Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a graphitic film, comprising: (a) providing a suspension of 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 of aromatic molecules, 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 25° C. to 3,200° C. so that the aromatic molecules are merged or fused into larger aromatic molecules to form the graphitic film having graphene domains or graphite crystals, wherein the larger aromatic molecules or graphene planes in the graphene domains or graphite crystals are substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: Provided is a porous anode active material particle (or multiple porous particles) for a lithium battery, the particle comprising internal pores, having a pore volume of Vp and pore wall surfaces, and a solid portion having a solid volume Va, wherein the volume ratio Vp/Va is from 0.1/1.0 to 10/1.0 and wherein the pores are infiltrated with a graphene material that partially or fully covers the internal pore wall surfaces. The exterior surfaces of graphene-infiltrated porous particles may also be coated with a graphene materials and optionally further coated or encapsulated with a conducting polymer. Also provided is a method of producing graphene-infiltrated porous anode material particles.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium cell comprising two electrolyte compositions: (a) a first electrolyte composition (in physical contact with the cathode and the anode of the cell) contains a lithium salt dissolved in a mixture of a liquid solvent and a flame-retardant additive, having a lithium salt concentration from 1.5 M to 14.0 M; and (b) a second electrolyte composition, comprising a polymer electrolyte in ionic contact with the first electrolyte composition and being 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.

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 an anode electrode (e.g. a layer or roll of a laminated structure) for a lithium battery or sodium battery, the anode electrode comprising: (a) an anode current collector having two primary surfaces; (b) multiple particles or coating of a lithium-attracting metal or sodium-attracting metal deposited on at least one of the two primary surfaces, wherein the lithium-attracting metal or sodium-attracting metal, having a diameter or thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, is selected from Au, Ag, Mg, Zn, Ti, K, Al, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Sn, V, Cr, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof; and (c) a layer of graphene that covers and protects the multiple particles or coating of the metal. Also provided is a process for producing such an anode electrode and a battery cell.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing an integral 3D humic acid-carbon hybrid foam, comprising: (A) forming a solid shape of humic acid-polymer particle mixture; and (B) pyrolyzing the solid shape of humic acid-polymer particle mixture to thermally reduce humic acid into reduced humic acid sheets and thermally convert polymer into pores and carbon or graphite that bonds the reduced humic acid sheets to form the integral 3D humic acid-carbon hybrid foam.

Abstract: Provided is a bi-polar electrode for a battery, wherein the bi-polar electrode comprises: (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 graphene material having a thickness from 10 nm to 10 ?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 graphene material or directly with a primary surface of the conductive material foil (if not coated with a graphene material 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.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium cell comprising a cathode, an anode, an optional ion-permeable membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode, a non-flammable salt-retained liquefied gas electrolyte in contact with the cathode and the anode, wherein the electrolyte contains a lithium salt dissolved in or mixed with a liquefied gas solvent having a lithium salt concentration greater than 1.0 M so that the electrolyte exhibits a vapor pressure less than 1 kPa when measured at 20° C., a vapor pressure less than 60% of the vapor pressure of the liquefied gas solvent alone, a flash point at least 20 degrees Celsius higher than a flash point of the liquefied gas solvent alone, a flash point higher than 150° C.

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 porous graphene structure 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 nano-scaled 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%).

Abstract: A method of producing graphene sheets directly from graphite mineral (graphite rock) powder, comprising: (a) forming an intercalated graphite compound by an electrochemical intercalation procedure conducted in an intercalation reactor, containing (i) a liquid solution electrolyte comprising an intercalating agent and a graphene plane-wetting agent dissolved therein; (ii) a working electrode that contains the graphite material powder as an active material; and (iii) a counter-electrode, and wherein a current is imposed upon the working electrode and counter electrode at a current density sufficient for effecting electrochemical intercalation of the intercalating agent and/or wetting agent into interlayer spacing, wherein the wetting agent is selected from melamine, ammonium sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, Na(ethylenediamine), tetraalkylammonium salts, ammonia, carbamide, hexamethylenetetramine, organic amine, poly(sodium-4-styrene sulfonate), or a combination thereof; and (b) exfoliating and separating the in

Abstract: A process for producing an electrode for an alkali metal battery, comprising: (a) Continuously feeding an electrically conductive porous layer to an anode or cathode material impregnation zone, wherein the conductive porous layer has two opposed porous surfaces and contain interconnected conductive pathways and at least 70% by volume of pores; (b) Impregnating a wet anode or cathode active material mixture into the porous layer from at least one of the two porous surfaces to form an anode or cathode electrode, wherein the wet anode or cathode active material mixture contains an anode or cathode active material and an optional conductive additive mixed with a liquid electrolyte; and (c) Supplying at least a protective film to cover the at least one porous surface to form the electrode.

Abstract: A black-color polymer composite film comprising a phthalocyanine compound dispersed in a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyamide, polyoxadiazole, polybenzoxazole, polybenzobisoxazole, polythiazole, polybenzothiazole, polybenzobisthiazole, poly(p-phenylene vinylene), polybenzimidazole, polybenzobisimidazole, and combinations thereof, wherein the phthalocyanine compound occupies a weight fraction of 0.1% to 50% based on the total polymer composite weight. Preferably, the phthalocyanine compound is selected from copper phthalocyanine, zinc phthalocyanine, tin phthalocyanine, iron phthalocyanine, lead phthalocyanine, nickel phthalocyanine, vanadyl phthalocyanine, fluorochromium phthalocyanine, magnesium phthalocyanine, manganous phthalocyanine, dilithium phthalocyanine, aluminum phthalocyanine chloride, cadmium phthalocyanine, chlorogallium phthalocyanine, cobalt phthalocyanine, silver phthalocyanine, a metal-free phthalocyanine, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Provided is rolled aluminum secondary battery comprising an anode, a cathode, a porous or ion-permeable separator, and an electrolyte, wherein the anode contains aluminum metal or an aluminum metal alloy optionally supported by a current collector and the cathode contains a wound cathode roll of a cathode active material having a cathode roll length, a cathode roll width, and a cathode roll thickness, wherein the cathode active material contains isolated graphene sheets, expanded graphite flakes, and/or graphite flakes of exfoliated graphite worms that are aligned substantially parallel to a plane defined by the cathode roll length and the cathode roll width; and wherein the cathode roll width is substantially perpendicular to the separator in such a manner that the aligned graphene sheets or graphite flakes have a graphene edge plane in direct contact with the electrolyte and facing the separator.

Abstract: A graphene-enabled hybrid particulate for use as a lithium-ion battery anode active material, wherein the hybrid particulate is formed of a single or a plurality of graphene sheets and a single or a plurality of fine primary particles of a niobium-containing composite metal oxide, having a size from 1 nm to 10 ?m, and the graphene sheets and the primary particles are mutually bonded or agglomerated into the hybrid particulate containing an exterior graphene sheet or multiple exterior graphene sheets embracing the primary particles, and wherein the hybrid particulate has an electrical conductivity no less than 10?4 S/cm and said graphene is in an amount of from 0.01% to 30% by weight based on the total weight of graphene and the niobium-containing composite metal oxide combined.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing 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 graphitic carbon particles or fibers that are coated with a protective material. Such a metal-ion battery delivers a high energy density, high power density, and long cycle life.

Abstract: A graphene-enhanced transition metal fluoride or chloride hybrid particulate for use as a lithium battery cathode active material, wherein the particulate is formed of a single or a plurality of graphene sheets and a plurality of fine transition metal fluoride or chloride particles with a size smaller than 10 ?m (preferably sub-micron or nano-scaled), and the graphene sheets and the particles are mutually bonded or agglomerated into an individual discrete particulate with at least a graphene sheet embracing the transition metal fluoride or chloride particles, and wherein the particulate has an electrical conductivity no less than 10?4 S/cm and the graphene is in an amount of from 0.01% to 30% by weight based on the total weight of graphene and the transition metal fluoride or chloride combined.

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: A nano graphene platelet-based conductive ink comprising: (a) nano graphene platelets (preferably un-oxidized or pristine graphene), and (b) a liquid medium in which the nano graphene platelets are dispersed, wherein the nano graphene platelets occupy a proportion of at least 0.001% by volume based on the total ink volume and a process using the same. The ink can also contain a binder or matrix material and/or a surfactant. The ink may further comprise other fillers, such as carbon nanotubes, carbon nano-fibers, metal nano particles, carbon black, conductive organic species, etc. The graphene platelets preferably have an average thickness no greater than 10 nm and more preferably no greater than 1 nm. These inks can be printed to form a range of electrically or thermally conductive components or printed electronic components.

Abstract: Provided is a battery cooling and fire protection system, comprising: (A) a plurality of battery cells, wherein at least a cell comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, 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 (B) a case configured to hold the plurality of battery cells and a cooling liquid, wherein the battery cells are partially or fully submerged in the cooling liquid, which is configured to be in thermal communication with the heat spreader element and is configured to transport heat generated by the battery cells through the heat spreader element to the cooling liquid and wherein the cooling liquid comprises a fire protection or fire suppression substance.

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 (A) non-Li alkali metals; (B) alkaline-earth metals; (C) transition metals; (D) other metals such as aluminum (Al); or (E) a combination thereof; and wherein 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 nanostructured material having a metal ion-capturing functional group or metal ion-storing surface in direct contact with said electrolyte, and wherein the operation of the battery device does not involve the introduction of oxygen from outside the device and does not involve the formation of a metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal selenide, metal telluride, metal hydroxide, or metal-halogen compound.