Abstract: The invention relates to a host material for stabilizing a Li metal electrode, fabricating methods and applications of the same. The host material includes crumpled graphene balls operably defining a scaffold having volumes and voids inside and in between the crumpled graphene balls so as to allow uniform and stable Li deposition/dissolution inside and in between the crumpled graphene balls without electrode volume fluctuations or with sufficiently small electrode volume fluctuations. The crumpled paper ball-like structures of graphene particles can readily assemble to yield the scaffold with scalable Li loading up to 10 mAh cm-2 within tolerable volume fluctuations. High Coulombic efficiency of 97.5% over 750 cycles (1500 hours) is achieved. Plating/stripping Li up to 12 mAh cm-2 on the crumpled graphene scaffold does not experience dendrite growth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a host material for stabilizing a Li metal electrode, fabricating methods and applications of the same. The host material includes crumpled graphene balls operably defining a scaffold having volumes and voids inside and in between the crumpled graphene balls so as to allow uniform and stable Li deposition/dissolution inside and in between the crumpled graphene balls without electrode volume fluctuations or with sufficiently small electrode volume fluctuations. The crumpled paper ball-like structures of graphene particles can readily assemble to yield the scaffold with scalable Li loading up to 10 mAh cm-2 within tolerable volume fluctuations. High Coulombic efficiency of 97.5% over 750 cycles (1500 hours) is achieved. Plating/stripping Li up to 12 mAh cm-2 on the crumpled graphene scaffold does not experience dendrite growth.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to lithium sulfur batteries and methods of producing the same. As described herein, preventing coarsening of sulfur during the well-known melt-diffusion processing of cathodes allows a high areal capacity of 10.7 mAh/cm2 at current density of 3.4 mA/cm2 (C-rate of 1/5 h?1). The addition of a lithium salt, such as LiTFSI, prior to melt-diffusion can prevent coarsening of molten sulfur and allows creation of a sulfur electrode with a high concentration of triple-phase junctions for electrochemical reaction. In some embodiments, approximately 60-70% utilization of the theoretical capacity of sulfur is reached at a high loading (e.g., greater than 7.5 mg S/cm2). The electrodes are prepared in lean-electrolyte environment of 3 mlelectrolyte/gsulfur (˜70 vol % of electrolyte in the electrode) for high areal capacity in Li—S batteries.

Abstract: Capsules comprising crumpled graphene sheets that form a crumpled graphene shell encapsulating an internal cargo comprising nanostructures of a second component are provided. Also provided are anode materials for lithium ion batteries comprising the capsules, wherein the nanostructures are composed of an electrochemically active material, such as silicon.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a method of for synthesizing compression- and aggregation-resistant particles includes forming a graphene dispersion solution with micron-sized graphene-based material sheets, nebulizing the graphene dispersion solution to form aerosol droplets, passing the aerosol droplets through a horizontal tube furnace pre-heated at a predetermined temperature by a carrier gas, and drying the aerosol droplets to concentrate and compress the micron-sized graphene-based material sheets into crumpled particles of sub-micron scale.

Abstract: Capsules comprising crumpled graphene sheets that form a crumpled graphene shell encapsulating an internal cargo comprising nanostructures of a second component are provided. Also provided are anode materials for lithium ion batteries comprising the capsules, wherein the nanostructures are composed of an electrochemically active material, such as silicon.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a method of for synthesizing compression- and aggregation-resistant particles includes forming a graphene dispersion solution with micron-sized graphene-based material sheets, nebulizing the graphene dispersion solution to form aerosol droplets, passing the aerosol droplets through a horizontal tube furnace pre-heated at a predetermined temperature by a carrier gas, and drying the aerosol droplets to concentrate and compress the micron-sized graphene-based material sheets into crumpled particles of sub-micron scale.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to lithium sulfur batteries and methods of producing the same. As described herein, preventing coarsening of sulfur during the well-known melt-diffusion processing of cathodes allows a high areal capacity of 10.7 mAh/cm2 at current density of 3.4 mA/cm2 (C-rate of 1/5 h?1). The addition of a lithium salt, such as LiTFSI, prior to melt-diffusion can prevent coarsening of molten sulfur and allows creation of a sulfur electrode with a high concentration of triple-phase junctions for electrochemical reaction. In some embodiments, approximately 60-70% utilization of the theoretical capacity of sulfur is reached at a high loading (e.g., greater than 7.5 mg S/cm2). The electrodes are prepared in lean-electrolyte environment of 3 mlelectrolyte/gsulfur (˜70 vol % of electrolyte in the electrode) for high areal capacity in Li—S batteries.

Abstract: Capsules comprising crumpled graphene sheets that form a crumpled graphene shell encapsulating an internal cargo comprising nanostructures of a second component are provided. Also provided are anode materials for lithium ion batteries comprising the capsules, wherein the nanostructures are composed of an electrochemically active material, such as silicon.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a method of for synthesizing compression- and aggregation-resistant particles includes forming a graphene dispersion solution with micron-sized graphene-based material sheets, nebulizing the graphene dispersion solution to form aerosol droplets, passing the aerosol droplets through a horizontal tube furnace pre-heated at a predetermined temperature by a carrier gas, and drying the aerosol droplets to concentrate and compress the micron-sized graphene-based material sheets into crumpled particles of sub-micron scale.