A method for preparing a spheronized carbonaceous negative electrode active material, including the steps of: mixing microgranular scaly graphite with macrogranular scaly graphite, wherein the macrogranular scaly graphite has a larger average particle diameter than the microgranular scaly graphite, to form a mixture, and spheronizing the mixture to prepare spheronized granulated particles; carrying out carbon coating of the spheronized granulated particles; and disintegrating the carbon-coated spheronized granulated particles.

A method for preparing a sulfur-carbon composite including: (a) stirring a porous carbon material in a solvent mixture including a carbonate-based compound and a volatile solvent and then drying; and (b) mixing the dried porous carbon material with sulfur and then depositing the sulfur in and on the porous carbon material by a heat melting method. A method for preparing a sulfur-carbon composite including: (a) mixing and stirring a porous carbon material and sulfur in a solvent mixture including a carbonate-based compound and a volatile solvent and then drying; and (b) depositing the sulfur in and on the porous carbon material by a heat melting method. In the sulfur-carbon composite, sulfur present in and on the porous carbon material, a proportion of β-monoclinic sulfur phase to sulfur contained in the sulfur-carbon composite is 90% or more based on a total molar ratio of sulfur.

A method for preparing a sulfur-carbon composite including: (a) stirring a porous carbon material in a solvent mixture including a carbonate-based compound and a volatile solvent and then drying; and (b) mixing the dried porous carbon material with sulfur and then depositing the sulfur in and on the porous carbon material by a heat melting method. A method for preparing a sulfur-carbon composite including: (a) mixing and stirring a porous carbon material and sulfur in a solvent mixture including a carbonate-based compound and a volatile solvent and then drying; and (b) depositing the sulfur in and on the porous carbon material by a heat melting method. In the sulfur-carbon composite, sulfur present in and on the porous carbon material, a proportion of β-monoclinic sulfur phase to sulfur contained in the sulfur-carbon composite is 90% or more based on a total molar ratio of sulfur.

A negative electrode active material for aqueous secondary batteries, said negative electrode active material being applied to an aqueous secondary battery that uses an aqueous electrolyte solution containing water and a lithium salt, wherein: the negative electrode active material contains graphite; the graphite has a C—F bond group on the surface; if I.sub.688eV is the peak intensity at around 688 eV ascribed to a C—F bond and I.sub.284eV is the peak intensity at around 284 eV ascribed to a C—C bond in the XPS spectrum of the graphite as obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the ratio of the peak intensity I.sub.688eV to the peak intensity I.sub.284eV (namely, the value of I.sub.688eV/I.sub.284eV ) is from 0.1 to 7; and the BET specific surface area is from 0.5 m.sup.2/g to 3.9 m.sup.2/g.

A dispersion, methods of making the same, applications of the dispersion to graphitic material and the resulting coated particles are disclosed. The dispersion includes ≤55% wt. coal tar pitch (softening point 100° C.-95° C.), ≤60% wt. dispersant, and the balance a non-aromatic solvent such as water or alcohol. Pitch particles in the dispersion are preferably ≤10 μm with a distribution of D50<15 μm. The pitch particles are micronized, such as by dry and/or wet milling with the dispersant and aqueous solvent to achieve the desired pitch particle size and distribution. This aqueous dispersion may be mixed with natural or synthetic graphitic material having a diameter of 5-20 μm in a ratio of 5%-30% pitch to graphite, dried and carbonized to form coated particles having a graphitic core at least partially coated by pitch particles.

A dispersion, methods of making the same, applications of the dispersion to graphitic material and the resulting coated particles are disclosed. The dispersion includes ≤55% wt. coal tar pitch (softening point 100° C.-95° C.), ≤60% wt. dispersant, and the balance a non-aromatic solvent such as water or alcohol. Pitch particles in the dispersion are preferably ≤10 μm with a distribution of D50<15 μm. The pitch particles are micronized, such as by dry and/or wet milling with the dispersant and aqueous solvent to achieve the desired pitch particle size and distribution. This aqueous dispersion may be mixed with natural or synthetic graphitic material having a diameter of 5-20 μm in a ratio of 5%-30% pitch to graphite, dried and carbonized to form coated particles having a graphitic core at least partially coated by pitch particles.

A lithium battery including a cathode, an anode, a liquid-impermeable ion-conductive membrane between the cathode and the anode, and an interlayer including a metal-carbon composite between the anode and the liquid-impermeable ion-conductive membrane, wherein the metal-carbon composite includes a carbonaceous material, a metal chemically bonded to the carbonaceous material, and a metal sulfide, a metal fluoride, or a combination thereof chemically bonded to the carbonaceous material.

A lithium battery including a cathode, an anode, a liquid-impermeable ion-conductive membrane between the cathode and the anode, and an interlayer including a metal-carbon composite between the anode and the liquid-impermeable ion-conductive membrane, wherein the metal-carbon composite includes a carbonaceous material, a metal chemically bonded to the carbonaceous material, and a metal sulfide, a metal fluoride, or a combination thereof chemically bonded to the carbonaceous material.

A carbon allotrope element includes a carbon allotrope layer formed from a carbon allotrope material impregnated with a dielectric resin and having a first surface. The carbon allotrope element further includes a first bus bar in communication with the first surface, and a second bus bar in communication with the first surface and non-adjacent to the first bus bar. The first surface includes a layer of the dielectric resin and a plurality of abraded regions, and each of the first and second bus bars is in communication with one of the plurality of abraded regions of the first surface.

A carbon allotrope element includes a carbon allotrope layer formed from a carbon allotrope material impregnated with a dielectric resin and having a first surface. The carbon allotrope element further includes a first bus bar in communication with the first surface, and a second bus bar in communication with the first surface and non-adjacent to the first bus bar. The first surface includes a layer of the dielectric resin and a plurality of abraded regions, and each of the first and second bus bars is in communication with one of the plurality of abraded regions of the first surface.