Abstract: A reactant comprising one or more polymers can be subjected to multiple consecutive processing cycles. Each processing cycle can have a first period with heating applied and a second period immediately following the first period with no heating applied. A duration of each processing cycle can be less than or equal to 10 seconds, and a duration of each first period can be less than 1 second. The subjecting can be effective to convert at least some of the reactant into one or more products, for example, one or more constituent monomers or other volatile or gas-phase species. In some embodiments, a reactor can be provided between a heating source and the reactant, for example, to provide a spatio-temporal temperature profile for improved polymer processing.

Abstract: The approach disclosed herein is a process for non-equilibrium chemical and materials processing using the combination of non-equilibrium plasma, non-equilibrium multi-functional catalysis, a precisely programed heating and quenching (PHQ), and supersonic reaction quenching to dynamically change the chemical equilibrium and increase the yield and selectivity of the products. An important feature of the disclosed approach is to realize an efficient and high selectivity synthesis method of chemicals and materials by using non-chemical equilibrium, non-equilibrium catalysts, and non-equilibrium of excited states via active control of molecule excitation by low temperature hybrid plasma, dynamics of chemical reactions by programed heating and supersonic quenching, and the design of non-equilibrium catalysts by thermal shocks and plasma coupling to enable distributed and electrified chemical synthesis of hydrogen, ammonia, valued carbon and other chemical products at atmospheric conditions.

Abstract: Lithium ion battery cathode material recycling methods and systems are disclosed. The methods can include plasma-assisted separation, which can simultaneously purify the surface of particles of used or damaged cathode material and isolate larger microparticles from smaller nanoparticles, which produces one group having a desired particle morphology and another group lacking the desired particle morphology. These two groups of particles (when present) are further processed using a micro-molten shell process that generates a molten shell of lithium precursors, with optional chemistry enhancing additives, and employs a thermal/plasma treatment to relithiate the particles, restore morphology to particles lacking the desired morphology, and to upgrade the cathode chemistry when additives are included. The relithiation and morphology restoration are primarily employed on used or damaged materials, whereas the chemistry enhancing/upgrading can be employed on new and used materials.

Abstract: Lithium ion battery cathode material recycling methods and systems are disclosed. The methods can include plasma-assisted separation, which can simultaneously purify the surface of particles of used or damaged cathode material and isolate larger microparticles from smaller nanoparticles, which produces one group having a desired particle morphology and another group lacking the desired particle morphology. These two groups of particles (when present) are further processed using a micro-molten shell process that generates a molten shell of lithium precursors, with optional chemistry enhancing additives, and employs a thermal/plasma treatment to relithiate the particles, restore morphology to particles lacking the desired morphology, and to upgrade the cathode chemistry when additives are included. The relithiation and morphology restoration are primarily employed on used or damaged materials, whereas the chemistry enhancing/upgrading can be employed on new and used materials.

Abstract: A material synthesis method may comprise: adding at least one liquid precursor solution to an atomizer device; generating by the atomizer device an aerosol comprising liquid droplets; transporting the aerosol to a reactive zone for evaporating one or more solvents from the aerosol; and collecting particles synthesized from at least evaporating the aerosol.

Abstract: A material synthesis method may comprise: adding at least one liquid precursor solution to an atomizer device; generating by the atomizer device an aerosol comprising liquid droplets; transporting the aerosol to a reactive zone for evaporating one or more solvents from the aerosol; and collecting particles synthesized from at least evaporating the aerosol.

Abstract: A material synthesis method may comprise: obtaining at least one liquid precursor solution comprising one or more solutes determined based on atomic stoichiometry of target particles; adding the at least one liquid precursor solution to an atomizer device; generating at the atomizer device an aerosol; transporting the aerosol to a reactive zone of a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time; and obtaining synthesized particles by evaporating one or more solvents from the aerosol in the reactive zone.

Abstract: A material synthesis method may comprise: adding at least one liquid precursor solution to an atomizer device; generating by the atomizer device an aerosol comprising liquid droplets; transporting the aerosol to a reactive zone for evaporating one or more solvents from the aerosol; and collecting particles synthesized from at least evaporating the aerosol.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment can be an exemplary method, which can include, for example, generating a cool flame(s) using a plasma-assisted combustion, and maintaining the cool flame(s). The cool flame(s) can have a temperature below about 1050 Kelvin, which can be about 700 Kelvin. The cool flame(s) can be further generated using a heated counterflow burning arrangement and a an ozone generating arrangement. The heated counterflow burning arrangement can include a liquid fuel vaporization arrangement. The ozone generating arrangement can include a micro plasma dielectric barrier discharge arrangement. The plasma-assisted combustion can be generated using (i) liquid n-heptane, (i) heated nitrogen, and (iii) ozone.

Abstract: A material synthesis method may comprise: adding at least one liquid precursor solution to an atomizer device; generating by the atomizer device an aerosol comprising liquid droplets; transporting the aerosol to a reactive zone for evaporating one or more solvents from the aerosol; and collecting particles synthesized from at least evaporating the aerosol.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment can be an exemplary method, which can include, for example, generating a cool flame(s) using a plasma-assisted combustion, and maintaining the cool flame(s). The cool flame(s) can have a temperature below about 1050 Kelvin, which can be about 700 Kelvin. The cool flame(s) can be further generated using a heated counterflow burning arrangement and a an ozone generating arrangement. The heated counterflow burning arrangement can include a liquid fuel vaporization arrangement. The ozone generating arrangement can include a micro plasma dielectric barrier discharge arrangement. The plasma-assisted combustion can be generated using (i) liquid n-heptane, (i) heated nitrogen, and (iii) ozone.

Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatus for forming electrode active materials for electrochemical cells. These materials include a metal (e.g., iron, cobalt), lithium, and fluorine and are produced using plasma synthesis or, more specifically, non-equilibrium plasma synthesis. A metal containing material, organometallic lithium containing material, and fluorine-containing material are provided into a flow reactor, mixed, and exposed to the electrical energy generating plasma. The plasma generation enhances reaction between the provided materials and forms nanoparticles of the electrode active materials. The nanoparticles may have a mean size of 1-30 nanometers and may have a core-shell structure. The core may be formed by metal, while the shell may include lithium fluoride. A carbon shell may be disposed over the lithium fluoride shell. The nanoparticles are collected and may be used to form an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatus for forming electrode active materials for electrochemical cells. These materials include a metal (e.g., iron, cobalt), lithium, and fluorine and are produced using plasma synthesis or, more specifically, non-equilibrium plasma synthesis. A metal containing material, organometallic lithium containing material, and fluorine-containing material are provided into a flow reactor, mixed, and exposed to the electrical energy generating plasma. The plasma generation enhances reaction between the provided materials and forms nanoparticles of the electrode active materials. The nanoparticles may have a mean size of 1-30 nanometers and may have a core-shell structure. The core may be formed by metal, while the shell may include lithium fluoride. A carbon shell may be disposed over the lithium fluoride shell. The nanoparticles are collected and may be used to form an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A method for producing activated substantially monodisperse, phosphorescent oxide particles with rare earth element dopants uniformly dispersed therein by mixing a rare earth element dopant precursor powder with an oxide-forming host metal powder to form a solid-phase precursor composition; vaporizing the solid-phase precursor composition; combining the vaporized precursor with an inert carrier gas; contacting the inert carrier gas and the vaporized precursor with a flame fueled by a reactive gas; and uniformly heating the vaporized precursor in the flame to a reaction temperature sufficient to form activated phosphorescent oxide nanoparticles.

Abstract: Methods for preparing rare earth doped monodisperse, hexagonal phase upconverting nanophosphors, the steps of which include: dissolving one or more rare earth precursor compounds and one or more host metal fluoride compounds in a solvent containing a tri-substituted phosphine or a tri-substituted phosphine oxide to form a solution; heating the solution to a temperature above about 250° C. at which the phosphine or phosphine oxide remains liquid and does not decompose; and precipitating and isolating from the solution phosphorescent hexagonal phase monodisperse nanoparticles of the host metal compound doped with rare earth elements. Nanoparticles according to the present invention, and methods for coating the nanoparticles with SiO2 are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing substantially monodisperse phosphorescent oxide nanoparticles with rare earth element dopants uniformly dispersed therein, in-which a soluble salt of one or more oxide-forming host metals and a soluble salt of one or more rare earth elements are dissolved in a polar solvent in which the rare earth element salts are soluble to form a precursor solution; droplets of the solution having a particle size less than about 20 microns are suspended in an inert carrier gas; the carrier gas with droplets suspended therein is contacted with a flame fueled by a reactive gas; and the suspended droplets are uniformly heated in the flame to a reaction temperature sufficient to form active radicals that accelerate the formation of activated phosphorescent oxide nanoparticles with uniform rare earth ion distribution. Rare earth doped monodisperse activated cubic phase phosphorescent oxide nano-particles are also disclosed.