Abstract: A composition for producing electrodes for lithium-sulfur batteries includes particles having a metal-organic framework structure and composition that define voids within the metal-organic framework structure; sulfur loaded into at least some of the voids defined by the metal-organic framework structure of the particles; graphene flakes obtained by polymer enhanced solvent exfoliation; and polymer residue from the polymer enhanced solvent exfoliation. A method of producing a composite electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery according to an embodiment of the current invention includes obtaining a composition according to an embodiment of the current invention and applying the composition to a substrate. An electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery includes a layer having the composition. A lithium-sulfur battery according to an embodiment of the current invention includes the electrode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preparing covalent organic framework (COF) thin films is disclosed herein. The systems and method utilize COF colloidal inks, having a diameter of 10-1000 nm, expelled through a nozzle onto a substrate to prepare the COF thin film. The plurality of COF colloidal ink droplets have an effective deposition diameter from the nozzle onto a masked or unmasked substrate, where the substrate may be heated to an effective COF deposition temperature.

Abstract: Preparation of two-dimensional indium selenide, other two-dimensional materials and related compositions via surfactant-free deoxygenated co-solvent systems.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a composite material includes forming an emulsion mixture of active material particles and graphene emulsion droplets containing immiscible first and second solvents and a solid-state emulsifier of graphene, wherein the first and second solvents are adapted such that the second solvent resides in an interior of the graphene emulsion droplets with the first solvent as an exterior solvent, and the active material particles reside in the interior of the emulsion droplets; wherein a boiling point of the second solvent is lower than that of the first solvent; and drying the emulsion mixture with subsequent evaporation of the second solvent and the first solvent through fractional distillation to form the composite material having each surface of the active material particles conformally coated with said graphene.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a dye sensitized solar cell has a counter-electrode including carbon-titania nanocomposite thin films made by forming a carbon-based ink; forming a titania (TiO2) solution; blade-coating a mechanical mixture of the carbon-based ink and the titania solution onto a substrate; and annealing the blade-coated substrate at a first temperature for a first period of time to obtain the carbon-based titania nanocomposite thin films. In certain embodiments, the carbon-based titania nanocomposite thin films may include solvent-exfoliated graphene titania (SEG-TiO2) nanocomposite thin films, or single walled carbon nanotube titania (SWCNT-TiO2) nanocomposite thin films.

Abstract: Preparation of two-dimensional indium selenide, other two-dimensional materials and related compositions via surfactant-free deoxygenated co-solvent systems.

Abstract: One aspect of this invention relates to hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) ionogel inks using exfoliated hBN nanoplatelets as the solid matrix. The hBN nanoplatelets are produced from bulk hBN powders by liquid-phase exfoliation, allowing printable hBN ionogel inks to be formulated following the addition of an imidazolium ionic liquid and ethyl lactate. The resulting inks are reliably printed with variable patterns and controllable thicknesses by aerosol jet printing, resulting in hBN ionogels that possess high room-temperature ionic conductivities and storage moduli of >3 mS cm-1 and >1 MPa, respectively. By integrating the hBN ionogel with printed semiconductors and electrical contacts, fully-printed thin-film transistors with operating voltages below 1 V are demonstrated on polyimide films. These devices exhibit desirable electrical performance and robust mechanical tolerance against repeated bending cycles, thus confirming the suitability of hBN ionogels for printed and flexible electronics.

Abstract: The present teachings provide methods for providing populations of single-walled carbon nanotubes that are substantially monodisperse in terms of diameter, electronic type, and/or chirality. Also provided are single-walled carbon nanotube populations provided thereby and articles of manufacture including such populations.

Abstract: A self-aligned short-channel SASC electronic device includes a first semiconductor layer formed on a substrate; a first metal layer formed on a first portion of the first semiconductor layer; a first dielectric layer formed on the first metal layer and extended with a dielectric extension on a second portion of the first semiconductor layer that extends from the first portion of the first semiconductor layer, the dielectric extension defining a channel length of a channel in the first semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode formed on the substrate and capacitively coupled with the channel. The dielectric extension is conformally grown on the first semiconductor layer in a self-aligned manner. The channel length is less than about 800 nm, preferably, less than about 200 nm, more preferably, about 135 nm.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to an ionogel electrolyte ink including an ionic liquid; and a gelling matrix material. The gelling matrix material is mixed with the ionic liquid in at least one solvent.

Abstract: A GHeT includes a bottom gate formed on a substrate; a first dielectric layer (DL) formed on the bottom gate; a monolayer film formed of an atomically thin material on the first DL; a bottom contact (BC) formed on part of the monolayer film; a second DL formed on the BC; a top contact (TC) formed on the second DL on top of the BC; a network of CNTs formed on the TC and the monolayer film, to define an overlap region with the monolayer film; a third DL formed on the CNT network, the monolayer film and the TC; and a top gate formed on the third DL and overlapping with the overlap region. Such GHeT design allows gate tunability of Gaussian peak position, height and width that define Gaussian transfer characteristic, thereby enabling simplified circuit architectures for various spiking neuron functions for emerging neuromorphic applications.

Abstract: This invention in one aspect relates to a method of synthesizing a self-assembled mixed-dimensional heterostructure including 2D metallic borophene and 1D semiconducting armchair-oriented graphene nanoribbons (aGNRs). The method includes depositing boron on a substrate to grow borophene thereon at a substrate temperature in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber; sequentially depositing 4,4?-dibromo-p-terphenyl on the borophene grown substrate at room temperature in the UHV chamber to form a composite structure; and controlling multi-step on-surface coupling reactions of the composite structure to self-assemble a borophene/graphene nanoribbon mixed-dimensional heterostructure. The borophene/aGNR lateral heterointerfaces are structurally and electronically abrupt, thus demonstrating atomically well-defined metal-semiconductor heterojunctions.

Abstract: This invention relates to memtransistors, fabricating methods and applications of the same. The memtransistor includes a polycrystalline monolayer film of an atomically thin material. The polycrystalline monolayer film is grown directly on a sapphire substrate and transferred onto an SiO2/Si substrate; and a gate electrode defined on the SiO2/Si substrate; and source and drain electrodes spatially-apart formed on the polycrystalline monolayer film to define a channel region in the polycrystalline monolayer film therebetween. The gate electrode is capacitively coupled with the channel region.

Abstract: Solid-state supercapacitors and microsupercapacitors comprising printed graphene electrodes and related methods of preparation.

Abstract: A composite material and a method for fabricating the same. The composite material includes graphene and active material particles. Each surface of the active material particles is conformally coated with said graphene. The method includes forming a mixture containing an active material, graphene, ethyl cellulose (EC) polymer and multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and thermally annealing the mixture at an annealing temperature in an oxidizing environment to decompose the majority of EC, thereby resulting in the composite material having each active material particle coated with a conformal graphene coating.

Abstract: A composite film usable as a separator of an electrochemical device includes hBN nanosheets and at least one polymer. The hBN nanosheets are uniformly dispersed within a matrix of said least one polymer to achieve a highly porous microstructure. Said at least one polymer comprises one or more electrically insulating and electrochemically inert polymers.

Abstract: The invention relates to two dimensional (2D) heterostructures and methods of fabricating the same. The 2D hetero structures are integration of borophene with graphene and 2D lateral and vertical hetero structures with sharp and rotationally commensurate interfaces. The rich bonding configurations of boron indicate that borophene can be integrated into a diverse range of 2D heterostructures.

Abstract: This invention discloses high-modulus, ion-conductive gel electrolytes and methods of making the gel electrolytes and electrochemical devices. The gel electrolytes include an ionic liquid and nanosheets mixed in the ionic liquid. The nanosheets in one example include exfoliated hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanosheets. Compared to conventional bulk hBN microparticles, exfoliated hBN nanosheets improve the mechanical properties of the gel electrolytes by about 2 orders of magnitude, while retaining high ionic conductivity at room temperature. Moreover, exfoliated hBN nanosheets are compatible with high-voltage cathodes, and impart exceptional thermal stability that allows high-rate operation of solid-state rechargeable lithium-ion batteries at high temperatures.

Abstract: In various embodiments functionalized graphene oxide(s) are provided that demonstrate improved antimicrobial activity, where the graphene oxide(s) are functionalized to increase carbon radical (.C) density.

Abstract: The invention relates to printable ion-conductive and viscosity-tunable inks based on two-dimensional (2D) insulators, forming methods and applications of the inks. The 2D insulating material based printable ink includes at least one solvent; and an exfoliated composition dispersed in the at least one solvent. The exfoliated composition includes a 2D insulating material and a dispersant and stabilizing agent. The printed structures of the 2D insulating material based printable ink possess high ionic conductivity, chemical and thermal stability, and electrically insulating character, which are an ideal set of characteristics for printable battery components such as separators and solid electrolytes.