Carbon materials having carbon aggregates, where the aggregates include carbon nanoparticles and no seed particles, are disclosed. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles include graphene, optionally with multi-walled spherical fullerenes and/or another carbon allotrope. In various embodiments, the nanoparticles and aggregates have different combinations of: a Raman spectrum with a 2D-mode peak and a G-mode peak, and a 2D/G intensity ratio greater than 0.5, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer-Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area, a large particle size, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the carbon materials.

A nanoparticle or agglomerate which contains connected multi-walled spherical fullerenes coated in layers of graphite. In different embodiments, the nanoparticles and agglomerates have different combinations of: a high mass fraction compared to other carbon allotropes present, a low concentration of defects, a low concentration of elemental impurities, a high Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) specific surface area, and/or a high electrical conductivity. Methods are provided to produce the nanoparticles and agglomerates at a high production rate without using catalysts.

The invention relates to a tool having a hard material for processing mineral and/or plant-based material layers, in particular of traffic areas and/or agricultural floor areas or combinations thereof with one another. According to the invention, at least one part of the cutting element is formed or covered with a hard material containing fullerite or formed from fullerite. The wear resistance of the tool can be significantly improved by the extremely hard material.

In some embodiments, a lipofullerene-saccharide compound and a method of inhibiting and/or ameliorating metastasis of neoplastic cells using said compound is disclosed herein. The lipofullerene-saccharide compound may be used in therapeutically effective doses to inhibit the metastasis of neoplasms in mammals. In some embodiments, the method may include administering to a subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation including a lipofullerene-saccharide compound. In some embodiments, the lipofullerene-saccharide compound may be formed by reacting (e.g., coupling) a lipid and a saccharide with a fullerene. In some embodiments, neoplastic cells may include pancreatic cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, lung cancer cells, breast cancer cells, colon cancer cells, and/or brain cancer cells. A significant anti-metastatic effect has been observed on a metastatic nude-mouse model of human pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 cell lines constructed orthotopically as a result of therapeutic treatment with the lipofullerene-saccharide conjugate.

A LiBH.sub.4C.sub.60 nanocomposite that displays fast lithium ionic conduction in the solid state is provided. The material is a homogenous nanocomposite that contains both LiBH.sub.4 and a hydrogenated fullerene species. In the presence of C.sub.60, the lithium ion mobility of LiBH.sub.4 is significantly enhanced in the as prepared state when compared to pure LiBH.sub.4. After the material is annealed the lithium ion mobility is further enhanced. Constant current cycling demonstrated that the material is stable in the presence of metallic lithium electrodes. The material can serve as a solid state electrolyte in a solid-state lithium ion battery.

A LiBH.sub.4C.sub.60 nanocomposite that displays fast lithium ionic conduction in the solid state is provided. The material is a homogenous nanocomposite that contains both LiBH.sub.4 and a hydrogenated fullerene species. In the presence of C.sub.60, the lithium ion mobility of LiBH.sub.4 is significantly enhanced in the as prepared state when compared to pure LiBH.sub.4. After the material is annealed the lithium ion mobility is further enhanced. Constant current cycling demonstrated that the material is stable in the presence of metallic lithium electrodes. The material can serve as a solid state electrolyte in a solid-state lithium ion battery.

A method for preparing a preblend of nanostructured carbon, such as nanotubes, fullerenes, or graphene, and a particulate solid, such as polymer beads, carbon black, graphitic particles or glassy carbon involving wet-mixing and followed by optional drying to remove the liquid medium. The preblend may be in the form of a core-shell powder material with the nanostructured carbon as the shell on the particulate solid core. The preblend may provide particularly improved dispersion of single-walled nanotubes in ethylene--olefin elastomer compositions, resulting in improved reinforcement from the nanotubes. The improved elastomer compositions may show simultaneous improvement in both modulus and in elongation at break. The elastomer compositions may be formed into useful rubber articles.

A method for preparing a preblend of nanostructured carbon, such as nanotubes, fullerenes, or graphene, and a particulate solid, such as polymer beads, carbon black, graphitic particles or glassy carbon involving wet-mixing and followed by optional drying to remove the liquid medium. The preblend may be in the form of a core-shell powder material with the nanostructured carbon as the shell on the particulate solid core. The preblend may provide particularly improved dispersion of single-walled nanotubes in ethylene--olefin elastomer compositions, resulting in improved reinforcement from the nanotubes. The improved elastomer compositions may show simultaneous improvement in both modulus and in elongation at break. The elastomer compositions may be formed into useful rubber articles.

A thermally insulating composition comprising hollow spherical silica particles and a coating of a material having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 W/m.Math.K on surfaces of said silica particles. In particular embodiments, the low conductivity coating material may be a polymer, such as polystyrene or polyvinylpyrrolidone, or the low conductivity coating material may be a quaternary ammonium salt of the Formula (1), i.e., R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4N.sup.+A.sup., with at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 being an alkyl group containing at least ten carbon atoms (and A.sup. is a counter anion), or the low conductivity coating material may be phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester covalently bound to the hollow spherical silica particles. Also described herein is a method of thermally insulating a surface by applying a coating of the thermally insulating composition, described above, onto the surface.

Provided are a hardmask composition and a method of forming a fine pattern using the hardmask composition, the hardmask composition including a solvent, a 2D carbon nanostructure (and/or a derivative thereof), and a 0D carbon nanostructure (and/or a derivative thereof).