Abstract: High-surface area carbon nanotubes having targeted, or selective, species of oxygen containing species levels, types and/or content on either or both of the interior and exterior of the tube walls are claimed. Such carbon nanotubes can have little to none inner tube surface oxygen containing species, or differing amounts and/or types of oxygen containing species between the tubes' inner and outer surfaces or amongst the carbon nanotubes. Additionally, such high-surface area carbon nanotubes or their assemblages may have greater lengths and diameters, creating useful mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties.

Abstract: High-surface area carbon nanotubes having targeted, or selective, oxidation levels and/or content on the interior and exterior of the tube walls are claimed. Such carbon nanotubes can have little to no inner tube surface oxidation, or differing amounts and/or types of oxidation between the tubes' inner and outer surfaces. Additionally, such high-surface area carbon nanotubes may have greater lengths and diameters, creating useful mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lithium-sulfur battery in a cylindrical cell format is provided. In some aspects, the method includes providing an anode current collector and providing an anode on the anode current collector. The method may include depositing a protective layer on and along the length of the anode, providing a cathode current collector opposite to the anode, and providing a cathode on the cathode current collector. The method may include providing a separator between the anode and the cathode, disposing an adhesive carbon-containing layer along the bottom edge of the anode (e.g., to replace one or more conventional anode tabs), and dispersing an electrolyte throughout the lithium-sulfur battery. The method may include forming the lithium-sulfur battery in the cylindrical cell format by collectively winding into a jelly roll.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lithium-sulfur battery in a cylindrical cell format is provided. In some aspects, the method includes providing an anode current collector and providing an anode on the anode current collector. The method may include depositing a protective layer on and along the length of the anode, providing a cathode current collector opposite to the anode, and providing a cathode on the cathode current collector. The method may include providing a separator between the anode and the cathode, disposing an adhesive carbon-containing layer along the bottom edge of the anode (e.g., to replace one or more conventional anode tabs), and dispersing an electrolyte throughout the lithium-sulfur battery. The method may include forming the lithium-sulfur battery in the cylindrical cell format by collectively winding into a jelly roll.

Abstract: An lithium-sulfur battery including an anode structure, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte is provided. The electrolyte may be dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode. An artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (A-SEI) may form on the anode, and a protective layer (e.g., that may be pinhole free) may form within and/or on the A-SEI to face the cathode. The protective layer may be formed from carbonaceous materials, which may provide exposed carbon atoms grafted with one or more ions, such as fluorine anions (F?), uniformly dispersed throughout the protective layer. In addition, the protective layer may include polymeric chains positioned generally opposite to each other. The polymeric chains may cross-link upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) energetic radiation to form a three-dimensional (3D) lattice having a defined cross-linking density suitable to trap one or more anions during discharge-charge operational cycling of the lithium-sulfur battery.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery may include a cathode, an anode structure positioned opposite to the cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte. In some instances, the anode structure may include an artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (A-SEI) that may form on and within the anode structure. A protective layer may form within and on the A-SEI, and may include exposed carbon surfaces formed by coalescence of several wrinkled graphene nanoplatelets with one another. Metal-containing substances may be decorated on and/or attached with at least some exposed carbon surfaces and regulate flow of lithium (Li+) cations within the lithium-sulfur battery and correspondingly moderate one or more of a plating rate or a de-plating rate of lithium onto the anode structure. The separator may be positioned between the anode structure and the cathode. The electrolyte may be dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode structure.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery including an anode, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte is provided. The lithium-sulfur battery may be formed as a jelly roll. The anode may output lithium cations (Li+) and a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) may be formed on the anode. A protective layer may be formed at least partially within and on the SEI. In addition, the protective layer may be positioned proximal to the anode and include wrinkled graphene nanoplatelets and fluorinated poly(meth)acrylates. For example, multiple wrinkled graphene nanoplatelets may be adjoined to one another by flexure points, where each flexure point may provide exposed carbon atoms. In this way, the fluorinated poly(meth)acrylates may be grafted onto at least some exposed carbon atoms. At least some fluorinated poly(meth)acrylates may be compatible with polymerization and cross-linking with one another responsive to exposure to one or more of free-radical initiators or an ultraviolet (UV) energetic environment.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery including an anode structure, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte is provided. A protective layer may form within the anode structure responsive to operational discharge-charge cycling of the lithium-sulfur battery. The protective layer may include a polymeric backbone chain formed of interconnected carbon atoms collectively defining a segmental motion of the protective layer. Additional polymeric chains may be cross-linked to one another and at least some carbon atoms of the polymeric backbone chain. Each additional polymeric chain may be formed of interconnected monomer units. A plasticizer may be dispersed throughout the protective layer without covalently bonding to the polymeric backbone chain. The plasticizer may separate adjacent monomer units of at least some additional polymeric chains. Increasing separation of adjacent monomer units increases a cooperative segmental mobility of the additional polymeric chains and ionic conductivity of the protective layer.

Abstract: A battery may include an anode, a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode, an electrolyte dispersed throughout the cathode and in contact with the anode, and a dual-pore system. The anode may be configured to release a plurality of lithium ions. The cathode may include a plurality of pathways defined by a plurality of porous non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles and may include a plurality of carbonaceous structures each based on a coalescence of a group of the porous non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles. The dual-pore system may be disposed in the cathode and defined in shape and orientation by the plurality of carbonaceous structures. In some aspects, the dual-pore system may be configured to receive gaseous oxygen from the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: A cathode for a battery including agglomerates of carbonaceous particles. Each carbonaceous particle includes a plurality of porous regions nested within each other. Each of the respective porous regions is characterized by one or more of a corresponding porosity or a corresponding pore density and a plurality of carbon fragments disposed across the plurality of porous regions. Each carbon fragment is separated from an adjacent carbon fragment by mesopores.

Abstract: A cathode with one or more carbonaceous regions positioned adjacent to one another. At least one region includes carbonaceous particles, where each particle includes carbon fragments and a deformable perimeter that may coalesce with adjacent particles. At least one region may include aggregates, where each aggregate may be formed of several particles joined to one another. Pores may be interspersed throughout the aggregates. At least one region may include agglomerates, where each agglomerate may be formed of a multitude of the aggregates joined to one other. At least one region has an electrical conductivity in an approximate range between 500 S/m to 20,000 S/m at a pressure of 12,000 pounds per square in (psi).

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing, a top lid circumferentially welded to the casing, a negative contact surface positioned opposite the top lid, a positive terminal disposed within the casing, welded to the top lid, and configured as a mandrel, a glass insulator circumferentially wound around the mandrel, and a jelly roll including at least an anode and a cathode wound around the mandrel. The jelly roll may also include a top surface not in contact with the top lid, a bottom surface partially in contact with the negative contact surface, and partially in contact with a plurality of non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles disposed between the bottom surface of the jelly roll and the negative contact surface. At least some of the non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles may provide one or more electrically-conductive pathways between the bottom surface and the negative contact surface.

Abstract: High-surface area carbon nanotubes having targeted, or selective, species of oxygen containing species levels, types and/or content on either or both of the interior and exterior of the tube walls are claimed. Such carbon nanotubes can have little to none inner tube surface oxygen containing species, or differing amounts and/or types of oxygen containing species between the tubes' inner and outer surfaces or amongst the carbon nanotubes. Additionally, such high-surface area carbon nanotubes or their assemblages may have greater lengths and diameters, creating useful mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties.

Abstract: A disclosed battery may include an anode, a cathode positioned opposite to the anode, a protective sheath disposed on the cathode, an electrolyte, and a separator. A polymeric network disposed on the anode and may include carbonaceous materials grafted with a plurality of fluorinated polymer chains cross-linked into a lattice. The lattice may produce an alkali metal fluoride in response to operational cycling of the battery. The alkali metal fluoride may be configured to suppress alkali metal dendrite formation from the anode. The protective sheath disposed on the cathode may include a tri-functional epoxy compound and a di-amine oligomer-based compound that can chemically react with each other. The electrolyte may disperse throughout the cathode and contact with the anode. As a result, the electrolyte may transport the alkali ions between the cathode and the anode. The separator may be positioned between the anode and the cathode.

Abstract: Thick cathodes associated with cylindrical lithium-sulfur batteries. The cathodes include one or more structured layers of agglomerates of carbonaceous particles disposed on opposing sides of a cathode current collector. The structured layers on each side of the cathode current collector may be characterized by varying agglomerate size and thickness of the structured layers. The structured layers of agglomerates may improve electrochemical kinetics and sulfur utilization within thick cathodes. The structured layers of agglomerates may decrease the number of interconnection or failure points between agglomerates disposed across the thickness of the structured layers on each side of the cathode current collector and mitigate mechanical stresses during the formation of a cylindrical jelly roll. Lithium-sulfur batteries including thick cathodes.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing having a length and a width, the casing including at least an anode and a cathode wound into a jelly roll oriented parallel to the length of the casing, an electrolyte disposed in the lithium-sulfur battery, a negative terminal extending along the length of the casing, and a positive terminal extending along the length of the casing, the positive terminal and the negative terminal parallel to one another.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing having a length and a width, the casing including at least an anode and a cathode wound into a jelly roll oriented parallel to the length of the casing, an electrolyte disposed in the lithium-sulfur battery, a negative terminal extending along the length of the casing, and a positive terminal extending along the length of the casing, the positive terminal and the negative terminal parallel to one another.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a battery including a cathode, an anode positioned opposite the cathode and a carbon interface layer. The carbon interface layer includes an electrically insulating flaky carbon layer conformally encapsulating the anode. A plurality of carbon nano-onions (CNOs) defining a plurality of interstitial pore volumes are interspersed throughout the electrically insulating flaky carbon layer. An electrolyte is in contact with the carbon interface layer and the cathode. A separator is positioned between the anode and the cathode. The electrically insulating flaky carbon layer can include graphene oxide (GO). The plurality of interstitial pore volumes can be configured to transport lithium (Li) ions between the anode and the cathode via the plurality of interstitial pore volumes in a bulk phase of the electrolyte. The carbon interface layer can be configured to inhibit growth of Li dendritic structures from the anode towards the cathode.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing, a top lid circumferentially welded to the casing, a negative contact surface positioned opposite the top lid, a positive terminal disposed within the casing, welded to the top lid, and configured as a mandrel, a glass insulator circumferentially wound around the mandrel, and a jelly roll including at least an anode and a cathode wound around the mandrel. The jelly roll may also include a top surface not in contact with the top lid, a bottom surface partially in contact with the negative contact surface, and partially in contact with a plurality of non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles disposed between the bottom surface of the jelly roll and the negative contact surface. At least some of the non-hollow carbonaceous spherical particles may provide one or more electrically-conductive pathways between the bottom surface and the negative contact surface.

Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery includes a casing having a length and a width, the casing including at least an anode and a cathode wound into a jelly roll oriented parallel to the length of the casing, an electrolyte disposed in the lithium-sulfur battery, a negative terminal extending along the length of the casing, and a positive terminal extending along the length of the casing, the positive terminal and the negative terminal parallel to one another.