A graphite material has a flexible part and can be utilized as a heat-conveying material in a narrow space. The graphite material, includes: at least one heat-conveying part; and a flexible part. A method for producing a graphite material, includes: (i) subjecting at least one film serving as a material to a heat treatment to obtain at least one carbonaceous film; (ii) providing a monolayer or multilayer structure including the at least one carbonaceous film; and (iii) applying heat and pressure to at least one part of the monolayer or multilayer structure in an inert atmosphere.

A thermal interface material under a high vacuum condition includes a graphite sheet having a thickness of from 9.6 μm to 50 nm and a thermal conductivity in an a-b surface direction at 25° C. of not less than 1000 W/mK.

A method of producing a composite product is provided. The method includes providing a fluidized bed of carbon-based particles in a fluidized bed reactor, providing a catalyst or catalyst precursor in the fluidized bed reactor, providing a carbon source in the fluidized bed reactor for growing carbon nanotubes, growing carbon nanotubes in a carbon nanotube growth zone of the fluidized bed reactor, and collecting a composite product comprising carbon-based particles and carbon nanotubes.

Graphite-based devices with a reduced characteristic dimension and methods for forming such devices are provided. One or more thin films are deposited onto a substrate and undesired portions of the deposited thin film or thin films are removed to produce processed elements with reduced characteristic dimensions. Graphene layers are generated on selected processed elements or exposed portions of the substrate after removal of the processed elements. Multiple sets of graphene layers can be generated, each with a different physical characteristic, thereby producing a graphite-based device with multiple functionalities in the same device.

A method of producing a graphite product using high-temperature heat treatment is capable of producing a high-quality graphite product without using any resin as a raw material or without the need for the resin used to be a special kind of resin. The method of producing a graphite product includes a step of heat-treating a raw material at a temperature of 2400° C. or higher. The raw material contains graphene oxide (A) and optionally a resin (B). The graphene oxide (A) has a carbon-to-oxygen mass ratio (C/O) of 0.1 to 20. In the raw material, the content of the graphene oxide (A) may be from 0.3 to 20% by weight or may be from 50 to 100% by weight. The graphene oxide (A) may have an average particle size of 2 to 40 μn.

A method of producing a graphite product using high-temperature heat treatment is capable of producing a high-quality graphite product without using any resin as a raw material or without the need for the resin used to be a special kind of resin. The method of producing a graphite product includes a step of heat-treating a raw material at a temperature of 2400° C. or higher. The raw material contains graphene oxide (A) and optionally a resin (B). The graphene oxide (A) has a carbon-to-oxygen mass ratio (C/O) of 0.1 to 20. In the raw material, the content of the graphene oxide (A) may be from 0.3 to 20% by weight or may be from 50 to 100% by weight. The graphene oxide (A) may have an average particle size of 2 to 40 μn.

A negative electrode material for a lithium ion battery, a negative electrode for a lithium ion battery, a lithium ion battery, a battery pack and a battery powered vehicle are disclosed herein. The negative electrode material for the lithium ion measured by means of XPS has a half-value width of 0.55-7 eV at a peak of 284-290 eV; a C/O atomic ratio of (65-75):1, and a peak area ratio of sp.sup.2C to sp.sup.3C of 1:(0.5-5) with the sum of the spectral peak areas of sp.sup.2C and sp.sup.3C being a reference. Using the negative electrode material having the structure above for the negative electrode of the lithium ion battery may provide a large lithium storage, and form a stable SEI film, thereby improving the stability of the negative electrode of the lithium during a cycling process, and improving the rate performance of the lithium ion battery.

Provided are a heating furnace and a graphite production method both of which allow a carbonization step and a graphitization step to be consecutively performed. The heating furnace is a heating furnace for producing graphite from a polymeric material, and includes a heating furnace body for subjecting the polymeric material to heat treatment. The heating furnace body includes a closed vessel for containing the polymeric material. A gas outlet pipe is connected to the closed vessel, the gas outlet pipe being for letting, out of the heating furnace body, a pyrolytic gas generated from the polymeric material.

Provided are a heating furnace and a graphite production method both of which allow a carbonization step and a graphitization step to be consecutively performed. The heating furnace is a heating furnace for producing graphite from a polymeric material, and includes a heating furnace body for subjecting the polymeric material to heat treatment. The heating furnace body includes a closed vessel for containing the polymeric material. A gas outlet pipe is connected to the closed vessel, the gas outlet pipe being for letting, out of the heating furnace body, a pyrolytic gas generated from the polymeric material.

According to a graphite production method for producing graphite of higher quality, a maximum temperature inside a heating furnace of not less than 2900° C. causes an electrical discharge between a heater and a graphite container, and thus leads to a failure to efficiently convert electrical power into heat of the electrical heater. A graphite production method for producing graphite of higher quality is provided. Graphite having a higher heat diffusivity is obtained by carrying out a graphitization step such that a distance between a graphite container and the heater falls within a particular range of length, an atmosphere of a gas inside the heating furnace is set to contain a helium gas, and heating is carried out so that a maximum temperature inside the heating furnace is not less than 2900° C.