A monolithic carbon foam formed of fused onion-like carbon (OLC) nanoparticles, in which the monolithic carbon foam contains interconnected pores, has a volumetric micropore surface area of 200 m.sup.2/cc-600 m.sup.2/cc, and has an electrical conductivity of 20 cm- 140 S/cm. Also disclosed are a fractal carbon foam prepared from the monolithic carbon foam, methods of preparing both foams, and supercapacitors constructed therefrom. Specifically, the methods of preparing the foams comprising, inter alia, spark plasma sintering the OLC nanoparticles at a pressure of 30 MPa-1000 MPa and a temperature of 300° C.-800° C. for 2 seconds-30 minutes.

A monolithic carbon foam formed of fused onion-like carbon (OLC) nanoparticles, in which the monolithic carbon foam contains interconnected pores, has a volumetric micropore surface area of 200 m.sup.2/cc-600 m.sup.2/cc, and has an electrical conductivity of 20 cm- 140 S/cm. Also disclosed are a fractal carbon foam prepared from the monolithic carbon foam, methods of preparing both foams, and supercapacitors constructed therefrom. Specifically, the methods of preparing the foams comprising, inter alia, spark plasma sintering the OLC nanoparticles at a pressure of 30 MPa-1000 MPa and a temperature of 300° C.-800° C. for 2 seconds-30 minutes.

A nanoribbon includes a structure represented by a structural formula (8), where g, p, q, r, s, t, and u are mutually independent and are integers greater than or equal to 1, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 are mutually independent and are one of a hydrogen atom, a substituent, an alkyl moiety, a phenyl moiety, and a halogen atom, and A denotes a hydrogen atom or as aryl group. ##STR00001##

A low carbon footprint material is used to decrease the carbon dioxide emission for production of a high carbon footprint substance. A method of forming composite materials comprises providing a first high carbon footprint substance; providing a carbon nanomaterial produced with a carbon-footprint of less than 10 unit weight of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) emission during production of 1 unit weight of the carbon nanomaterial; and forming a composite comprising the high carbon footprint substance and from 0.001 wt % to 25 wt % of the carbon nanomaterial, wherein the carbon nanomaterial is homogeneously dispersed in the composite to reduce the carbon dioxide emission for producing the composite material relative to the high carbon footprint substance.

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for synthesis of condensed nano-materials to at least one of create nanoparticles or modify existing nanoparticles. In one embodiment the system may have a source of liquid precursor, with the liquid precursor including a compound therein. A flow control element and a compression wave generating subsystem are also included. The flow control element is in communication with the source of the liquid precursor and creates a jet of liquid precursor. The compression wave generating subsystem drives a compression wave through at least a substantial portion of a thickness of the jet of liquid precursor to sufficiently compress the jet of liquid precursor, and to increase pressure and temperature of the jet of liquid precursor, to at least one of create nanoparticles or modify existing nanoparticles.

The present disclosure relates to a method for production of nitrogen-doped single wall carbon nanohorns from anode graphite of wasted lithium-ion batteries. The method includes the following steps: a first step: forming recycled graphite powder into graphite blocks; and, a second contact step: when the first step is completed, using a DC arc plasma device to produce the graphite blocks into N-SWCNHs.

The present disclosure relates to a method for production of nitrogen-doped single wall carbon nanohorns from anode graphite of wasted lithium-ion batteries. The method includes the following steps: a first step: forming recycled graphite powder into graphite blocks; and, a second contact step: when the first step is completed, using a DC arc plasma device to produce the graphite blocks into N-SWCNHs.

Disclosed are a method for manufacturing an electrode, an electrode manufactured thereby, a membrane-electrode assembly including the electrode, and a fuel cell containing the membrane-electrode assembly. The method includes the steps of: preparing an electrode forming composition by mixing a catalyst with an ionomer; applying a low-frequency acoustic energy to the electrode forming composition to perform resonant vibratory mixing so as to coat the ionomer on the surface of the catalyst; and coating the electrode forming composition to manufacture an electrode.

Disclosed are a method for manufacturing an electrode, an electrode manufactured thereby, a membrane-electrode assembly including the electrode, and a fuel cell containing the membrane-electrode assembly. The method includes the steps of: preparing an electrode forming composition by mixing a catalyst with an ionomer; applying a low-frequency acoustic energy to the electrode forming composition to perform resonant vibratory mixing so as to coat the ionomer on the surface of the catalyst; and coating the electrode forming composition to manufacture an electrode.

An object of the present invention is to provide a member and a method for producing a fibrous carbon nanohorn aggregate with high efficiency. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a carbon nanohorn aggregate production member for producing a fibrous carbon nanohorn aggregate in which single-walled carbon nanohorns are aggregated radially and are connected in a fibrous form, comprising: a target fixing jig having a target housing section on an upper surface which has a partition and is capable of mounting a plurality of rod-shaped catalyst-containing carbon targets without making a mutual contact, and a jig guide for movement on a side surface; a jig for target fixing jig movement which is slidably engaged with the jig guide for movement; and a target fixing jig guide which is inclined downward, and is equipped with a guide rail which is adapted to an arrangement of the plurality of rod-shaped catalyst-containing carbon targets, wherein the target fixing jig is slidably engaged with the guide rail, and moves in a downward direction by a weight thereof and in a transverse direction along the guide rail by the jig for target fixing jig movement.