Abstract: A surface-enabled, metal ion-exchanging battery device comprising a cathode, an anode, a porous separator, and a metal ion-containing electrolyte, wherein the metal ion is selected from (A) non-Li alkali metals; (B) alkaline-earth metals; (C) transition metals; (D) other metals such as aluminum (Al); or (E) a combination thereof; and wherein at least one of the electrodes contains therein a metal ion source prior to the first charge or discharge cycle of the device and at least the cathode comprises a functional material or nano-structured material having a metal ion-capturing functional group or metal ion-storing surface in direct contact with said electrolyte, and wherein the operation of the battery device does not involve the introduction of oxygen from outside the device and does not involve the formation of a metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal selenide, metal telluride, metal hydroxide, or metal-halogen compound.

Abstract: An inorganic material based surface-mediated cell (SMC) comprising (a) a cathode comprising a non-carbon-based inorganic cathode active material having a surface area to capture and store lithium thereon; (b) an anode comprising an anode current collector alone or both an anode current collector and an anode active material; (c) a porous separator; (d) a lithium-containing electrolyte in physical contact with the two electrodes, wherein the cathode has a specific surface area no less than 100 m2/g which is in direct physical contact with said electrolyte to receive lithium ions therefrom or to provide lithium ions thereto; and (e) a lithium source. This inorganic SMC provides both high energy density and high power density not achievable by supercapacitors and lithium-ion cells.

Abstract: A nano graphene-enabled vanadium oxide composite composition for use as a lithium battery cathode active material, wherein the composite composition is formed of one or a plurality of graphene, graphene oxide, or graphene fluoride sheets or platelets and a plurality of nano-particles, nano-rods, nano-wires, nano-sheets, and/or nano-belts of a vanadium oxide with a size smaller than 100 nm (preferably smaller than 20 nm, further preferably smaller than 10 nm, and most preferably smaller than 5 nm), and wherein the graphene, graphene oxide, or graphene fluoride (having a thickness <20 nm, preferably <10 nm, further preferably <5 nm, and being most preferably of single-layer or less than 5 layers) is in an amount of from 0.01% to 50% (preferably <10%) by weight based on the total weight of graphene, graphene oxide or graphene fluoride and the vanadium oxide combined.

Abstract: A spacer-modified nano graphene platelet electrode, comprising: (a) multiple nano graphene platelets or sheets having an average thickness smaller than 10 nm; and (b) discrete, non-metallic nano-scaled particles that are disposed between two graphene platelets or sheets to serve as a spacer. In such a spacer-modified graphene electrode, large amounts of electrolyte-accessible pores are formed, enabling the formation of large amounts of electric double layer charges in a supercapacitor, which exhibits an exceptionally high specific capacitance.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium cell comprising: (a) an anode comprising an anode active material; (b) a cathode comprising a hybrid cathode active material composed of an electrically conductive substrate and a phthalocyanine compound chemically bonded to or immobilized by the conductive substrate, wherein the phthalocyanine compound is in an amount of from 1% to 99% by weight based on the total weight of the conductive substrate and the phthalocyanine compound combined; and (c) electrolyte or a combination of electrolyte and a porous separator, wherein the separator is disposed between the anode and the cathode and the electrolyte is in ionic contact with the anode and the cathode. This secondary cell exhibits a long cycle life, the best cathode specific capacity, and best cell-level specific energy of all rechargeable lithium-ion cells ever reported.

Abstract: An inorganic material based surface-mediated cell (SMC) comprising (a) a cathode comprising a non-carbon-based inorganic cathode active material having a surface area to capture and store lithium thereon; (b) an anode comprising an anode current collector alone or both an anode current collector and an anode active material; (c) a porous separator; (d) a lithium-containing electrolyte in physical contact with the two electrodes, wherein the cathode has a specific surface area no less than 100 m2/g which is in direct physical contact with said electrolyte to receive lithium ions therefrom or to provide lithium ions thereto; and (e) a lithium source. This inorganic SMC provides both high energy density and high power density not achievable by supercapacitors and lithium-ion cells.

Abstract: A nano graphene-enabled vanadium oxide composite composition for use as a lithium battery cathode active material, wherein the composite composition is formed of one or a plurality of graphene, graphene oxide, or graphene fluoride sheets or platelets and a plurality of nano-particles, nano-rods, nano-wires, nano-sheets, and/or nano-belts of a vanadium oxide with a size smaller than 100 nm (preferably smaller than 20 nm, further preferably smaller than 10 nm, and most preferably smaller than 5 nm), and wherein the graphene, graphene oxide, or graphene fluoride (having a thickness <20 nm, preferably <10 nm, further preferably <5 nm, and being most preferably of single-layer or less than 5 layers) is in an amount of from 0.01% to 50% (preferably <10%) by weight based on the total weight of graphene, graphene oxide or graphene fluoride and the vanadium oxide combined.

Abstract: A surface-enabled, metal ion-exchanging battery device comprising a cathode, an anode, a porous separator, and a metal ion-containing electrolyte, wherein the metal ion is selected from (A) non-Li alkali metals; (B) alkaline-earth metals; (C) transition metals; (D) other metals such as aluminum (Al); or (E) a combination thereof; and wherein at least one of the electrodes contains therein a metal ion source prior to the first charge or discharge cycle of the device and at least the cathode comprises a functional material or nano-structured material having a metal ion-capturing functional group or metal ion-storing surface in direct contact with said electrolyte, and wherein the operation of the battery device does not involve the introduction of oxygen from outside the device and does not involve the formation of a metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal selenide, metal telluride, metal hydroxide, or metal-halogen compound.

Abstract: A supercapacitor comprising a two electrodes, a porous separator disposed between the two electrodes, and an ionic liquid electrolyte in physical contact with the two electrodes, wherein at least one of the two electrodes comprises a meso-porous structure being formed of a plurality of nano graphene platelets and multiple pores having a pore size in the range of 2 nm and 25 nm, wherein the graphene platelets are not spacer-modified or surface-modified platelets. Preferably, the graphene platelets are curved, not flat-shaped. The pores are accessible to ionic liquid molecules, enabling the formation of large amounts of electric double layer charges in a supercapacitor, which exhibits an exceptionally high specific capacitance and high energy density.

Abstract: A flexible, asymmetric electrochemical cell comprising: (A) A sheet of graphene paper as first electrode comprising nano graphene platelets having a platelet thickness less than 1 nm, wherein the first electrode has electrolyte-accessible pores; (B) A thin-film or paper-like first separator and electrolyte; and (C) A thin-film or paper-like second electrode which is different in composition than the first electrode; wherein the separator is sandwiched between the first and second electrode to form a flexible laminate configuration. The asymmetric supercapacitor cells with different NGP-based electrodes exhibit an exceptionally high capacitance, specific energy, and stable and long cycle life.