A method for coating a silicon material can include mixing the silicon material with a coating reagent, and heating the mixture of the silicon material and the coating reagent to a treatment temperature for a treatment time. The silicon material can optionally include primary particles that are clustered into secondary particles. The resulting coating can optionally include carbon coating, graphite coating, or a polymeric coating.

A silicon material can include particles with a size between about 10 nanometers and 10 micrometers, where the particles can be porous or nonporous, and a coating disposed on the particles, wherein a thickness of the coating can be between about 1 nm and 1 μm. The coating can optionally include a carbon coating, graphite coating, or a polymeric coating.

Exemplary deposition methods may include introducing hydrogen into a processing chamber, a powder disposed within a processing region of the processing chamber. The method may include striking a first plasma in the processing region, the first plasma including energetic hydrogen species. The method may include exposing the powder to the energetic hydrogen species in the processing region. The method may include chemically reducing the powder through a reaction of the powder with the energetic hydrogen species. The method may include removing process effluents including unreacted hydrogen from the processing region. The method may also include forming a layer of material on grains of the powder within the processing region.

The invention includes apparatus and methods for instantiating and quantum printing materials, such as elemental metals, in a nanoporous carbon powder.

A method of making a negative electrode material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided that includes centrifugally distributing a molten precursor comprising silicon and lithium by contacting the molten precursor with a rotating surface in a centrifugal atomizing reactor. The molten precursor is solidified to form a plurality of substantially round solid electroactive particles comprising an alloy of lithium and silicon and having a D50 diameter of less than or equal to about 20 micrometers. In certain variations, the negative electroactive material particles may further have one or more coatings disposed thereon, such as a carbonaceous coating and/or an oxide-based coating.

A particle coating device includes a container having a powder supply port that supplies a powder, a first rotation introducer provided below the powder supply port, a second rotation introducer provided below the first rotation introducer, a first magnet roller coupled with the first rotation introducer, a second magnet roller coupled with the second rotation introducer, a first drive unit that rotates the first magnet roller, a second drive unit that rotates the second magnet roller, a control unit that controls an operation of the first drive unit and an operation of the second drive unit, and a film forming unit that supplies a coating material for coating particles in the powder into the container. A product r.sub.1ω.sub.1.sup.2 of a rotation radius r.sub.1 and a square of a rotation speed ω.sub.1 per unit time of the first magnet roller is larger than a product r.sub.2ω.sub.2.sup.2 of a rotation radius r.sub.2 and a square of a rotation speed ω.sub.2 per unit time of the second magnet roller.

The invention includes apparatus and methods for instantiating and quantum printing materials, such as elemental metals, in a nanoporous carbon powder.

A device for synthesising core-shell nanoparticles by laser pyrolysis is provided. The device includes a reactor having a first chamber for synthesising the core, which is provided with an inlet for a core precursor; a second chamber for synthesising the shell, which is provided with an inlet for a shell precursor; and at least one communication channel between the two chambers for transmitting the core of the nanoparticles to be formed in the first chamber towards the second chamber. The device also includes an optical device for illuminating each of the two chambers, and at least one laser capable of emitting a laser beam intended to interact with the precursors in order to form the core and the shell.

A coated powder composite may include a core particle of Ca or an alloy thereof, or of Mg or an alloy thereof. One or more coating layers may be disposed about the core particle, cladding the core particle. The coated powder composite may be biodegradable.

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for additive manufacturing with improved powder distribution capabilities. Specifically, the methods and apparatuses of the present disclosure incorporate powder distribution vanes to improve the lateral deposition of powder from a hopper. Such methods and apparatuses have the potential to reduce powder overhead costs, mitigate associated health and environmental risks, and increase manufacturing efficiency.