The present application discloses a negative electrode active material and a method for preparation thereof, a secondary battery, and an apparatus including the secondary battery. The negative electrode active material includes a core and a coating layer covering a surface of the core, the core includes artificial graphite, the coating layer includes amorphous carbon, the negative electrode active material has a surface area average particle size D(3,2) denoted as A, the negative electrode active material has a surface area average particle size D(3,2) denoted as B after powder compaction under a pressure of 20 kN, and the negative electrode active material satisfies: 72%≤B/A×100%≤82%.

Provided are graphitic carbon materials and methods of making graphitic carbon materials. Also provided are compositions of the graphitic carbon materials with nanoparticles disposed thereon and methods of making the compositions. Also disclosed are devices utilizing the graphitic carbon materials and/or the compositions. The graphitic carbon materials are porous and have a desirable graphitic content. The graphitic materials may be nitrogen- and/or metal-doped. The nanoparticles may be platinum or platinum/transition metal nanoparticles. The compositions may be used in oxygen reduction reaction applications.

Provided are graphitic carbon materials and methods of making graphitic carbon materials. Also provided are compositions of the graphitic carbon materials with nanoparticles disposed thereon and methods of making the compositions. Also disclosed are devices utilizing the graphitic carbon materials and/or the compositions. The graphitic carbon materials are porous and have a desirable graphitic content. The graphitic materials may be nitrogen- and/or metal-doped. The nanoparticles may be platinum or platinum/transition metal nanoparticles. The compositions may be used in oxygen reduction reaction applications.

Provide are a method of manufacturing a cathode material including (A) synthesizing a precursor including a metal compound and a carbon compound, (B) carbonizing the precursor in an inert atmosphere to produce a metal-carbon composite, (C) sulfurizing the metal-carbon composite in a sulfur atmosphere to produce a metal-metal sulfide-carbon composite, (D) removing metal particles from the metal-metal sulfide-carbon composite to produce a metal sulfide-carbon composite, and (E) synthesizing sulfur particles in the metal sulfide-carbon composite to produce a metal sulfide-sulfur-carbon composite, and a cathode active material.

To provide a carbon electrode material that is capable of decreasing cell resistance during initial charging and discharging to improve battery energy efficiency. A carbon electrode material for a negative electrode of a manganese/titanium-based redox flow battery including carbon fibers (A), carbon particles (B) other than graphite particles, and a carbon material (C) for binding the carbon fibers (A) and the carbon particles (B) other than graphite particles and satisfying (1) a particle diameter of the carbon particles (B), (2) Lc(B), (3) Lc(C)/Lc(A), (4) A mesopore specific surface area, and (5) a number of oxygen atoms bound to the surface of the carbon electrode material.

To provide a carbon electrode material that is capable of decreasing cell resistance during initial charging and discharging to improve battery energy efficiency. A carbon electrode material for a negative electrode of a manganese/titanium-based redox flow battery including carbon fibers (A), carbon particles (B) other than graphite particles, and a carbon material (C) for binding the carbon fibers (A) and the carbon particles (B) other than graphite particles and satisfying (1) a particle diameter of the carbon particles (B), (2) Lc(B), (3) Lc(C)/Lc(A), (4) A mesopore specific surface area, and (5) a number of oxygen atoms bound to the surface of the carbon electrode material.

A method for preparing artificial graphite includes (A) preparing heavy oil, and forming coke from the heavy oil through continuous coking reaction such that the coke has a plurality of mesophase domains, wherein a size of the mesophase domains ranges between 1 and 30 μm by polarizing microscope analysis; and (B) processing the coke formed by step (A) sequentially by pre-burning carbonization treatment, grinding classification, high-temperature carbonization treatment and graphitization treatment to form polycrystalline artificial graphite from the coke. The method for preparing artificial graphite of the present invention and the polycrystalline artificial graphite prepared thereby are applicable to batteries.

A method for preparing artificial graphite includes (A) preparing heavy oil, and forming coke from the heavy oil through continuous coking reaction such that the coke has a plurality of mesophase domains, wherein a size of the mesophase domains ranges between 1 and 30 μm by polarizing microscope analysis; and (B) processing the coke formed by step (A) sequentially by pre-burning carbonization treatment, grinding classification, high-temperature carbonization treatment and graphitization treatment to form polycrystalline artificial graphite from the coke. The method for preparing artificial graphite of the present invention and the polycrystalline artificial graphite prepared thereby are applicable to batteries.

A manufacturing method of a porous carbon material includes the following steps. A polymer template is provided, the polymer template includes a polymer compound, and the polymer template has a plurality of pores. A coating step is performed, wherein a metal compound is coated on the polymer template to form a transition intermediate. A heating step is performed, wherein the transition intermediate is heated to transform the polymer template to a carbon template and transform the metal compound to a coating layer, and a porous carbon composite material is formed. A removing step is performed, wherein the coating layer is removed from the porous carbon composite material, and a porous carbon material is obtained.

A manufacturing method of a porous carbon material includes the following steps. A polymer template is provided, the polymer template includes a polymer compound, and the polymer template has a plurality of pores. A coating step is performed, wherein a metal compound is coated on the polymer template to form a transition intermediate. A heating step is performed, wherein the transition intermediate is heated to transform the polymer template to a carbon template and transform the metal compound to a coating layer, and a porous carbon composite material is formed. A removing step is performed, wherein the coating layer is removed from the porous carbon composite material, and a porous carbon material is obtained.