abstract: Provided is an integral 3D graphene-carbon hybrid foam composed of multiple pores and pore walls, wherein the pore walls contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets chemically bonded by a carbon material having a carbon material-to-graphene weight ratio from 1/100 to 1/2, wherein the few-layer graphene sheets have 2-10 layers of stacked graphene planes having an inter-plane spacing d002 from 0.3354 nm to 0.40 nm and the graphene sheets contain a pristine graphene material having essentially zero % of non-carbon elements, or a non-pristine graphene material having 0.01% to 25% by weight of non-carbon elements wherein said 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.

Abstract: Provided is a rolled alkali metal battery wherein the alkali metal is selected from Li, Na, K, or a combination thereof; the battery comprising an anode having an anode active material, a cathode containing a cathode active material, and a separator-electrolyte layer, comprising a first electrolyte alone or a first electrolyte-porous separator assembly, in ionic contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the cathode contains a wound cathode roll of at least a discrete layer of the cathode active material and an optional binder, at least a discrete layer of a conductive material, and at least a layer of a second electrolyte, identical or different in composition than the first electrolyte, wherein the wound cathode roll has a cathode roll length, a cathode roll width, and a cathode roll thickness and the cathode roll width is substantially perpendicular to the separator-electrolyte layer.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing an alkali-sulfur cell comprising: (a) combining a quantity of an active material, a quantity of an electrolyte containing an alkali salt dissolved in a solvent, and a conductive additive to form a deformable and electrically conductive electrode material, wherein the conductive additive, containing conductive filaments, forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways; (b) forming the electrode material into a quasi-solid electrode (the first electrode), wherein the forming step includes deforming the electrode material into an electrode shape without interrupting the 3D network of electron-conducting pathways such that the electrode maintains an electrical conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm; (c) forming a second electrode (the second electrode may be a quasi-solid electrode as well); and (d) forming an alkali-sulfur cell by combining the quasi-solid electrode and the second electrode having an ion-conducting separator disposed between the two electrodes.

Abstract: A process for producing a nanographene platelet-reinforced composite material having nanographene platelets or sheets (NGPs) as a first reinforcement phase dispersed in a matrix material and the first reinforcement phase occupies a weight fraction of 1-90% based on the total composite weight. Preferably, these NGPs, alone or in combination with a second reinforcement phase, are bonded by an adhesive and constitute a continuous 3-D network of electron- and phonon-conducting paths.

Abstract: Provided is an alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising: (a) a quasi-solid cathode containing about 30% to about 95% by volume of a cathode active material (a sulfur-containing material), about 5% to about 40% by volume of a first electrolyte containing an alkali salt dissolved in a solvent (but no ion-conducting polymer dissolved therein), and about 0.01% to about 30% by volume of a conductive additive wherein the conductive additive, containing conductive filaments, forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways such that the quasi-solid electrode has an electrical conductivity from about 10?6 S/cm to about 300 S/cm; (b) an anode; and (c) an ion-conducting membrane or porous separator disposed between the anode and the quasi-solid cathode; wherein the quasi-solid cathode has a thickness from 200 ?m to 100 cm and a cathode active material having an active material mass loading greater than 10 mg/cm2.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing isolated graphene sheets from a supply of coke or coal powder containing therein domains of hexagonal carbon atoms and/or hexagonal carbon atomic interlayers. The method comprises: (a) dispersing particles of the coke or coal powder in a liquid medium containing therein an optional surfactant or dispersing agent to produce a suspension or slurry, wherein the coke or coal powder is selected from petroleum coke, coal-derived coke, mesophase coke, synthetic coke, leonardite, anthracite, lignite coal, bituminous coal, or natural coal mineral powder, or a combination thereof; and (b) exposing the suspension or slurry to ultrasonication at an energy level for a sufficient length of time to produce the isolated graphene sheets.

Abstract: Provided is method of preparing an alkali metal cell, the method comprising: (a) combining a quantity of an active material, a quantity of an electrolyte, and a conductive additive to form a deformable and conductive electrode material, wherein the conductive additive, containing conductive filaments, forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways and the electrolyte contains an alkali salt and an ion-conducting polymer dissolved or dispersed in a solvent; (b) forming the electrode material into a quasi-solid polymer electrode, wherein the forming includes deforming the electrode material into an electrode shape without interrupting the 3D network of electron-conducting pathways such that the electrode maintains an electrical conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm; (c) forming a second electrode; and (d) forming an alkali metal cell by combining the quasi-solid electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode may also be a quasi-solid polymer electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium or sodium metal battery having an anode, a cathode, and a porous separator and/or an electrolyte, wherein the anode contains an integral 3D graphene-carbon hybrid foam composed of multiple pores, pore walls, and a lithium-attracting metal residing in the pores; wherein the metal is selected from Au, Ag, Mg, Zn, Ti, Na, K, Al, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Sn, V, Cr, or an alloy thereof and is in an amount of 0.1% to 50% of the total hybrid foam weight or volume, and the pore walls contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets chemically bonded by a carbon material having a carbon material-to-graphene weight ratio from 1/200 to 1/2, wherein graphene sheets contain a pristine graphene or non-pristine graphene 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.