A method of electrodepositing a transition metal oxide on to the surface of cathode or anode active materials used in Li-ion batteries, using an aqueous media. The transition metal oxide coating protects the cathode or anode active materials once they are fully delithiated or fully lithiated, respectively. The protective coating may be used also in gas sensors, biological cell sensors, supercapacitors, catalysts for fuel cells and metal air batteries, nano and optoelectronic devices, filtration devices, structural components, and energy storage devices.

A method of producing graphene sheets from coke or coal powder, comprising: (a) forming an intercalated coke or coal compound by electrochemical intercalation conducted in an intercalation reactor, which contains (i) a liquid solution electrolyte comprising an intercalating agent; (ii) a working electrode that contains the powder in ionic contact with the liquid electrolyte, wherein the coke or coal powder is selected from petroleum coke, coal-derived coke, meso-phase coke, synthetic coke, leonardite, lignite coal, or natural coal mineral powder; and (iii) a counter electrode in ionic contact with the electrolyte, and wherein a current is imposed upon the working electrode and the counter electrode for effecting electrochemical intercalation of the intercalating agent into the powder; and (b) exfoliating and separating graphene planes from the intercalated coke or coal compound using an ultrasonication, thermal shock exposure, mechanical shearing treatment, or a combination thereof to produce isolated graphene sheets.

A method of producing graphene sheets from coke or coal powder, comprising: (a) forming an intercalated coke or coal compound by electrochemical intercalation conducted in an intercalation reactor, which contains (i) a liquid solution electrolyte comprising an intercalating agent; (ii) a working electrode that contains the powder in ionic contact with the liquid electrolyte, wherein the coke or coal powder is selected from petroleum coke, coal-derived coke, meso-phase coke, synthetic coke, leonardite, lignite coal, or natural coal mineral powder; and (iii) a counter electrode in ionic contact with the electrolyte, and wherein a current is imposed upon the working electrode and the counter electrode for effecting electrochemical intercalation of the intercalating agent into the powder; and (b) exfoliating and separating graphene planes from the intercalated coke or coal compound using an ultrasonication, thermal shock exposure, mechanical shearing treatment, or a combination thereof to produce isolated graphene sheets.

Provided is a method for forming a metal film using a solid-state electrolyte membrane, and the method allows a metal film having a smooth surface to be formed and an additive to sufficiently serve its function. A method for forming a metal film includes the successive steps of (a) supplying a solution to a solution-housing space, the solution containing ions of the metal and an additive; (b) increasing a pressure of the solution in the solution-housing space in a state where the solution-housing space is uncommunicated with a solution tank and the substrate held by a holder is in contact with the solid-state electrolyte membrane; (c) decreasing the pressure of the solution in the solution-housing space; and (d) forming the film of the metal on the substrate by applying a voltage between an anode and the substrate while the solution is circulated between the solution-housing space and the solution tank.

The present disclosure relates to a film-forming metal solution for use in a method in which a solid electrolyte membrane having sulfonic acid groups is disposed between an anode and a substrate serving as a cathode, the solid electrolyte membrane is brought into contact with the substrate, and a voltage is applied between the anode and the substrate to deposit a metal onto a surface of the substrate from metal ions supplied into the solid electrolyte membrane and thereby form a metal coating on the surface of the substrate, the film-forming metal solution being adapted to supply metal ions into the solid electrolyte membrane, wherein the film-forming metal solution comprises an aqueous metal solution, a solvent, and a nonionic surfactant, and the nonionic surfactant has a linear hydrophilic group having ethylene oxide units and a hydrophobic group having a cyclic structure and a maximum length of 40 or less.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a nano-catalyst filter, which includes depositing through electrodeposition a catalyst precursor inside a porous filter to which an electrode layer is attached. Using this method, a nano-catalyst can be uniformly deposited inside a porous ceramic filter, and high catalyst efficiency can be obtained only using a small amount of the nano-catalyst.

A method of producing graphene sheets from coke or coal powder, comprising: (a) forming an intercalated coke or coal compound by electrochemical intercalation conducted in an intercalation reactor, which contains (i) a liquid solution electrolyte comprising an intercalating agent; (ii) a working electrode that contains the powder in ionic contact with the liquid electrolyte, wherein the coke or coal powder is selected from petroleum coke, coal-derived coke, meso-phase coke, synthetic coke, leonardite, lignite coal, or natural coal mineral powder; and (iii) a counter electrode in ionic contact with the electrolyte, and wherein a current is imposed upon the working electrode and the counter electrode for effecting electrochemical intercalation of the intercalating agent into the powder; and (b) exfoliating and separating graphene planes from the intercalated coke or coal compound using an ultrasonication, thermal shock exposure, mechanical shearing treatment, or a combination thereof to produce isolated graphene sheets.

A method of producing graphene sheets from coke or coal powder, comprising: (a) forming an intercalated coke or coal compound by electrochemical intercalation conducted in an intercalation reactor, which contains (i) a liquid solution electrolyte comprising an intercalating agent; (ii) a working electrode that contains the powder in ionic contact with the liquid electrolyte, wherein the coke or coal powder is selected from petroleum coke, coal-derived coke, meso-phase coke, synthetic coke, leonardite, lignite coal, or natural coal mineral powder; and (iii) a counter electrode in ionic contact with the electrolyte, and wherein a current is imposed upon the working electrode and the counter electrode for effecting electrochemical intercalation of the intercalating agent into the powder; and (b) exfoliating and separating graphene planes from the intercalated coke or coal compound using an ultrasonication, thermal shock exposure, mechanical shearing treatment, or a combination thereof to produce isolated graphene sheets.

Indium electroplating compositions containing amine compounds in trace amounts to electroplate substantially defect-free uniform indium which has a smooth surface morphology. The indium electroplating compositions can be used to electroplate indium metal on metal layers of various substrates such as semiconductor wafers and as thermal interface materials.

Provided is a metal matrix nanocomposite comprising: (a) a metal or metal alloy as a matrix material; and (b) multiple graphene sheets that are dispersed in said matrix material, wherein said multiple graphene sheets are substantially aligned to be parallel to one another and are in an amount from 0.1% to 95% by volume based on the total nanocomposite volume; wherein the multiple graphene sheets contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets selected from pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof and wherein the chemically functionalized graphene is not graphene oxide. The metal matrix exhibits a combination of exceptional tensile strength, modulus, thermal conductivity, and/or electrical conductivity.