Abstract: Provided is an anode for a lithium battery or sodium battery, the anode comprising multiple porous graphene balls and multiple particles or coating of a lithium-attracting metal or sodium-attracting metal at a graphene ball-to-metal volume ratio from 5/95 to 95/5, wherein the porous graphene ball comprises a plurality of graphene sheets forming into the ball having a diameter from 100 nm to 20 ?m and a pore or multiple pores having a pore volume fraction from 10% to 99.9% based on the total graphene ball volume, and wherein the particles or coating of lithium-attracting metal or sodium-attracting metal, having a diameter or thickness from 1 nm to 20 ?m, are selected from Au, Ag, Mg, Zn, Ti, K, Al, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Sn, V, Cr, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.

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.

Abstract: Provided is a powder mass comprising multiple metal-containing graphene balls or particulates as an anode active material for a lithium battery or sodium battery, the graphene ball or particulate comprising (a) a plurality of graphene sheets, each having a length or width from 5 nm to 100 ?m and forming into the ball or particulate having a diameter from 100 nm to 20 ?m and (b) a lithium-attracting metal or sodium-attracting metal in a form of particles or coating having a diameter or thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 ?m and in physical contact with the graphene sheets, wherein the metal is selected from Au, Ag, Mg, Zn, Ti, Na, K, Al, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Sn, V, Cr, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof and is in an amount of 0.1% to 95% of the total particulate weight.

Abstract: A lithium- or sodium-ion battery anode layer, comprising a phosphorus material embedded in pores of a solid graphene foam composed of multiple pores and pore walls, wherein (a) the pore walls contain a pristine graphene or a non-pristine graphene material; (b) the phosphorus material contains particles or coating of P or MPy (M=transition metal and 1?y?4) and is in an amount from 20% to 99% by weight based on the total weight of the graphene foam and the phosphorus material combined, and (c) the multiple pores are lodged with particles or coating of the phosphorus material. Preferably, the solid graphene foam has a density from 0.01 to 1.7 g/cm3, a specific surface area from 50 to 2,000 m2/g, a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mK per unit of specific gravity, and/or an electrical conductivity no less than 1,000 S/cm per unit of specific gravity.

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.

Abstract: Provided is graphene-encapsulated phosphorus anode particulate for a lithium or sodium ion battery, the particulate comprising: (A) a core comprising one or a plurality of phosphorus material-decorated graphene sheets, wherein the decorated graphene sheets have a length/width from 5 nm to 100 ?m and contain single-layer or few-layer graphene and the phosphorus material is in a form of particles or coating having a diameter or thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 ?m and is selected from red phosphorus, black phosphorus (including phosphorene), violet phosphorus, a metal phosphide, MPy, or a combination thereof, wherein M=Mn, V, Sn, Ni, Cu, Fe, Co, Zn, Ge, Se, Mo, Ga, In, or an alloy thereof, and y=1-4; and (B) an encapsulating shell that embraces or encapsulates the core, wherein the encapsulating shell comprises multiple graphene sheets and have a thickness from 0.34 nm to 5 ?m.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a graphene oxide platelet-filled polyimide film comprising the steps of: (a) mixing graphene oxide platelets with a polyimide precursor material and a liquid to form a slurry; (b) forming a wet film from said slurry; (c) partially or completely removing the liquid from the wet film to form a precursor polyimide composite film; and (d) imidizing the precursor polyimide composite film to approximately 90% or more completion of the crosslinking reaction, to obtain a graphene oxide platelet-filled composite film.

Abstract: Provided is a continuous reactor system for producing graphene or an inorganic 2-D compound, the reactor comprising: (a) a rust 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.

Abstract: Provided is a process for manufacturing a graphene material, the process comprising (a) injecting a rust stock into a first end of a continuous reactor having a toroidal vortex flow, wherein the first stock comprises graphite and a non-oxidizing liquid (or, alternatively, graphite, an acid, and an optional oxidizer) and the continuous flow reactor is configured to produce the toroidal vortex flow, enabling the formation of a reaction product suspension or slurry at the second end, downstream from the first end, of the continuous reactor; and (b) introducing the reaction product suspension/slurry from the second end back to enter the continuous reactor at or near the first end, allowing the reaction product suspension/slurry to form a toroidal vortex flow and move down to or near the second end to produce a graphene suspension or graphene oxide slurry. The process may further comprise repeating step (b) for at least one time.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of improving the anode stability and cycle-life of an alkali metal-sulfur. The method comprises implementing two anode-protecting layers between an anode active material layer and an electrolyte or electrolyte/separator assembly. These two layers comprise (a) 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 (b) 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.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell, comprising: (a) providing an anode layer; (b) providing particulates comprising primary particles of a sulfur-containing material encapsulated or embraced by a thin layer of a conductive sulfonated elastomer composite, wherein the conductive sulfonated elastomer composite comprises from 0% to 50% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material, and the conductive sulfonated elastomer composite has a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?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; (c) forming the particulates, a resin binder, and an optional conductive additive into a cathode layer; and (d) combining the anode layer, the cathode layer, an optional porous separator, and an electrolyte to form the alkali metal-sulfur cell.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing an alkali metal-selenium cell, comprising: (a) providing a cathode; (b) providing an alkali metal anode; and (c) combining the anode and the cathode and adding an electrolyte in ionic contact with the anode and the cathode to form the cell; wherein the cathode contains multiple particulates of a selenium-containing material selected from selenium, 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 from 5% to 1000%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?7 S/cm, and a thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 ?m.

Abstract: A method of producing a powder mass for a lithium battery, comprising: (a) mixing graphene sheets and a sulfonated 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 comprising multiple particulates, wherein at least one of the particulates is composed of one or a plurality of the particles encapsulated by a thin layer of a sulfonated elastomer/graphene composite having a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?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 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 5% when measured without an additive or reinforcement in the polymer. The high-elasticity polymer contains a cross-linked network of polymer chains. 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 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.